It’s been a brutal start to the season for the Buffalo Sabres.
They’re off to an 0-4-1 start. Jack Eichel, their star forward who recently signed an eight-year, $80 million contract extension, has voiced his displeasure with the team’s consistent losing.
While there was promising news earlier in the week regarding defenseman Zach Bogosian, who hasn’t played a game this season because of a lower-body injury, the Sabres moved him to injured reserve on Sunday and recalled right winger Justin Bailey from the American Hockey League.
“Zach is doing quite well. He skated again today,” Sabres coach Phil Housley recently told the Buffalo News. “He’s making really good progress. He’ll continue to go on the ice and work on his game and hopefully that will mean he’s playing soon.”
The Sabres, who were also without Kyle Okposo last night due to illness, desperately need a spark on offense and Bailey may be able to help provide that.
Through five games, Buffalo has just 11 goals, which puts them in the bottom third of the league in that category. The aforementioned Eichel has been one of the few bright spots with seven points through five games, including two points in each of the first two games on this road trip through California and Las Vegas.
Bailey, Buffalo’s second-round pick in 2013, has been productive in each of his first two seasons in the minors, reaching the 20-goal plateau both times. He started this season with two goals in his first three games in Rochester. While the goal production has been there for him in the minors, it hasn’t yet translated into the NHL, with two goals in 40 games with the Sabres.
The Sabres continue their road trip tonight, when they visit the Anaheim Ducks.
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Cam Tucker is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @CamTucker_Sport.
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