Buffalo Sabres Roster: Who Gets Called Up For Injuries?

The inevitable thing about the NHL is that injuries do occur. Many times, when injuries to key players happen, teams have an issue finding the right guy to call up and fill the position needed. For the Buffalo Sabres there are a number of great options for call ups during injuries.

Related – Could Bobby Sanguinetti See NHL Playing Time?

The Rochester Americans had a relatively poor season last year, but there were still some signs of hope in the defense and the goaltending. With defensemen Jake McCabe and Mark Pysyk most likely going to be on the Buffalo Sabres full time roster this year, I am going to exclude them as options.

The first option for the Sabres is for the offense. Regardless of which player is injured, this is a player that could fit in any role Coach Bylsma puts him in.

Justin Bailey

After a huge breakout season in the OHL that saw him post 34 goals and 69 points, Bailey is becoming one of the top prospects available in the Buffalo Sabres depth pool. As he has aged out of the OHL, Bailey will be seeing his first set of AHL action to start off this season.

As he adjusts to the pro speed and style of hockey, he will only continue to grow. As many people saw at the Sabres development camp, Bailey was one of the hardest working players on the ice; not to mention one of the most dangerous threats in both ends.

His power forward style of play with a further developed scoring touch will see him gunning for a top spot on the Americans scoring chart. That hard work, production, and continued developing skill will most likely earn him a call up to the Sabres roster should someone go down with an injury.

The second option is also for the offense. This player has had some NHL experience and will be a key depth asset.

Cal O’Reilly

Older brother to Buffalo Sabres projected top center Ryan O’Reilly, Cal is a great depth center who will most likely be manning a pivot position in Rochester for the start of the year. Cal is a relatively responsible playmaking center that has great vision and passing ability. Where he falls short is consistency (only at times) and ultimately NHL translated success.

In the NHL he has played a total of 113 games, amassing 13 goals and 48 points.

The last time Cal O’Reilly played in the NHL was in 2012 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Since then he has played in the AHL and KHL, and he posted 38 assists and 45 points in 52 AHL games during his last North American season. If Cal can put up those kinds of numbers in the AHL for the Americans this season, there is no doubt in my mind that he will see time in the NHL again from and injury call up.

Andrey Makarov

There is going to be a goalie battle in the AHL for the Rochetser Americans to determine who will be the starter. My personal pick for whom it will be is Andrey Makarov. Makarov had shown great promise last year by being very steady between the pipes when the Americans needed it.

Should an injury be sustained by either Robin Lehner or Chad Johnson, I think Makarov has what it takes to jump up into the NHL and serve very well as a backup.

He posted 16 wins and 3 shutouts in 39 games for the Americans, and though that seems a bit average, he did so as a 21 year old goaltender with almost no pro experience. That being said, I think he has earned a real shot at the starting job in Rochester, and will most likely be the goalie call up for injuries there.

With Matt Hackett no longer in the picture either, it makes his call up even morel likely.

As I discussed in a previous article (see related post at top of this one) the defensive call up would most likely be Bobby Sanguinetti.

With a deeper prospect pool, there would be more options for the Sabres, but they are in the great position to have their top prospects ready, or very close to being ready to step into the NHL and play full time.

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