BUFFALO – Sabres coach Ted Nolan had no updates on injured forwards Patrick Kaleta and Johan Larsson this afternoon. The players are still being evaluated.
“Nothing official yet,” Nolan said inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll just wait until the official reports.”
The oft-injured Kaleta left Sunday’s 3-2 shootout preseason loss in Toronto just minutes in when Morgan Rielly’s slap shot hit the winger in the cheekbone area. Kaleta immediately skated off the ice to the dressing room.
Later in the period, the Maple Leafs’ Petter Granberg elbowed Larsson in the head. Larsson was helped off the ice.
In other news, more players will be sent to Rochester or junior in the next day or so, Nolan said. The competition has impressed Nolan and general manager Tim Murray.
“We talk about that on a daily basis,” Nolan said. “One thing we wanted to make sure we tried to establish was competition for jobs. Truth be told, that’s what’s happening. They’re making decisions tough on us. We wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Nolan said goalie Andrey Makarov missed today’s practice to rest.
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Boston released former Sabres bust Ville Leino from his tryout today.
Toronto, meanwhile, released former Sabres defenseman Henrik Tallinder from his tryout. Tallinder dislocated his left shoulder against the Sabres on Friday when ex-teammate Mike Weber knocked him into the boards.
Tallinder’s NHL career could be over.