As the Buffalo Sabres took their first lap around the KeyBank Center ice out of the All-Star break, they were joined by the 6-foot-5 goalie whose claim for the starting role was put on pause by an injury.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen practiced with the Sabres on Tuesday for the first time since a knee injury forced him from a game in Buffalo against Tampa Bay on Jan. 11. Luukkonen, 22, split time in the crease with Craig Anderson and Dustin Tokarski during the 40-minute session, but he wasn’t limited in drills and is now listed as day to day on the team’s injury report.
“Of course, it’s a tough break to get injured at that point,” lamented Luukkonen. “As I said before the injury, I had good confidence going on and felt really good to be playing those games. … You have to work through that.”
Luukkonen had allowed two goals on nine shots in the first period of the loss to the Lightning when he experienced discomfort on a routine movement to cover his post. His weight shifted over the top of his knee, causing immediate pain that forced him from the game at the intermission.
It was the latest calamity in the crease for Buffalo, which lost Malcolm Subban to a season-ending injury later in that game. For the second consecutive season, a routine play prevented Luukkonen from seizing the full-time job. He had a .917 save percentage and 2.74 goals-against average in nine NHL appearances, amassing a 2-5-2 record during that span.
“I battled to the post and my skate blade got caught on the post,” said Luukkonen. “It put weight on top of my knee and it’s kind of bad luck. It’s nothing crazier than that. I just went into the post the way I probably should go.”
Coach Don Granato had yet to consult with goalie coach Mike Bales or the medical staff following practice Tuesday but noted that Luukkonen felt good after the first skate. But while it was Luukkonen’s first practice, he has been working in Rochester with goalie development coach Seamus Kotyk. Those sessions ensured that Luukkonen was physically ready for this next step.
Now the question is how the Sabres handle their depth chart in goal. Anderson, 40, returned from a nearly three-month-long absence during the final road trip prior to the break, delivering 27 saves in a win at Arizona. It was Anderson’ first start since Nov. 2, and he faced 35 shots in Vegas only three days later.
Dustin Tokarski is also a reliable option in goal, as illustrated by his 32 saves in Colorado on Jan. 30. The Sabres currently have enough roster spots to carry three goaltenders, but the situation could change once Casey Mittelstadt, Zemgus Girgensons and Vinnie Hinostroza, among others are ready.
And with Luukkonen the only waivers-exempt goalie, the Sabres can send the 2017 second-round draft choice to Rochester.
“That is yet to be determined, as far as how we’ll go about it, because of the injuries, roster spots,” said Granato. “All those things come into play. Obviously, right now, with the players we have out, we do have roster spots. I’m not sure of exact numbers, but we could potentially carry three. That decision doesn’t have to be made yet.”
All along, Granato and General Manager Kevyn Adams have said that the decision on each prospect in the organization boils down to what is best for his development right now. If Luukkonen can play games in Buffalo, he’s going to stick around. If not, the best route is to man the crease for the Amerks (22-15-3), who recently added Aaron Dell and Michael Houser after both goalies cleared waivers.
There has to be little confidence that Tokarski would not be claimed. Tokarski, 32, owns a 4-6-3 record and .904 save percentage in 15 games this season. He overcame an eight-week bout with lingering Covid-19 symptoms to return to the net in Colorado, providing a stabilizing force against the red-hot, first-place Avalanche.
Tokarski will be needed in Buffalo following the March 21 trade deadline when it’s possible, if not likely, Anderson will be playing for a contender. Anderson etched another remarkable chapter in his 19th NHL season recently, pushing to return to the net in Arizona and narrowly missing out on a shutout. He has totaled a .917 save percentage and 8-5-3 record after signing a one-year, $750,000 contract with Buffalo in July, an offseason in which there were rumors he decided to retire.
Contenders will want to add Anderson – perhaps the Florida Panthers are a fit – and a deal next month would create a permanent opportunity in the Sabres’ crease for Luukkonen. Anderson, though, will likely be the starter for Buffalo when it hosts Columbus on Thursday night. Regardless of the plan for Luukkonen now, it’s notable for him and the Sabres that he’s close to returning, whether it’s here or Rochester.
“It was the first skate today, but I felt good,” said Luukkonen. “Hopefully I’m coming back as soon as possible.”
On the mend
Hinostroza made a surprising return to practice Tuesday, skating in a yellow noncontact jersey. However, the 27-year-old had a noticeable limp when he left the bench and walked down the tunnel in the latter portion of practice. He has been out with a lower-body injury since Jan. 17, and the Sabres initially projected the pending unrestricted free agent to be out approximately four to six weeks.
"Obviously, he didn’t finish the skate, so he wasn’t comfortable finishing it," said Granato. "We’ll get a report tomorrow to see how he feels, and we won’t have any information until we hear tomorrow how he responded to that."
