Buffalo Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring, who's yet to make his team debut after being acquired in the blockbuster JJ Peterka trade with the Utah Mammoth, is getting closer to joining the injury-riddled lineup.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said he's hopeful Kesselring, who's been sidelined with an undisclosed ailment since Oct. 9, will rejoin practices in the near future.
"I'm hoping by the weekend," Ruff told reporters ahead of Wednesday night's game against the Detroit Red Wings. "Maybe a long shot he could practice Thursday."
It's welcome news for Buffalo, which has been forced to juggle its defense pairs frequently since the start of training camp because of an endless stream of injuries.
Michael Kesselring will attempt to match the Buffalo Sabres instant impact made by Josh Doan
Josh Doan, the other half of the Sabres' return package in the Peterka deal, has been nothing short of fantastic for the Blue and Gold in the early going. He's tallied five points (two goals and three assists) across his first six games for the franchise.
Although Doan had obvious untapped potential when he joined Buffalo, it was Kesselring who generated more attention after the high-profile swap.
Part of that is because the 6-foot-5 defender made major strides over the past two years with the Mammoth/Arizona Coyotes, scoring 50 points in 147 appearances while improving his defensive impacts.
More importantly, however, was the fact he was expected to fill a longstanding void on the Sabres' blue line: the partner alongside Owen Power on the second pair.
Power's rotating cast of underwhelming teammates is part of the reason he's never been able to take the next step toward stardom since being selected No. 1 overall in the 2021 NHL draft. He's often been forced to carry the entire puck-moving load by himself.
Kesselring can help ease that burden while also providing a defensive presence that will allow Power to become more active joining the rush offensively.
In the bigger picture, the 25-year-old Northeastern University product's return will give the Sabres an opportunity the top-four defense pairings they planned on before the season:
- Bowen Byram — Rasmus Dahlin
- Owen Power — Michael Kesselring
There aren't many defense groups around the NHL with more upside than that group, which is why Buffalo received so many optimistic projections from the analytics community before the season.
The Sabres need to start finding a more consistent level of play after a roller-coaster opening to the campaign that's left them with a 2-4-0 record.
Kesselring should provide a massive boost in that quest once he's cleared to play.