BUFFALO – Naturally, newcomer Olen Zellweger, the Sabres’ biggest offseason acquisition, wanted to play in Thursday’s season opener in Columbus.
But just nine days had passed since Zellweger, 23, suffered a concussion in a preseason game. While he was feeling better, he did not want to rush back.
So the defenseman decided to wait two more days. He returned to practice today and is expected to made his debut in Saturday’s home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The extra recovery time helped him.
“I feel great,” Zellweger said following this afternoon’s practice in KeyBank Center. “I really wanted to play in the first game here, but it was just a bit too soon, I think. So the extra couple days actually made a massive difference.
After trading defenseman Bowen Byram to Chicago, the Sabres sent a second-round pick and a prospect to the Anaheim Ducks to acquire the speedy Zellweger.
He skated alongside Owen Power during today’s session.
Zellweger went down Sept. 27 when Columbus’s Carson Soucy leveled him in the right faceoff circle late in the second period.
“I don’t think it was like a crazy, dirty hit,” Zellweger said. “But I don’t think it was perfectly clean, either. So it’s just kind of one of those things where you got to put yourself in a better position.”
To create room for Zellweger, the Sabres this morning sent defenseman Dennis Gilbert back to the Rochester Americans. Gilbert sat out Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Blue Jackets.