Zach Metsa

4:55 p.m.: The team later announced that defenseman Zach Metsa, not a forward, is the corresponding recall. It’s now clear that Johnson’s demotion was made purely with the intent of getting him more ice time in Rochester. If Metsa plays, it’ll be his NHL debut. The 5’9″ righty has worked his way up Buffalo’s depth chart since signing there as a free agent in 2023, fresh off captaining Quinnipiac to a national championship. The Wisconsin native broke out to lead Rochester’s defense in scoring last season, finishing third on the team overall with a 7-39–46 line in 69 games.

3:55 p.m.: The Sabres have assigned defenseman Ryan Johnson to AHL Rochester, according to the league’s transactions log. They haven’t made a corresponding transaction yet, but they could be sending the waiver-exempt rearguard down to open space for a forward recall after Justin Danforth left last night’s win over the Senators with a lower-body injury.

Johnson, a first-round pick in 2019, cracked the Sabres out of camp this year for the first time since signing out of college in 2023. He’s been used sparingly, though. He’s suited up in three of Buffalo’s four contests but has averaged just nine minutes of ice time per game, including a career-low 5:12 against Ottawa yesterday. In those minutes, he’s yet to record a point, has an even rating, and has registered four shot attempts with three blocks and two hits. He’s been on the ice for one goal against at even strength and only controlled 40.7% of shot attempts.

The 24-year-old’s development has hit the back burner after what was initially a smooth transition to pro hockey. He made 41 appearances for the Sabres as a rookie in 2023-24, managing a +3 rating with promising possession metrics (52.7 CF%, 52.9 xGF%) in bottom-pairing duties. He only registered eight hits, but the 6’1″ lefty looked on track to be the defensively responsible piece Buffalo drafted him to be and a potential long-term No. 3 on their left side behind Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power.

It’s been tough sledding for the California native since then, though. This summer, he signed a three-year deal as a restricted free agent that will only pay him the league minimum NHL salary each season. It starts as a two-way deal this year, paying him $350K in the minors, before becoming a one-way pact for 2026-27 and 2027-28. He had a fine showing in Rochester last year, only recording a 2-11–13 scoring line in 66 games but finishing sixth on the team with a +13 rating.

He’ll now look to get more wide-open minutes in Rochester before getting his next look with the Sabres on the NHL roster. Buffalo is now only carrying six defensemen, including Mattias Samuelsson, who’s missed the last two games with an undisclosed injury but never landed on IR. Johnson’s demotion implies Samuelsson should be good to go for Saturday against the Panthers but the Sabres also have enforcer Mason Geertsen available, who’s mainly a forward but has dressed on defense in the past.