Buffalo Sabres Evander Kane Injured

When the Buffalo Sabres opened their season earlier this month, things looked… bright. They had a new goaltender, Robin Lehner, set to likely act as the team’s starting goaltender. They had Evander Kane, acquired over the course of last season via trade and finally ready to play.

Now, just a few weeks later — they’ve got neither.

Lehner, of course, went down in the season-opener against his former team, the Ottawa Senators.

He suffered a lower-body injury in that game that forced him out of the net and brought Chad Johnson in for his Buffalo Sabres debut.

Recovery time for Lehner’s injury, eventually revealed to be a high ankle sprain, was put at 6-10 weeks.

Kane, meanwhile, suffered an injury in Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils, at a time when he finally seemed to be hitting his stride with the club.

Kane had his first point of the season in his first game with the Buffalo Sabres, an assist on Jack Eichel‘s first National Hockey League tally. He played nearly or over 20 minutes a night regularly for the first six games of the season.

More recently, Kane registered a season-high seven shots on goal in the October 21 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Coincidentally, or perhaps not, that was also the game where he’d score his first goal as a member of the Buffalo Sabres organization.

Kane nearly had a goal in the season-opener, but it was called back after the Senators elected to use the coach’s challenge, claiming it was offside on the zone entry.

Kane is tied for third on the team in points in this young season and second on the team in shots; only Tyler Ennis (29) has shot more than Kane (28).

But now, everything has potentially changed.

Kane was injured in Saturday’s game when Devils defenseman David Schlemko rode him into the boards. Kane’s leg moved into an awkward position; he left the game and did not return.

To put it in layman’s terms — this stinks, for both Kane and for the Buffalo Sabres.

The first question that arises is, of course, how difficult or severe of an injury is this. Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma had no updates about Kane after the game, and right now, we have no idea if this is something that he can shake off and be ready to come back this week, or if it’ll end up keeping him out half the season.

Kane Tweeted this shortly after Saturday’s game:

Will be back ASAP. #sabresfans #thankyou
— Evander Kane (@evanderkane) October 25, 2015

The fact is, there is no player on the Buffalo Sabres roster at this point that can be a replacement for a guy like Evander Kane.

There is no forward you can simply slip into his position who will play that kind of game, who will produce in that offensive role like he would.

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