Sabres injury news: Jason Zucker out with lower-body injury
The Buffalo Sabres will be without one of their most productive forwards this year, as head coach Lindy Ruff told local radio station WGR 550 that veteran winger Jason Zucker suffered a lower-body injury on Monday night and will miss some time.
BREAKING: Buffalo Sabres HC Lindy Ruff shares that forward Jason Zucker picked up an injury last night and will miss some time.
Zucker, a 33-year-old veteran who debuted with Minnesota during the 2011-12 campaign, has 441 points in 791 career regular season games and is in the midst of his second season as a member of the Sabres.
Since joining Buffalo last season, Zucker has enjoyed one of the best runs of offensive production of his entire career. Last year, he racked up 53 points in 73 games played, and so far this time around, he has 9 goals and 9 assists for 18 points in 21 appearances.
The Sabres fell short on the road on Monday night in Alberta against the Calgary Flames, but Zucker recorded two assists in the 7-4 loss. The California native extended his December point streak to four games with the effort, as he had found the back of the net in the three games prior.
Zucker was skating on the third line alongside center Ryan McLeod and winger Jack Quinn. Beck Malentsyn could be a candidate to move up for a stint in the top nine.
Buffalo owns the longest playoff drought in the NHL, as they have not appeared in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011. So far, this season does not look like the one in which that spell will be broken. The Sabres fell to 11-14-4 with the loss on Monday, and they occupy last place in the Atlantic Division. They’re four points behind Ottawa for seventh, and the Senators have a game in hand.
Now without one of their more productive scoring threats, Buffalo will look to right the ship as they continue their Northwest road trip against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.