Columbus, Ohio (WGR) - The Buffalo Sabres open their 2026-27 regular season on Thursday against the Blue Jackets in Columbus.
Before Thursday's contest, the Sabres got some good news, as defenseman Mattias Samuelsson is ready to go and will play after healing up from a preseason lower-body injury.
Buffalo is still banged up on the blue line, though, with Olen Zellweger and Conor Timmins both on Injured Reserve. That means Matt Grzelcyk and Zach Metsa will be inserted into the lineup on Thursday.
Dennis Gilbert was also called up from the Rochester Americans, and will serve as the seventh defensemen, should an injury happen in warmups.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will get the call in net for Buffalo on Thursday. Last season, the 27-year-old was 22-9-3 with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff has been around the NHL since 1979, but says opening night is still the best.
"There's excitement. I've had a chance for a couple of nights to look around the league to see what's going on, and I think there's been some erratic play. So we know we've got to put the work in, use our speed and be ready to go," said Ruff after Thursday's morning skate.
The Sabres have tended to start seasons slowly for a long time. Ruff seems to know the formula to ensure that doesn't happen this season.
"Be ready to out-work and out-skate the opposition in Game 1. Play our game better than they're going to play their game, but don't take any shift for granted," he said.
There's been a lot of discussion about playing Jiri Kulich on the left wing with Sam Carrick and Back Malenstyn. However, that's the line Ruff plans on starting Thursday, and there is a method to the decision.
"In the preseason, I tried to use [Carrick] for key faceoffs, and I liked him more playing center than I did wing. So we've put him in the middle there, but I can't emphasis enough how valuable that line was," Ruff explained. "Even in a lot of road games we went on, I think he can be a big asset down there, and he's a guy that if somebody's struggling and we need to move him up or someone is struggling in the faceoff circle, we can bump him up."
THURSDAY'S LINES
Forwards:
Norris - Thompson - Doan
Benson - Ostlund - Quinn
Krebs - McLeod - Helenius
Malenstyn - Kulich - Carrick
Defense:
Dahlin - Samuelsson
Grzelcyk - Metsa
Power - Crevier
Join Zach Jones and Derek Kramer for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 6 p.m. when you'll hear from Ruff, Dahlin, Luukkonen and newly extended defenseman Louis Crevier.
