BUFFALO – By the end of the week, the Buffalo Sabres could have four injured players back in their lineup.
Defensemen Michael Kesselring and Jacob Bryson, goalie Colten Ellis and winger Jordan Greenway all practiced in contact jerseys Monday in KeyBank Center, where the Sabres host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Coach Lindy Ruff said Kesselring, who has missed the first nine games with an undisclosed injury, could make his Sabres debut against Columbus.
“Based on today, if things look good tomorrow morning, I would anticipate him playing,” Ruff said following the session.
Kesselring, perhaps the Sabres’ biggest offseason acquisition, joined his teammates for Friday’s pregame skate. He said he also skated on his own over the weekend.
“I’m excited to get in there and prove that I can help this team and play my game,” he said. “Will it maybe take a few games to get my legs under myself a little bit? Not an excuse, but maybe I’m not gonna play a ton of minutes right away and work my way into it.
“But practice today, I felt really good. It was kind of that reactive stuff that I needed to take the next step with, and I felt pretty good.”
Monday marked Kesselring’s first full team practice since his he aggravated his injury Oct. 1 in a preseason game.
“Good two-way player, skates well, moves the puck well, shoots it well,” Ruff said of the newcomer. “So it will be good to get him back in. I liked what I saw early in camp.”
Update: The Sabres on Monday sent defenseman Zach Metsa back to the Rochester Americans.
Metsa compiled zero points and a plus-3 rating in his first four NHL games.
Ruff said defenseman Jacob Bryson, who has missed the three games with a concussion, could be available for Tuesday’s home contest.
He also said goalie Colten Ellis, who missed Saturday’s 4-3 overtime road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs with a stiff back, should be available against the Blue Jackets.
Meanwhile, Ruff said Greenway, who has been sidelined since undergoing offseason surgery to repair a mid-body injury, is “a good possibility” to make his season debut Thursday in Boston.