Buffalo Sabres start season with injuries and goalie questions

The Buffalo Sabres opened their 2025-26 NHL season at KeyBank Center on Thursday night against the New York Rangers with a shortened roster and an unsettled goalie situation, missing several regulars to injury and without top netminder Ukko‑Pekka Luukkonen. Coach Lindy Ruff said the club faces an immediate test of depth as Buffalo seeks to end a 14‑season playoff drought.

Luukkonen is sidelined with a lower‑body injury and does not have a clear timeline for return, team officials said. The injured list entering the opener also included wingers Jordan Greenway and Carson Meyer, defenseman Michael Kesselring and Owen Power, who is dealing with a strain. Center Josh Norris was placed out indefinitely after suffering an upper‑body injury in the season opener; Ruff said Norris will miss a significant amount of time. Norris, acquired this past spring in a trade that sent Dylan Cozens to Ottawa, has a history of shoulder surgeries and has missed extended stretches in previous seasons.

Those absences have thrust veteran Alex Lyon into the likely starting role. Lyon, 32, said after practice he was focused on preparation rather than the moment. "Im looking forward to it, but I think we...