Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring is expected to return on Thursday against Philadelphia after missing the last 14 games with a lower-body injury, reports Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. A key part of the JJ Peterka trade over the offseason, the 25-year-old has been limited to just nine appearances so far this season after also sustaining a knee injury in the preseason. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get eased back in but he’ll likely get a chance to take on a bigger role after the holiday break.
Meanwhile, among other injured Sabres, winger Jason Zucker has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury and is hoping to return after the break. Forward Justin Danforth has missed 28 games with what’s believed to be a broken kneecap but head coach Lindy Ruff says he’s doing okay now. Lastly, goaltender Colten Ellis (concussion protocol) is expected to be reevaluated on Friday after missing the last two games.
Elsewhere around the hockey world:
- While Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk has been skating on his own recently, he has yet to join the team for practice. As a result, GM Bill Zito told NHL.com’s Nick Cotsonika that they don’t know if Tkachuk will be available for the Winter Classic in a little more than two weeks. The 28-year-old had surgery to repair a torn adductor muscle and a sports hernia back in August and has yet to play this season. He’s averaged more than a point per game in four straight years and whenever he comes back – be it for the outdoor game or later on – he’ll be a huge boost to a Florida team that sits around the middle of the pack in the East.
- Lightning winger Brandon Hagel is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and hasn’t been ruled out of Thursday’s game against Los Angeles, relays Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Hagel was injured on a hit from Seth Jones on Monday, resulting in him leaving the game. He has been a key contributor for Tampa Bay this season, notching 18 goals and 13 assists in 32 games.
- Veteran winger Milan Lucic has decided not to hang up his skates. Released from an AHL tryout with Springfield late last month, he has found his next team as the Fife Flyers of the EIHL announced that they’ve signed the 37-year-old for the remainder of the season. Lucic has only played in nine games since the 2022-23 campaign ended so it’s far from a guarantee that he’ll be able to be an impactful player as he looks to continue his career.
Lucic has to recoup some of the money he lost in the divorce, Embarrassing!!!
#17 Milan Cementhead.
The DoPS missed badly in not calling in Seth Jones for the cheap headshot to Brandon Hagel. It’s utterly ridiculous how Florida keeps aiming for Hagel’s head constantly and the league does absolutely nothing about it yet again. What is the point of DoPS?…Obviously, it’s not player safety, that’s for sure. SMH.
George Parros sucks! A former NHL player whose only claim to fame in the league was for fighting people. Putting that sort of player in charge of player safety seems like an oxymoron, but the league went through with it. Total crock.
Granted, for Florida, I’m sure the Campbell theory surely plays a role, I don’t doubt.
Parros, Campbell, Shanahan, Quintal… it’s a running theme for the DoPS to have guys who were on the giving end of bad hits the job of protecting players. I’ll never understand it.
The Dept of Player Safety is good at manufacturing Pinellas County tears, and I am okay with that.
In a shocking development, you are stunned and ready to blame the entire NHL hierarchy for a TB loss. This just in: sometimes a team loses a game because the opponent was better during that game.
@Cooperalls – who said anything about the game results, you stupid @$$?…I didn’t. I was talking about the cheap low ball hit. Can you not read you ignorant f**k?…I guess your arrogant stupidity just makes you this deficient.
@Goggles – Thanks for sharing you’re a total dumba$$. So player safety doesn’t matter to you that’s good to know you’re just another low life cretinous idiot.
@Feel the Teardrops is a sad pathetic angry little child. I feel sorry for your life
Now that is how one tosses a tantrum. Well played. For those of you new to cyberspace or those still toiling at an amateur level, if you are looking for an internet career being bitter and miserable, you will not find many better mentorship examples than ThunderFeeler. Learning from those who continually play at the top level has always been a solid career strategy.
@Cooperalls – You’re arrogant and obnoxious troll. What I’m stating is being said in a variety articles about Hagel and the kitty goons in South Florida. But obviously, facts are not relevant to your doltish and trolling narrative.
lmao yeah its one big anti TBL conspiracy to explain how hockey is physical and violent and not just how the sport is. get over it little man
@Begamin – My God another half-witted dunce. The ignorant stupidity level by some is off the charts. Who said anything about a conspiracy?…I didn’t but apparently you have the comprehension of an utter dumb@$$. You’re making up your own self-delusional narrative in what I’m talking about. Get back with me when you get past a 1st grade apprehension, you foolhardy simpleton.
so sensitive. miserable life you got bud
My life is fine, mate. Only trolls like yourself are miserable. I just can’t stand arrogant ignoramuses like yourself on the internet who are too dense and inane with remarks that are baseless assumptions and fabricated lies. You can go back in your hole, troll.
lmao youre such a miserable little loser. go outside, take a breath. itll be ok, its just sports
It brightens my day to see As The World Turns according to Feel the Teardrops. Hagel has a glass jaw and it is as simple as that. Look out now but the Cats are starting to make their move.
@Our Cup, ever heard of Silence Is Golden? or you just have a burning urge to rejoice in stupidity as well??
The Bolts-Panthers banter on this site is always like this from both sides. Sometimes a back-and-forth can be a *popcorn gif* moment for us neutral observers, but this discourse is just so childish that it’s impossible to endure.
No Silence isn’t golden or we wouldnt need this forum to discuss hockey matters. I can’t stand the fact that @feel the teardrops comes on here with the same tired rant against the Panthers.