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Jacob Bryson

Sabres Place Justin Danforth On Injured Reserve

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Oct. 18: Danforth landed on IR following today’s impressive 3-0 win over the Panthers, according to the NHL’s media site. Buffalo hasn’t yet made a corresponding recall, but they now have the flexibility to in case defenseman Jacob Bryson misses time. He’s now in concussion protocol after colliding with Florida’s Jonah Gadjovich early in the game, Ruff said (via Heather Engel of NHL.com).

Oct. 17: Sabres forward Justin Danforth will miss more than a month with the lower-body injury he sustained in Wednesday’s 8-4 drubbing of the Senators, head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters today (including Rachel Lenzi of The Buffalo News). It was never made clear what play actually caused the injury, but he left the game early in the second period and didn’t return.

It’s nothing Buffalo isn’t used to by now. Injuries have decimated their forward group early in the season. Jordan Greenway and Joshua Norris remain on injured reserve. New top-line winger Zach Benson only just made his season debut after a rather significant facial injury kept him out of the first three games, and he lit up the Sens for four assists to immediately assume the team lead in scoring.

Danforth, 32, inked a two-year, $3.6MM deal with the Sabres in free agency after spending the first four years of his NHL career with the Blue Jackets. He began the year on the fourth line but was quickly elevated into top-nine duties with Jiri Kulich and Jack Quinn when Norris got hurt in Buffalo’s first game. He’s without a point in any of his four appearances and hasn’t been particularly effective otherwise, aside from taking some faceoffs and going 54.8% on the dot, on pace for a career high. He’s managed four blocks and three hits with a -2 rating, only controlling 41.5% of shot attempts despite starting 55.6% of his shifts in the offensive zone at even strength.

The Sabres can place Danforth on injured reserve at any point if they need his roster spot, although they haven’t done so yet. They have enough cap space ($3.12MM) that long-term injured reserve shouldn’t be a consideration. For now, it appears recent call-up Joshua Dunne will maintain a spot in the lineup in Danforth’s place when Buffalo hosts the Panthers tomorrow afternoon.

Atlantic Notes: Kane, Bryson, Lindholm, McCue

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Red Wings winger Patrick Kane suffered an injury late in Friday’s victory over Tampa Bay when he crashed hard into the boards.  He’s now set to miss at least one game due to the injury as Max Bultman of The Athletic relays (Twitter link) that the veteran has been ruled out of playing tomorrow against Edmonton.  The 36-year-old is off to a strong start to his season with two goals and three assists in his first five outings, good for third on the team in scoring but he won’t be adding to those totals for at least a few days.  There’s no word yet on if he’ll miss any more time beyond Sunday’s outing.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic:

  • The Sabres announced (Twitter link) that defenseman Jacob Bryson suffered an upper-body injury this afternoon against Florida. The injury occurred on his first shift of the game after taking a hit from Jonah Gadjovich.  Bryson came into the games with an assist through his first four games of the season while averaging a career-low 11:31 per game, an ATOI number that’s certainly going to take a dip after today’s contest.  Zach Metsa is the only other healthy blueliner on Buffalo’s roster so if Bryson is set to miss any more time, Metsa should be in line for his NHL debut soon.
  • After missing the last three games with a lower-body injury, Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm is listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s game against Colorado, notes team reporter Belle Fraser (Twitter link). When healthy, Lindholm is a top-pairing impactful blueliner but staying in the lineup has been a challenge lately; he missed 65 games last season due to a knee injury.
  • Maple Leafs prospect Sam McCue announced on his Instagram account earlier this week that he has committed to Bowling Green State University. The 20-year-old was a seventh-round pick by Toronto back in 2024 and is off to a strong start in his final season of major junior, putting up four goals and two assists in eight games with OHL Brampton.

Sabres Extend Jacob Bryson

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2:47 p.m.: Buffalo confirmed the deal as reported.

1:29 p.m.: The Sabres are closing in on a one-year, one-way extension worth $900K for defenseman Jacob Bryson, PuckPedia reports. He was slated to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Bryson’s new deal mirrors what he signed to return to Buffalo last summer after they opted to non-tender him on the conclusion of his two-year, $3.7MM deal that carried a $1.9MM qualifying offer. That’s fair value for the limited role he continues to play as the No. 7 on the Sabres’ depth chart. He’s made 42 appearances this season, up from last year’s 36, although his average ice time has dropped slightly from 14:41 to 14:22.

The 27-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Sabres back in 2017, so he’s now been affiliated with the organization for eight years and will extend his stay through a ninth. As far as replacement-level players go on the back end, he fits the bill. While not an overly physical rearguard (he has just nine hits this year), he blocks shots well and plays an overall sound defensive game. His 46.8 CF% and -5.7 expected rating at even strength this year are par for the course, considering he starts over 60% of his shifts in the defensive zone. Offensively, he’s posted 4-39–43 in 248 career games as a Sabre, including seven assists in 2024-25.

