The Buffalo Sabres already had some issues in the net with their tandem of Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton this season. While neither has been too disappointing, neither has been a difference maker either. However, just in the last couple of weeks, that tandem has disappeared, at least temporarily. The team lost Ullmark to a leg injury and was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 29th and now Buffalo News’ Lance Lysowski reports that Carter Hutton will be out for family reasons. No word on the timetable for his return.
The team already had called AHL’s Jonas Johansson when Ullmark went down and now the team has recalled Andrew Hammond to replace Hutton. That leaves the Rochester Americans’ tandem in charge of the NHL team.
Johansson is expected to start Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks. The 24-year-old has made two relief appearances for Buffalo this season, posting a 2.58 GAA and a .886 save percentage. However, he has been much more successful in Rochester. He was named to the AHL All-Star Game with a 2.19 GAA and a .925 save percentage in 20 appearances.
Hammond, no stranger to the NHL with 56 NHL appearances including several key winning streaks with both Ottawa and Colorado over the years, has not made an appearance since filling in for the Avalanche during the 2017-18 playoffs. He has a 2.57 GAA and a .905 save percentage with the Americans in 27 appearances this season.
Both will be expected to hold down the pipes for Buffalo until either Ullmark or Hutton are able to return.
Hamburglar returns!
Maybe a good thing this is happening?
See what else you have since Hutton has not had a good season.
aka, The Hammond Organ Grinder! Duane (Dwayne) from Buffalo will get a few extra gas cans for today’s debacle against Anaheim!
Buffalo has got to make a trade soon. This team needs some scoring power. Theyve been a joke for years
Hutton want be with the Sabres too much longer , most likely this summer , at least you have Hammond he hasn’t had much playing to time and not a proven netminder and Ullmark comes back , Sabres may as well scrap season and wait to get a top 10 pick in draft in June. til Johansson and Luukkonen prove they are best options in net in the near future. that way they can get some scoring help and draft pick for Hutton thou it would be a 4 or 5 round pick