Injuries and transactions | Tuch (illness) misses game in Vancouver

Latest news

Dec. 11 – Tuch (illness) misses game in Vancouver

Forward Alex Tuch missed Thursday's game in Vancouver due to an illness. The Sabres' alternate captain briefly took the ice for warmups before it was decided he could not play.

"He wanted to try," coach Lindy Ruff said. "He was sick all day. He dressed in a different room. He went out for maybe two minutes and then came off."

Trevor Kuntar entered the lineup for his NHL debut in Tuch's absence and skated 5:12.

Dec. 11 – Norris (illness, soreness) out Thursday, could play Sunday

Forward Josh Norris is “doing better” but won’t play Thursday in Vancouver, per coach Lindy Ruff, missing a second straight game due to illness and soreness. There’s a “possibility” he returns to the lineup Sunday in Seattle.

Dec. 11 – Ellis (concussion) placed on injured reserve, Kuntar added to roster

The Sabres placed goaltender Colten Ellis on injured reserve Thursday. He entered concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head and exiting Tuesday’s game in Edmonton.

“He said he was feeling better already, but just protocol now," coach Lindy Ruff said. "So, we’ll go through that and get him back as soon as we can.”

Forward Trevor Kuntar, signed Wednesday to a two-way contract, takes Ellis’ spot on the active roster.

• Click here for all transactions

Injury report

Alex Tuch (illness) – Out since Dec. 11

Tuch briefly took the ice for warmups ahead of the team's game in Vancouver on Dec. 11 before it was decided he would be unable to play that night due to an illness. "He wanted to try, he was sick all day," coach Lindy Ruff said postgame. - Last updated Dec. 11

Josh Norris (illness, soreness) – Out since Dec. 9

Norris was a late scratch ahead of the team's game in Edmonton on Dec. 9 due to watch coach Lindy Ruff described as a combination of illness and soreness. Ruff said the soreness was the product of a tweak that occurred in warmups that night and unrelated to the upper-body injury that Norris previously dealt with this season. He has not been ruled out for Sunday's game in Seattle. - Last updated Dec. 11

Colten Ellis, G (concussion) – Out since Dec. 9

Ellis was pulled from Buffalo's game in Edmonton on Dec. 9 late in the first period following a hit to the head from Oilers forward David Tomasek. Coach Lindy Ruff confirmed postgame that Ellis had entered concussion protocol. He was placed on injured reserve Dec. 11. - Last updated Dec. 11

Jason Zucker, F (upper and lower body) – Out since Dec. 8

Zucker sustained multiple injuries during the Dec. 8 game in Calgary and was placed on injured reserve the next day. He's week to week, coach Lindy Ruff said Dec. 9. - Last updated Dec. 9

Michael Kesselring, D (lower body) – Out since Nov. 15

Kesselring exited the Nov. 15 game in Detroit and was placed on injured reserve. Coach Lindy Ruff said his absence will be "on the longer side – weeks." He resumed skating on his own at the end of November. - Last updated Dec. 1

Jiri Kulich, F (blood clot) – Out since Nov. 1

Kulich missed the team’s game on Nov. 1 due to an issue related to fluid in his ears. Coach Lindy Ruff announced on Nov. 10 that the issue was discovered to be related to a blood clot and that it would cause the forward to miss “significant time.” Asked that day whether he expected Kulich to play again this season, Ruff said, “Yes, [but] that really depends on how things go here in the next three or four weeks.” - Last updated Nov. 10

Justin Danforth, F (lower body) – Out since Oct. 15

Danforth exited the Oct. 15 win with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot. He's expected to miss more than a month, coach Lindy Ruff said. - Last updated Oct. 17