After making his NHL debut during the COVID-shortened 2021 campaign, he’ll return to Buffalo for his sixth big-league campaign. With the six defenders ahead of him on the depth chart either signed through next season or destined for restricted free agency this summer, he’ll likely start next year in a press-box role again, barring injuries or an unforeseen trade that doesn’t bring an in-kind replacement back to the Sabres. The 5’9″ lefty will now surpass $8MM in estimated career earnings with this deal, per PuckPedia.

Atlantic Notes: Petry, Bennett, Bryson

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As mentioned yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings’ concerns regarding the availability of veteran defenseman Jeff Petry have unfortunately been realized. According to team broadcast reporter Daniella Bruce, the Red Wings won’t have Petry in the lineup tonight due to an undisclosed injury suffered in the team’s recent game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Petry may be out for longer than just tonight. Head coach Todd McLellan is hopeful it’ll be a shorter-term injury for Petry but did say the team would know more once they get back to Detroit. In the meantime, McLellan will choose between youngster Albert Johansson or recently recalled William Lagesson for tonight’s contest.

There is a valid argument that either option may prove to be an improvement over Petry. He’s experiencing one of the worst offensive seasons of his career, reminiscent of the 2013-14 season when he had only seven goals and 17 points in 80 games with the third-to-last-place Edmonton Oilers. While Petry has performed slightly better defensively this year with the Red Wings, he has not approached the level of the consistent 40-point defenseman he once was.

Other happenings in the Atlantic Division:

  • The NHL’s Department of Player Safety has fined Florida Panthers’ center Sam Bennett $5K for roughing Pittsburgh Penguins’ Drew O’Connor in last night’s contest. It’s the second time Bennett has been issued a fine by the Department of Player Safety and the fourth time he’s faced supplemental discipline. During the incident, Bennett attempted to hit O’Connor behind Pittsburgh’s net and threw his right hand into O’Connor’s face.
  • According to Mike Harrington of Buffalo News Sports, the Buffalo Sabres will be down a defenseman tonight. Jacob Bryson, who has picked up a more consistent role in Buffalo’s bottom defensive-pairing this season, won’t play tonight due to an illness. Dennis Gilbert, seldomly used by head coach Lindy Ruff this season, will draw in for Bryson against the Vegas Golden Knights. Gilbert has tallied one assist in 12 contests this year averaging 10:45 of ice time per game.

Sabres Sign Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, Jacob Bryson, Dennis Gilbert, Jack Rathbone

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The Sabres have added to their flurry of depth signings today, confirming deals for UFA winger Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (one year, $1.5MM), defenseman Jacob Bryson (one year, $900K) and defenseman Dennis Gilbert (one year, $825K). The team also confirmed the previously reported signings of Jason Zucker and Sam Lafferty.

PuckPedia later reported that the Sabres also inked depth defenseman Jack Rathbone to a one-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$500K AHL.

Aubé-Kubel’s stock has improved after being an early-season waiver claim two years ago.  Since then, he became a regular role player for the Capitals.  Last season, the 28-year-old played in 60 games for Washington, recording six goals and ten assists along with a career-high 159 hits while logging a little over 12 minutes a night.  With the Sabres looking to add some grit to their bottom six group, they’ve elected to reunite Aubé-Kubel with Beck Malenstyn, who was acquired back at the draft.

As for Bryson, his stint in unrestricted free agent was short-lived after being non-tendered by the team yesterday.  The 26-year-old had a limited role with Buffalo last season, getting into just 36 games where he had eight points while averaging a little under 15 minutes a night.  His $1.85MM contract helped get him through waivers unclaimed, resulting in him seeing action in ten games with AHL Rochester as well.  Bryson is likely to still have a depth role with the Sabres next season but it will be at a much more manageable price point this time around.

Gilbert, meanwhile, spent all of last season at the NHL level with the Flames but playing time was hard to come by.  While he missed a handful of games with a concussion, he was also a frequent healthy scratch.  In the end, the 27-year-old played in 34 games, picking up a goal and six assists along with 49 blocks and 59 hits while logging a little more than 12 minutes a night.  He could battle for an end-of-roster spot with Buffalo in training camp but could also be earmarked for a key role with AHL Rochester.

In 2021-22, Rathbone picked up 40 points in 39 games with AHL Abbotsford and it looked like a full-time promotion to the NHL could soon be forthcoming.  However, that didn’t come to fruition.  The 25-year-old was moved to Pittsburgh last year in an early-season trade but played exclusively with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, recording 24 points in 67 games.  He’ll be ticketed for a regular role with the Americans where he’ll hope to play his way into his first NHL action since 2021-22.

