Sabres winger Jason Zucker is going to miss significant time after sustaining an undisclosed injury in last night’s 7-4 loss to the Flames, head coach Lindy Ruff said on WGR 550 this morning. He was seen favoring his leg at points during the contest but finished the game – not before taking a slash from MacKenzie Weegar with seconds left in the game that presumably aggravated whatever he was dealing with (video via The Sabre Report).
“Something happened inside the game,” Ruff said. “He missed some time in the second period and came back and played, but the initial view by our crew last night after the game is he will miss some time.”
Zucker has already had one multi-game absence this season, although it wasn’t injury-related. The 12-year vet contracted a viral illness at the beginning of November that caused him to lose a significant amount of weight, and it took him weeks to get back into regular conditioning form. He ended up missing eight games.
However, the 33-year-old has arguably been Buffalo’s best forward since getting back in the lineup. He’s recorded a point in seven of his last nine games, including three multi-point efforts. His 11 points (five goals, six assists) in nine games since Nov. 11 lead the Sabres and are tied for 12th in the league during that time. The year, he’s now up to a 9-7–16 scoring line in 20 games. That’s got him fifth on the team in points, tied for second in goals, and third in points per game. That’s great production for a winger whose 15:32 average time on ice is tied for eighth among Buffalo forwards.
He’s a significant loss for a reeling Sabres team that’s now lost three games in a row, all by three goals. They’re still without a regulation win on the road this season and are four points deep into last place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-14-4 record. Per MoneyPuck, their chances of making the playoffs have dropped to 5.6%. Only the Predators (4.2%) have worse odds.
For a Sabres team whose depth forward contingent is already weakened by extended absences for Justin Danforth and Jiri Kulich, they’ll presumably place Zucker on injured reserve soon to add a forward from AHL Rochester. That will likely be 2022 first-rounder Noah Ostlund, who was working his way into a regular job in the lineup but was forced down to the minors over the weekend to allow the Sabres to carry seven defensemen on their road trip without placing anyone on waivers. Fellow first-rounder Isak Rosen, who had seven points in only 10 games during a prior call-up this year, is also a good option.
This road trip should be the final road trip for Adams and Ruff. We are sick of the constant incompetence on the ice but most of all the horrible GM and out of touch coach. This team has talent and yet Ruff moves Thompson back out to wing after a scoring streak at center and then realizes after three losses in a row it was a mistake. Ruff was a great Sabre but he is not the coach for the current NHL. Adams is the most incompetent GM in Sabres history which is a large group of lousy GM’s. He signs UPL to a big deal and the guy never, ever, ever makes a big save when you need one and especially after the Sabres just scored a goal and have momentum and he will give up a soft goal. Let Lyon and Ellis play, dump UPL to someone for a bag of pucks. Promote Michael Leone from Rochester to coach the rest of the year and make Jarmo Kekalianen the GM as he handled transition in Columbus.
The UPL contract is not the worst. Greenway has that honor. Buffalo should waive UPL & save 1.3mil on the cap. Maybe a team claims UPL. All GMs make bad contract decisions. But a $4+mil contract is nowhere near Jeff Skinner territory. This is a tale of 2 teams-
Home 9-5-2
Away 2-9-2
Having 4 of your top 9 forwards on the IL at one point didn’t help the Sabres either.