Will Kyle Okposo return this week? Latest on the Buffalo Sabres injury report for Week 14

The good news is that Katelyn Kardaman of Sabres.com revealed Captain Kyle Okposo is practicing this week, but he most likely isn’t playing tomorrow night when the Buffalo Sabres try to earn their first win in franchise history vs. the Seattle Kraken. This foreshadows a return to the lineup this week as Buffalo will have another two games on the slate after they play Seattle.

Okposo saw time on the Sabres third line on Monday instead of Jordan Greenway, who along with Victor Olofsson are battling illnesses. If Greenway and Olofsson miss tomorrow’s game, it could force head coach Don Granato to once again try the 11/7 lineup if he chooses not to recall anyone from Rochester. 

However, it looks like either Greenway, Olofsson, or both, could be raring to go for Tuesday night, so it’s something to keep tabs on. The takeaway for Week 14, overall, is that there are no long-term injuries at the moment, meaning we could see the Blue and Gold parlay their momentum from last week into some competitive hockey in the coming days. 

Buffalo Sabres could be at full strength by the end of the week

If the Sabres don’t sustain any more injuries or illnesses this week, then they may find themselves at full strength by the time they battle the Vancouver Canucks. And knowing how well Vancouver has played throughout the first half of the season, the Sabres will need to put their best lineup forward, and that includes having Greenway available on the penalty kill. 

Okposo has also put together more than his fair share of decent outings, so having him in the lineup later this week vs. Vancouver will only increase the odds of the Buffalo Sabres taking down yet another remarkable hockey team. As noted in a previous piece, Olofsson has also been holding up his own lately. So even if someone like Greenway or Okposo weren’t available if they sustained a setback for any reason and Olofsson was good to go, it still helps the Sabres.