Sabres Update – Skinner Out Week-To-Week, Okposo Returns Against Senators
Olofsson a healthy scratch, rookie Johnson back in the lineup
Sabres Update – Skinner Out Week-To-Week, Okposo Returns Against SenatorsThe Buffalo Sabres went through an optional morning skate at Key Bank Center on Thursday prior to the second of their six-game homestand against the Ottawa Senators and provided an update on winger Jeff Skinner, who did not practice on Wednesday due to an upper-body injury.
The club indicated that Skinner, who leads the club with 17 goals, will be out week-to-week. Head coach Don Granato said that this is an injury unrelated to the UBI the 31-year-old suffered after a hit by Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon on December 13 and that when he will be able to return is uncertain.
"In one week, we'll kind of know how far this thing's resolved," Granato said. "This is not a broken bone, you can put a timetable (on that). This is a little different, softer tissue (injury)."
Kyle Okposo will replace Skinner in the lineup against Ottawa, but the Sabres team captain will likely return to his fourth-line role with Zemgus Girgensons and Peyton Krebs, with Casey Mittelstadt or rookie Zach Benson moving up to the top line with Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
Winger Victor Olofsson was on the ice on Thursday and has been cleared after dealing with a lingering illness, but Granato said he will not play against Ottawa, who trail the Sabres by 10 points in the Atlantic Division and are in last place in the Eastern Conference.
Granato said that rookie blueliner Ryan Johnson will be in the lineup, but did not indicate who will be scratched against the Sens.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will get the start in goal for the Sabres.
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