BUFFALO – Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen knows if the Sabres hope to end their embarrassing 14-year playoff drought, he must bounce back following a disappointing season in which he often struggled and briefly lost his starting job.
It can be argued no player is more integral to the Sabres’ success than Luukkonen, who failed to build on his breakout 2023-24 campaign and sat out late-season games when journeyman James Reimer took over the net.
So it was hardly ideal when the Finn recently tweaked a lower-body injury and missed the first week of training camp before practicing today.
“It’s really unfortunate,” Luukkonen said following the session in KeyBank Center. “Felt I had a good summer. Felt I’m in a good spot, kind of working on things which I wanted to work on. And having that happen and go through that during training camp always sucks.
“And just overall, I feel like it’s a big year for me, so it’s not the thing you want to go through, but stuff like this happens, and you’ve just got to do your best to push through.”
The Sabres were concerned enough about his injury they signed veteran goalie Alexandar Georgiev, who will start tonight’s preseason road game against the Detroit Red Wings, to a one-year contract.
But Luukkonen said he should be ready for the season opener Oct. 9.
“I felt good today on the ice,” he said.
Coach Lindy Ruff said if Luukkonen responds well to his first practices, the Sabres will play him in exhibition games.
The Sabres, like the rest of the NHL, have an intense schedule because of the Milano Cortina Games in February, so Luukkonen wants to be prepared for the grind.
Of course, he wants to play for Team Finland in the Olympics.
“You want to just focus on the things here,” he said. “That’s what will provide you the chance to play in the Olympics, too, start the season off well.”
If he struggles, Georgiev and goalie Alex Lyon, another veteran newcomer, could steal playing time.
Luukkonen knows Georgiev well, having worked with him alongside the same goalie coach a couple of years ago in Finland.
“I know he’s really technically solid goalie,” Luukkonen said. “He’s really just athletic, reads the play well, and just good guy.”
In other news, Ruff said center Jiri Kulich, who was expected to play in Detroit, left this morning’s pregame skate early after he tweaked a muscle. He doesn’t anticipate the Czech missing more than a day or two.
Tyson Kozak replaced Kulich on a line between Jack Quinn and Josh Doan.
Ruff said Georgiev will play the full game and be backed up by Devon Levi.
Tonight’s roster with the lines and defense pairs is below.
Forwards
– Quinn, Kozak and Doan
– Konsta Helenius, Noah Ostlund and Isak Rosen
– Beck Malenstyn, Peyton Krebs and Justin Danforth
– Josh Dunne, Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Anton Wahlberg
Defense
– Owen Power and Michael Kesselring
– Zac Jones and Radim Mrtka
– Jack Rathbone and Zachary Metsa