BUFFALO – As the Sabres searched to improve their goaltending, they targeted Colten Ellis, a St. Louis Blues prospect whose path to the NHL was blocked by Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer.
Ellis, 25, needed to clear waivers to be returned to the AHL, where he has spent most of the last two seasons tending goal for the Springfield Thunderbirds.
So when, as expected, he hit the wire, the Sabres claimed him Monday.
“When Ellis became available, he’s someone that as an organization we felt really highly about,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said following Tuesday’s practice in KeyBank Center.
With a surfeit of goalies – Ellis’ arrival gave them four – the Sabres on Tuesday waived veteran Alexandar Georgiev, who struggled during the preseason.
Right now, No. 1 goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is sidelined with a lower-body injury, so Ellis, who has never played in the NHL, will likely serve as veteran Alex Lyon’s backup for Thursday’s season opener against the New York Rangers.
“It’s my first time going on waivers, so I didn’t really know what the process was like,” Ellis said following his first session with the Sabres. “But when I got the call yesterday, I was super excited for the opportunity here and coming to Buffalo.”
Ruff said he likes the 6-foot-1, 191-pound Ellis’ quickness and puck play, an area of the game he wanted Georgiev to improve.
When Ruff watched video of the newcomer, he said he saw he possesses a “calmness about him.”
“So I can understand why he’s been kind of on the radar,” he said.
Ellis said he had just gotten his belongings organized in Springfield when he learned about the claim. He made the 370-mile drive from the Massachusetts city and arrived late Monday night in Buffalo.
“It’s definitely a whirlwind,” he said. “But at the same time, just trying to live in the moment. It’s my first time experiencing all this, so I’m trying to soak it all in, take it in day by day and just learn as much as I can.”
Ellis, a third-round pick in 2019, 93rd overall, has paid plenty of dues to reach the big leagues after four pro seasons.
He played for three ECHL teams – the Worcester Railers, Tulsa Oilers and Orlando Solar Bears – before establishing himself with Springfield. He has played more games in the ECHL (82) than the AHL (64).
He enjoyed a strong season last year with the Thunderbirds, registering a 22-14-3 mark with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in 42 outings.
Overall, he has compiled a 30-26-5 record with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage in the AHL.
Meanwhile, Georgiev, who signed a one-year, $825,000 contract last month, could be sent to the Rochester Americans if he clears. He hasn’t played in the AHL since 2018-19.
He posted a 4.17 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage in four preseason appearances. He did not practice Tuesday.
Considering his struggles in training camp and backstopping the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks last season – his ghastly .875 save percentage ranked 61st in the NHL – he likely won’t be claimed.
“I’ve been around him,” said Ruff, who was an assistant coach with the New York Rangers when Georgiev entered the NHL. “He’s a good person. He worked hard. He’s done everything that was asked. Just felt that we couldn’t pass up on this opportunity.
“UPL is feeling better, which is good. He’s progressing. We feel with Lyon we’ve a guy that can play also, can help us win games.”
The Sabres also have goalie Devon Levi, a prospect they seem intent on keeping in Rochester, as adding Ellis illustrates.
“We want him playing well,” Ruff said. “If you look at, (we have) UPL’s situation where we kind of don’t exactly know if he’s just going to come out of it. If he comes out of it, great. But I think at the same time, you have to protect yourself. And we think the world of Levi. I think he’s going to be a hell of a goalie.”
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Sabres defenseman Owen Power, who sat out a week with a strain, returned to practice Tuesday in a non-contact role.
Ruff said he’s “cautiously optimistic” Power can play Thursday.
“All indications are that everything went well today,” he said.
The Sabres reached the 23-man regular-season roster Monday by placing Power and four other players on injured reserve. In the coming days or weeks, as players recover, they will likely have to make more moves.
“I think that’ll be a good thing, having tough decisions,” Ruff said of Levi. “We wanted it to be a competitive camp, and … with IR, there were some decisions that were probably easier to make. We, in all likelihood, will have some tougher ones coming up. But that competition should spur on better play by everybody, too.
“So I think everybody kind of knows where they’re at and where they’re seated, and most of it will play out on how you play.”