Injury Notes: Barabanov, Sandin, Kostin, Bryson

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Winger Alexander Barabanov has reportedly played his last game with the San Jose Sharks, with a lower-body injury expected to end his season and the Sharks not likely to re-sign him this summer, per Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News (Web link). Barabanov suffered the injury from a blocked shot on March 26th and hasn’t played since, missing San Jose’s last five games.

This is an abrupt and quiet end to what was a quiet season for Barabanov. He played in 46 games, scoring just four goals and 13 points – the lowest scoring rate of his career. It’s a disappointing follow-up to what seemed to be Barabanov’s breakout season last year, when he managed a career-high 15 goals and 47 points in just 68 games. He’ll now set his eyes on free agency – the 30-year-old’s first chance to play outside of San Jose since he became a full-time NHL player in 2021. While he’ll certainly have to take a price cut from his current $2.5MM cap hit, Barabanov could be an intriguing pick-up for teams needing more depth down the wings.

Other notes from around the league:

  • Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin left the team’s Sunday matchup against the Ottawa Senators with an upper-body injury, following a hit at the end of the first period (Twitter link). The 24-year-old has moved into an integral role for the Capitals, averaging 21:34 in ice time over his last 10 games. Rookie Vincent Iorio is currently Washington’s seventh defenseman. He could be poised for a crucial role, with Washington currently two points back of an Eastern Conference Wild Card with just six games to go.
  • The San Jose Sharks were without hot-streak winger Klim Kostin on Sunday due to illness, per Curtis Pashelka (Twitter link). Kostin has nine points through his first 14 games with the Sharks, averaging six more minutes of ice time than he did in 33 games with Detroit. The Sharks traded minor-league defenseman Radim Simek and a 2024 seventh-round pick for Kostin at the Deadline and have him signed through next season. He was replaced by undrafted rookie Collin Graf, getting his NHL debut just days after signing his first professional contract. Graf recorded one assist in the start.
  • Jacob Bryson suffered an upper-body injury in the Buffalo Sabres’ Sunday afternoon game, leaving after just nine minutes of play (Twitter link). Bryson has played in just 31 games this season – the fewest of his career. He’s recorded one goal and eight points in those appearances, extended his streak to four consecutive seasons with just one goal on the year. Buffalo will have to decide between Kale Clague and rookie Ryan Johnson, who is currently in the AHL, if Bryson has to miss any time.

East Notes: Bryson, Rafferty, Robertson

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The Sabres recalled defenseman Jacob Bryson from AHL Rochester on Monday morning, per the team’s public relations department. The 26-year-old joined Buffalo for practice this morning and will travel with them to California on their road trip, which takes them up to the All-Star break (via Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald).

Bryson has been papered up and down frequently over the last few days as the team grapples with an injury to veteran Erik Johnson on the back end. The 35-year-old missed Saturday’s loss to the Lightning after taking a hit from behind from Blackhawks forward Philipp Kurashev late last week and was not on the ice for practice today. As such, the Sabres needed to bring a defenseman up from Rochester to give them an injury fill-in option if an additional blue-liner is sidelined during their California trip.

It’s been a difficult season for the 26-year-old Bryson. He’s played sparingly for the Sabres, making three appearances (none since November 4) and passing through waivers unclaimed in December. The 2017 fourth-round pick is in the latter half of a two-year, $3.7MM deal ($1.85MM AAV) and is unlikely to receive a qualifying offer before his deal expires in the summer. He has three assists and a +5 rating in 10 games with Rochester this season, his first minor-league stint in three years.

Some other NHL/AHL shuffles in the Eastern Conference this morning:

  • The Red Wings assigned defenseman Brogan Rafferty to AHL Grand Rapids this morning, according to a team announcement. Detroit recalled the 28-year-old yesterday to serve as injury insurance with Ben Chiarot out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury, but he did not dress in their win over the Lightning. Rafferty has served as a healthy scratch in four games this month as the team has shouldered short-term absences to Chiarot and Jake Walman on their back end. The offensive-minded blue-liner has struggled to adapt in his first season with the Red Wings organization, posting two goals, 13 assists and 15 points in 35 games with Grand Rapids after lighting up the league with 51 points in 72 games with AHL Coachella Valley last season.
  • The Rangers returned defense prospect Matthew Robertson to AHL Hartford today, the team’s PR department said. The 6-foot-4 22-year-old came up to serve as injury insurance for the first two games of the Rangers’ California road trip but did not play. As such, they’ve decided to return him to the minors before their game against the Sharks in San Jose tomorrow. Their 2019 second-round pick is in the final season of his entry-level contract and is still looking to make his NHL debut. He’s posted two goals, 11 assists and 13 points with a -3 rating in 32 games with Hartford this year.

