Jake McCabe was injured midway through the third period of Buffalo's 4-2 win in Winnipeg on Sunday afternoon. The 23 year old left handed D-man has ben playing a very reliable and robust style for most of this season. McCabe's injury is not considered to be a serious concern for the team and he missed practice on Monday, however, will be probable when the Sabres play against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.
To offset the McCabe injury, Mark Pysyk was summoned from AHL Rochester to Minneapolis on Monday. Pysyk re-connects with his Sabres teammates after completing a three game conditioning program with the Amerks over the weekend. Pysyk collected one assist in his three games in Rochester this past weekend.
He was sent down last week after recovering from the broken none in his foot that sidelined him for 22 games. Pysyk's injury was initially diagnosed as a bone bruise, however, imaging results should a break in a bone on his right foot. He was forced to sit out of the Sabres lineup for multiple weeks while his foot healed.
Before his injury, Pysyk played 18 games for the Sabres. He skated an average of 16:20 TOI.
Pysyk plays 5-on-5, PP, and PK.
Dan Bylsma has a decision to make because McCabe is a lefty and Pysyk is a righty.
Pysyk is a special agent because he plays both right and left D with little or no drop off in his accuracy.
Dan Bylsma has been a big fan of Pysyk because of the youngster's skating ability, puck distribution skill, and hockey smarts. Bylsma likes to play a puck possession style. The Sabres have possessed the puck 50% or so while Pysyk has been out of the lineup. The Sabres' puck possession numbers increase when Pysyk is in the lineup. I'm no analytics expert, nor do I play one on the internet. Having said that, Pysyk's ability to hold onto puck sand to feather tape to tape passes to his wingers on the move makes him an integral part of Buffalo's offense. Pysyk is like a starting pitcher in MLB who can throw four pitches well, change speeds, pitch inside to hitters and can over power and fool hitters with his brilliant location and his pin point accuracy.
In other words, Pysyk isn't a liability on the ice like most 23-24 year old NHL defensemen are who are learning to play the NHL game while training on the job. Like McCabe and Ristolainen, Pysyk is mature beyond his not so advanced years.
Dan Bylsma paid Pysyk a compliment after Monday's practice when he said tthat you don't know what you've lost in Pysyk until he is out of the lineup.
Pysyk is a coach's dream because he is so smart with the puck and he makes such intricate plays to his D partner and his wingers.
Before they snapped a six game losing streak in Winnipeg on Sunday night, Bylsma expressed his concerned with the manner in which his top D pair of Josh Gorges and Rasmus Ristolainen had been playing. Bylsma is looking for better play from his top pair and it would not surprise me In the least if he moved Pysyk next to Ristolainen in Minneapolis. Bylsma knows that the two righties have played well together in the NHL and in Rochester last season. If healthy, McCabe would stay with his righty partner Zach Bogosian on the second pair leaving Gorges could then move down to play with Cody Franson on the third pair. Mike Weber would become the off man out in this scenario which is fine by me. Weber injects physicality into a game, however, the Wild are not known for their truculence and heaviness as much as they are about speed, skill, and puck possession.
In the event that McCabe can't play in Minny, one lefty can take the place of another in Weber for McCabe.
Having Pysyk paired with Ristolainen would give Bylsma four righties in his lineup in Ristolainen, Pysyk, Bogosian and Franson.
Tim Murray continues to search for a left-handed PP specialist.
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Sabres starting goalie Robin Lehner is expected to play one more game in Rochester before completing his conditioning assignment. Lehner has allowed six goals in two games in his first action since spraining his right ankle in Buffalo's season opener against Ottawa on October 8.
Lehner may start against Boston on Friday night.
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