- Olen Zellweger left his Sabres debut in concussion protocol after a Carson Soucy hit
- Mattias Samuelsson also exited early, and both defensemen get evaluated Wednesday
- Read below for Lindy Ruff breaking down the hit and Buffalo’s response
Olen Zellweger’s first game in a Sabres sweater ended in concussion protocol.
Blue Jackets defenseman Carson Soucy caught him in the right face-off circle 17:35 into the second period of Tuesday’s preseason game at KeyBank Center. Zellweger stayed down for several moments before teammates helped him off the ice.
He never came back for the third. Take a look at the hit:
Lindy Ruff confirmed after the game that the 23-year-old suffered a concussion and will be evaluated Wednesday. The Sabres coach had no issue with the hit itself.
Ruff was asked to walk through what he saw on the play.
“The elbow was down. I think he just got caught kind of admiring his pass. I think the shoulder of the player got him right on the chin. But I don’t think that part hurt him. I think when he fell, it looked to me like he might’ve banged his head off the ice.”
Buffalo answered anyway. Beck Malenstyn dropped the gloves with Soucy to open a chippy third period, and Ruff liked what he saw out of his group.
“I liked our response to the whole thing.”
Zellweger was not the only Buffalo defenseman who left early. Mattias Samuelsson blocked a shot with his foot in the second period and took his final shift with 9:40 remaining in the frame.
Samuelsson, the Sabres’ top shutdown defender, is also getting checked out Wednesday.
Losing Zellweger stings because of what Buffalo gave up for him. The Sabres sent prospect Anton Wahlberg and a 2026 second-round pick to Anaheim on June 26, then signed him to a three-year, $9.3 million contract in July.
That trade followed Buffalo shipping Bowen Byram to Chicago. Zellweger has been skating alongside Owen Power on the second pair, and he had four shots in 13:37 before the hit.
He owns 16 goals and 35 assists through 164 NHL games since debuting with the Ducks in 2023-24.
The Sabres still won 5-1 in front of 16,328 fans, with Noah Ostlund scoring twice and Buffalo dressing its projected opening-night lineup:
Rod Brind’Amour spent Monday arguing the NHL should scrap exhibition games entirely. Two defensemen into the training room on a Tuesday in September, and Lindy Ruff might be ready to sign that petition.
