Sabres vs. Blue Jackets: 2 huge injury questions for opener
The Buffalo Sabres open the 2026-27 season against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Buffalo routed Columbus 5-1 in a preseason game Sept. 22, but injuries on the blue line hang over Sabres vs. Blue Jackets.
Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson is listed on injured reserve but returned to practice Wednesday, while Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov is day-to-day, according to ESPN’s injury report.
Sabres vs. Blue Jackets game information
- Date: Thursday, Oct. 1
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, MSG-B, CBJ Network
- Records: Both teams 0-0-0
Will Mattias Samuelsson play in the opener?
Samuelsson returned to practice Wednesday, eight days after he blocked a shot and suffered a lower-body injury in the preseason game against Columbus, according to NHL.com. He was initially labeled week-to-week.
“Hopefully he’s an option for us tomorrow,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday.
“I’ve got to see how it feels flying, and then just see how it responds after a real skate,” Samuelsson said, per NHL.com. “Looking good, but I guess we’ll see in the morning.”
Samuelsson described the issue as “mostly pain tolerance,” adding that some swelling needed to go down so he could fit his foot in his skate. “Sucked that it happened, but knew it really wasn’t anything major,” he said.
The stakes are real for Buffalo’s blue line. Samuelsson broke out last season as Rasmus Dahlin’s partner, posting 13 goals and 28 assists and ranking seventh in the NHL at plus-41, NHL.com reported. His 132 hits led Sabres defensemen, and he averaged 2:55 of shorthanded ice time per game, making his status the biggest lineup question in Sabres vs. Blue Jackets.
Goaltending and Columbus’ blue line
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will start in goal for Buffalo, NHL.com reported. Backup Alex Lyon (upper body) has not resumed practicing, so Colten Ellis will back up Luukkonen. Goalie Topias Leinonen (lower body) is on injured reserve, per ESPN.
For Columbus, Provorov (lower body) is listed as day-to-day with a projected return date of Oct. 1, so he could play. Defenseman Damon Severson is on injured reserve after shoulder surgery, with a projected return of Oct. 9, according to ESPN.
Buffalo’s injured defensemen
Olen Zellweger remains in concussion protocol and will not play Thursday. He was scheduled for more testing and could be available for Saturday’s home opener against Chicago, NHL.com reported. Defenseman Conor Timmins is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury and is projected to return Oct. 17, per ESPN.
Sabres vs. Blue Jackets preseason form
Buffalo beat Columbus 5-1 on Sept. 22, the same game in which Samuelsson and Zellweger were injured. Columbus won three of its last four preseason games, including a 4-0 win over Pittsburgh and a 4-2 win at Detroit, according to ESPN. Buffalo lost its final two exhibitions, 3-2 in overtime at Detroit and 3-1 to Pittsburgh.
What’s next
Buffalo is coming off a playoff run that ended with a 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 7 of the second round on May 18, after the Sabres eliminated Boston in six games in the first round, according to ESPN. Columbus did not reach the postseason; its 2025-26 season ended with a 2-1 loss to Washington on April 14.
After Sabres vs. Blue Jackets, Buffalo hosts Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 3, and Columbus hosts the Utah Mammoth the same night.
Columbus also has a new look up front after acquiring Matthew Knies from Toronto for Kirill Marchenko. For more on the Sabres, revisit their Game 7 series with Montreal from last spring.
Reporting from NHL.com contributed to this story. Injury report and statistics: ESPN.