BUFFALO – The Sabres, down four defensemen to injury, recalled Brady Austin and Casey Nelson from the Rochester Americans this morning.
Austin, 23, will almost certainly make his NHL debut in tonight’s road tilt against the Detroit Red Wings. Meanwhile, Nelson, 24, has already made 16 appearances with the Sabres.
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Austin has two goals, nine points, 36 penalty minutes and a minus-10 rating in 61 games with the Amerks this season, his third with the AHL club. The Sabres drafted him in the seventh round, 193rd overall, in 2012.
Austin would be the Sabres’ first seventh-rounder to play for them since winger Mark Mancari, a 2004 pick.
The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Nelson has four goals, 13 points, 22 penalty minutes and a minus-19 rating in 45 contests with the Amerks. The college free agent made the Sabres out of training camp. He played nine games earlier this campaign, recording zero points.
The Sabres made the recalls because defensemen Taylor Fedun (foot) and Cody Franson (unspecified) were injured in Friday’s 2-1 shootout win in Anaheim. Justin Falk (bruised calf, two games) and Dmitry Kulikov (upper body, seven games) are also hurt.
All four players are day-to-day, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said Sunday.