BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring, who has missed the last 14 games with a lower-body injury, is expected to return tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Kesselring, the Sabres’ biggest offseason acquisition, hasn’t played since Nov. 15. He practiced Wednesday alongside defenseman Owen Power in his first session back.
“Kesselring indicated to me that he would be good to go, which is a great thing,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said in KeyBank Center.
Injuries have limited Kesselring, who was acquired in the trade that sent winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth, to just nine games this season. He suffered a knee injury during the preseason and did not play his first game until Oct. 28.
Kesselring said earlier this season he had never been injured in his career before this year.
“So he was having a tough time dealing with what he’s been dealing with,” Ruff said. “We know he’s a great skater, and I think that we really haven’t seen that with …. the knee injury and then another lower body injury that has really set him back.”
Some other injury and illness updates from Ruff are below.
– Forward Peyton Krebs missed Wednesday’s practice because of illness.
“We’ve got this little sickness that’s been running through us,” Ruff said. “We’re just hoping that he can get through his. We’ve got a couple that were in practice today that are starting to feel it but wanted to practice.”
– Ruff said winger Justin Danforth “had a broken kneecap or something close to that.”
“He’s doing OK now,” he said.
Danforth has missed the last 28 games.
– Jason Zucker (lower body, three games) hopes to return after Christmas.
– Goalie Colten Ellis (concussion protocol, two games) will be evaluated again Friday.
Rosen should have stayed in Buffalo.
Krebs should have been waived or sent down.