Story Summary
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start the Buffalo Sabres’ season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday after dealing with a lower-body injury sustained in a pre-season game on Sept. 26.
The goaltender’s availability is the clearest positive in a busy set of early-season updates around the NHL. Buffalo still has questions on defence, where Olen Zellweger will not play on Thursday while he remains in concussion protocol, and Mattias Samuelsson is only a possible option after returning to practice.
Elsewhere, Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Mangiapane will miss at least two games after leaving the 5-2 opening-night loss to the Vegas Golden Knights with a lower-body injury. Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson remains uncertain for Saturday’s opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs, while New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal could resume skating this weekend after missing training camp.
Key Facts
- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to start for Buffalo against Columbus on Thursday after tweaking a lower-body injury in a pre-season game on Sept. 26.
- Sabres defenceman Olen Zellweger will miss Thursday’s game and has been in concussion protocol since Sept. 22.
- Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff did not rule Zellweger out for Saturday’s game against Chicago.
- Mattias Samuelsson practised on Wednesday after a lower-body injury suffered when he blocked a shot in a Sept. 22 pre-season game. Ruff said he was hopefully an option for Thursday.
- Andrew Mangiapane will miss at least Chicago’s next two games after suffering a lower-body injury in the second period against Vegas.
- Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill said Mangiapane would not play on the current trip, which includes games at Utah and Buffalo.
- Jake Sanderson skated on his own before Ottawa practice but did not take part in the full session after not feeling right.
- Senators general manager Steve Staios said Artem Zub, who is recovering from a lingering knee injury, remains on schedule to return early in the season.
- Andre Burakovsky has not skated since leaving Ottawa’s pre-season game against Montreal with an upper-body injury, and Travis Green does not expect him to play this weekend.
- Mathew Barzal will not play in the Islanders’ opener against Toronto, but Mathieu Darche said he could return to the ice by the weekend or early next week.
- Barzal led the Islanders with 72 points, including 19 goals and 53 assists, in 81 games last season.
IHM Discussion
Luukkonen’s expected start gives Buffalo a defined answer at the most scrutinised position for an opener, even as the club continues to assess its blue-line availability. His lower-body issue followed a pre-season appearance only days ago, but the stated expectation is that he will be ready to take the crease against Columbus.
That does not remove Buffalo’s defensive uncertainty. Zellweger is unavailable while in concussion protocol, and Samuelsson’s status remains conditional despite his Wednesday practice. The distinction matters: Zellweger has already been ruled out for Thursday, whereas Samuelsson has progressed to being considered an option. Ruff also left open the possibility of Zellweger being available against Chicago on Saturday, without giving a firm return date.
Chicago’s update is more definitive in the short term. Mangiapane took one shift in the second period of the loss in Vegas before exiting, and Blashill has ruled him out for the remainder of the trip. The Blackhawks therefore know he will not feature in either of their next two games, though the length of his absence beyond that has not been established.
Ottawa and New York are operating with different degrees of uncertainty. Sanderson’s individual skate is a sign that he was on the ice, but he did not join the full practice after not feeling right and remains uncertain for Saturday. Barzal travelled with the Islanders despite missing camp after aggravating a prior injury that caused inflammation. Darche’s update places the immediate checkpoint at a return to skating rather than a confirmed game return.
Why It Matters
Opening-week availability shapes preparation even when no long-term prognosis has been supplied. For Buffalo, Luukkonen’s expected start settles the immediate goaltending question, while the club still has to navigate the absence of Zellweger and assess Samuelsson’s readiness.
Chicago has a confirmed short-term absence in Mangiapane, who is unavailable for two road games before the Blackhawks’ home opener against the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 6. Ottawa’s defensive picture bears watching because Sanderson has not yet returned to full practice, while Zub’s timetable remains early in the season rather than immediate.
For the Islanders, Barzal’s return to the ice is the meaningful next medical milestone. He was New York’s leading scorer last season, and the club has already ruled him out of the opener in Toronto.
Mini Q&A
Will Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen start Buffalo’s season opener?
He is expected to start against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday after dealing with a lower-body injury suffered in a Sept. 26 pre-season game.
Which Sabres defencemen are unavailable or uncertain?
Olen Zellweger will not play on Thursday while in concussion protocol. Mattias Samuelsson practised on Wednesday and is a possible option after his lower-body injury, but his availability has not been confirmed.
How long will Andrew Mangiapane be out for Chicago?
Mangiapane will miss at least the Blackhawks’ next two games. Jeff Blashill said he will not play on the current road trip, with no longer-term timetable provided.
When could Mathew Barzal return to the ice?
Mathieu Darche said Barzal could be back on the ice by the weekend or early next week. He will not play in the Islanders’ opener against Toronto.
Coach Mark Comment
Buffalo’s update is a useful example of why availability should be separated from readiness. Luukkonen is expected to start, which provides a clear opening-night answer in goal. On defence, however, the information is more layered: Zellweger is ruled out, while Samuelsson has practised but remains only a possible option. Those are materially different stages of preparation, and the Sabres will need to manage them accordingly rather than treating every player who has returned to the ice as fully available.
What Comes Next
The immediate checkpoints are Buffalo’s game against Columbus on Thursday and its game against Chicago on Saturday, when Zellweger has not been ruled out. Chicago will play at Utah on Thursday and at Buffalo on Saturday without Mangiapane, before its home opener against St. Louis on Oct. 6. Ottawa’s next stated decision point is Saturday’s opener against Toronto, while Barzal could return to the ice for the Islanders this weekend or early next week.
IHM Final View
The central development is that Luukkonen is expected to be ready for Buffalo’s opener despite the recent lower-body concern. Around the league, the updates are more cautious: Mangiapane has a defined two-game absence, Zellweger is unavailable, and Sanderson and Barzal remain without confirmed game-return dates. The next practices and opening-week line-up decisions will provide the clearest indication of how quickly those situations are moving.