The Buffalo Sabres are set to kick off training camp tomorrow, and they have a big question at goalie in terms of the health of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The hope was that general manager Kevyn Adams might provide some clarity on the injury itself and how long he might be out.
Unfortunately, Sabres fans didn't get any definitive answer to either of those questions and are left trying to read between the lines. Last week, it was reported that Luukkonen suffered an injury that was described as a 'tweak'.
There have been no reports on what exactly he hurt, and on Wednesday, Adams didn't specify the nature of the injury. "Without going into the weeds too much, he was just not able to, probably the right way to say it would be to be strong and push and the stuff he needs to do," Adams said.
Adams did say that the imaging came back clean, but he wasn't able to give a timeline on when he might be able to return. He did say it probably would be considered day-to-day.
The way Adams described the injury, along with the term 'tweak,' suggests a lower-body injury, which is consistent with Luukkonen's history of leg injuries. He has already had hip surgery and ankle surgery since 2021, which is why this could be a bigger concern.
UPL's injury was enough of a concern for the Buffalo Sabres to sign a free agent
Adams also mentioned that he felt better about the injury today than they did last week, and that could have been one of the reasons they rushed to sign Alexandar Georgiev. He is a veteran goalie who could fill in if the situation warranted it.
It certainly is possible that the Sabres were planning on adding another goalie with veteran experience, and Adams did note that Georgiev has played in over 300 games and has started in the playoffs. However, the fact that they signed him to a one-year deal instead of a professional tryout is probably a sign they were expecting to need him.
When considering Luukkonen's injury history and the fact that the Sabres signed a free agent seemingly in response to his injury leading up to training camp, fans probably would have liked a little more insight into the injury or a clearer timetable for when he can return. The hope is that this is only day-to-day and UPL can be on the ice for training camp and preseason and well ahead of the first game of the regular season.