Transaction Notes: Polin, Bryson, Asplund

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Earlier today, the Colorado Avalanche reassigned forward Jason Polin to their AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, per a team announcement. Polin was originally recalled on January 8th via an emergency loan and factored into six games for the Avalanche, scoring only one goal.

It was a positive sign from Polin to see him score his first professional goal, as he has been unable to score even one with the Eagles over 20 games during this year and last. Colorado is likely holding out hope they he can recoup some of his offensive talent that showed in his last season in the NCAA, when he scored 30 goals and 47 points with Western Michigan University.

Although nothing official has come from the organization, the reassignment of Polin likely spells the much-awaited return of Artturi Lehkonen, who has been on the team’s long-term injured reserve since November 13th with a neck injury. However, with Valeri Nichushkin now enrolled in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and captain Gabriel Landeskog still working his way back from knee cartilage surgery, Colorado will have to wait a bit longer to see a complete top-six forward group.

Other notes:

  • The Buffalo Sabres announced today that the organization has loaned defenseman Jacob Bryson back to their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. After clearing waivers on December 20th, Bryson would not make his way back up to the Sabres until January 18th but was unable to suit up in a game. During his short span with the Americans, Bryson has tallied one assist in nine games.
  • Sticking in the Atlantic Division, the Florida Panthers have loaned forward Rasmus Asplund to their AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, per a team announcement. Asplund did not suit up for the Panthers over his emergency loan roster placement, but will return to a Checkers team where he has had some success this season, scoring four goals and 19 points in 33 games.

Buffalo Sabres Recall Jacob Bryson

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The Buffalo Sabres have recalled defenseman Jacob Bryson. He fills the open roster spot left when Kale Clague was sent down from his emergency loan. Bryson has been in the minors since December 19th, appearing in nine games with the Rochester Americans and recording one assist. Bryson was on injured reserve earlier in the season with a lower-body injury.

This is the first time that Bryson has played AHL games since the 2020-21 season when he played in five games with Rochester and recorded three assists. In fact, Bryson has largely avoided the minor leagues since making his pro debut in 2019-20. He’s only totaled 75 AHL games, scoring 31 points, compared to his 173 career games in the NHL. Bryson’s most eventful NHL season came in 2021-22 when he netted a career-high 10 points in a career-high 73 games. He’s come close to breaking his scoring high a number of times, netting nine points in 38 games in his rookie 2020-21 season and nine points in 59 games last year. The Sabres originally drafted Bryson in the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft, taking him in the same round that saw Michael Anderson, Emil Bemstrom, and Drake Batherson get selected.

Bryson rejoins a Sabres team that’s slowly finding their groove, setting a 4-2-0 record since the calendar turned over to 2024. He’ll serve as a depth option for Mattias Samuelsson, who is currently in concussion protocol and designated as day-to-day.

Sabres Place Jacob Bryson On Waivers

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12/19: Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Bryson has cleared waivers, and may now be freely optioned to Rochester.

12/18: The Sabres placed defenseman Jacob Bryson on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL Rochester on Monday, Chris Johnston of TSN and The Athletic reports. The move is likely a precursor to the Sabres activating winger Jack Quinn off injured reserve before tomorrow’s game against the Blue Jackets, as head coach Don Granato said earlier today he’s an option to make his season debut after rehabbing an offseason Achilles injury (via Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald).

Bryson, 26, has remained on the Sabres’ roster all season but has been a healthy scratch for all but three games, last suiting up on November 4 against the Maple Leafs. He’s since been a healthy scratch in 20 straight games.

With a significant $1.85MM cap hit, there are unlikely to be any takers for Bryson, so he should clear without issue and head to Rochester tomorrow. He’s in the final season of a two-year, $3.7MM extension signed in 2022 and is eligible for salary arbitration next summer. However, it seems unlikely at this stage that the Sabres will opt to retain his rights – with a $1.9MM qualifying offer due, Bryson is an obvious non-tender candidate and could find himself on the open market as a UFA next summer.

When in the lineup, Bryson has barely played, sometimes dressing as a seventh defenseman. He averaged just 9:26 through his three appearances with the Sabres and was held off the scoresheet, posting a -1 rating.

It’s been difficult for Bryson since his extension platform year of 2021-22 when he played a career-high 73 games and averaged significant minutes for the Sabres while being one of their better possession-controlling defenders. His defensive game has lapsed significantly over the past two seasons, however, and the 2017 fourth-round pick now finds himself on the fringes of an NHL job.

If he clears waivers and heads to Rochester, it will be Bryson’s first AHL games since the 2020-21 campaign.

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