Buffalo Sabres Second In NHL in Man-Games Lost
Earlier this week, the Buffalo Sabres announced that forward Nicolas Deslauriers, who’s been a physical presence on the team this season, will be sidelined three to five weeks with a lower-body injury.
That makes Deslauriers the 12th Buffalo Sabres player to miss time this season due to injury.
And while the Buffalo Sabres’ struggles can’t be 100% blamed on injuries, it’s hard to ignore the impact those injuries can have, especially when some of your top players are missing for significant periods of time.
Overall, according to Man Games Lost (MGL), the Buffalo Sabres are second overall in the NHL in man-games lost, with 171.
The only team with more man-games lost: the Edmonton Oilers, with 177.
(Numbers reflect the site’s reports as of January 6, 2016).
More from Sabre Noise
- 3 biggest standouts at Buffalo Sabres 2023 Prospects Challenge
- 3 takeaways from the Buffalo Sabres final Prospects Challenge game
- Buffalo Sabres experiment with lesser-known talent in loss to Pens
- Buffalo Sabres 75 Bold Predictions for 2023-24: Prediction 51
- Buffalo Sabres vs. Pittsburgh: A quick look at the Penguins prospects
That starts with forward Cody McCormick, who has not played at all this season due to blood clots. He’s missed all 40 games the team has played, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.
Four of the Buffalo Sabres’ defensemen have been injured this season, starting with most recently Mark Pysyk.
Pysyk has missed 21 games this season thanks to a bone bruise suffered in mid-November.
He’s finally returned to practice and was assigned to the AHL’s Rochester Americans for conditioning this week. It’s expected that he’ll play in all three Amerks games this weekend and be back up with the Buffalo Sabres sooner rather than later.
Pysyk’s return to the Buffalo Sabres lineup will be a welcome one; there’s no doubt he has an impact on the team and, when healthy, can be one of the Sabres’ top defensemen.
Another defenseman with a big impact: Zach Bogosian, who has missed 17 games this season for the Buffalo Sabres.
For the longest time, Bogosian’s injury came without a timetable, and his time away certainly hurt the team.
He’s back now and is poised to be one of the Sabres’ top-four blueliners going forward.
Mike Weber was also injured this season, missing 13 games after undergoing minor knee surgery to resolve a nagging issue.
Finally, Carlo Colaiacovo has missed two games this season due to injury.
Then we look at the Buffalo Sabres forwards.
An upper-body injury has kept Tyler Ennis out of the lineup recently; overall, he’s missed 17 games this season and is considered week-to-week.
Evander Kane missed 10 games with an MCL injury.
Zemgus Girgensons and Marcus Foligno each missed four games, while captain Brian Gionta missed three with injury.
Last, but certainly not least, add in goaltender Robin Lehner, who’s missed 39 games – all but the season-opener – in his first season with the Buffalo Sabres.
Like Pysyk, Lehner appears poised to finally return to the lineup, and is in Rochester for a conditioning stint before he returns.
It reads like a hit list; the Buffalo Sabres simply can’t stop getting hurt.
For what’s it worth, the Buffalo Sabres lost 179 man-games to injury throughout the entirety of the 2014-2015 season.
The season prior, they had just 63 man-games lost to injury.
Now, not even halfway through the season (the team plays its 41st game tonight), they’re already at 171 and will surpass last season’s totals in no time, between Deslauriers, Ennis, Pysyk, Lehner and co. remaining out of the lineup.
Next: Jack Eichel Midseason Report Card
Hard to say that’s not a factor in how the team has struggled, but now it’s up to them to overcome as we enter the second half of the season for the Buffalo Sabres.