The Buffalo Sabres were in for a bit of much-needed good news on Tuesday.
The team announced that defenseman Zach Bogosian would make his season debut on Tuesday against the vaunted Dallas Stars.
Bogosian, who was acquired in a massive trade with the Winnipeg Jets last season, has not played a game this season.
The other bit of good news for the Sabres was that Evander Kane, another piece of that same trade, participated in morning skate, joining the team for the first time since suffering a MCL injury in a game on October 24.
Coach Bylsma says Bogosian will play tonight; Kane will not. "Just to have them back on the ice makes you excited about our team."
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 17, 2015
Kane has now had a good chunk of his prime years taken away by injury, after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last season with the Jets. Following a 30-goal season with the Thrashers at age 20, he hasn’t crossed even 20 goals in a season, missing games too many times to replicate that success — though he played all 48 games in the lockout and was on pace to cross 30 goals in an 82-game season.
The team hasn’t put down an expected return date for Kane, but he told press after practice that he will travel with the team on their upcoming two-game road trip and that he’d like to play in one of those two games.
“I feel like I could play today but they’re being cautious and I have to listen to them so hopefully we’ll be back on that trip,” he told The Buffalo News.
Surprise- @evanderkane_9 with the team on the ice for morning skate. #DALvsBUF pic.twitter.com/vbePTRBRap
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 17, 2015
Bogosian played 62 games last season split between the Sabres and Jets, scoring three goals and 17 assists.