The Buffalo Sabres have yet to play their first game of the 2025-26 season, but already, they have injuries to two key players -- defenseman Michael Kesselring and starting goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen -- who will be on the sidelines as the season begins.

The Buffalo Sabres held a brief morning skate on Friday before heading to Pittsburgh for the preseason finale against the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. The Sabres will be playing most of their starting forward compliment, but will be sitting team captain Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and 2025 first rounder Radim Mrtka.

One of the flaws to the Buffalo Sabres blueline compliment last season was that they were nearly all left-handed, making it necessary for Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power to play on their off side. GM Kevyn Adams tried to address this abnormality by adding acquiring a pair of right soht defensemen in Conor Timmins and Michael Kesselring. Timmins is expected to slot in on the bottom pairing with Mattias Samuelsson, but Kesselring’s role is could be critical to Buffalo’s playoff hopes.