For the first time all season, the Sabres will have the six defensemen they envisioned playing together when they retooled their blue line during the offseason.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said this morning Michael Kesselring, who missed the first nine games with an undisclosed injury, will play tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center.
Injuries have ravaged the Sabres from the get-go this season. Since the beginning of training camp, 13 players have been sidelined.
Kesselring, who joined the Sabres on June 26 in the deal that sent winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth, went down late in the preseason.
“I think we’ve lost our share of guys,” Ruff said. “It’s nice to get guys back. On the defensive side, getting him back gets us a look at what we pictured our defense could look like. Big first game for him, but it’ll give us an indication, for sure.”
In other news, Ruff said defenseman Jacob Bryson, who has missed the last three games with a concussion, is ready to play but will be scratched tonight.
Ruff also said forward Tyson Kozak, who suffered a lower-body injury in Friday’s 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, is week to week.
Sabres goalie Alex Lyon is expected to start tonight, his eighth nod in 10 games.