BUFFALO -- The announcement of the Olympic rosters proved to be an unkind one for a pair of Carolina Hurricanes players. Team captain Eric Staal was not named to Canada's roster and forward Alexander Semin did not make the cut for Russia.

Staal was a member of Canada's 2010 gold-medal winning team at the Vancouver Olympics, but was hampered this season by a knee injury he suffered at the 2013 IIHF World Championship after a knee-on-knee collision with Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alexander Edler of Sweden. He's currently injured with a separate lower-body injury.

"It [stinks] with that tough injury and for Eric not having the summer he wanted, probably, to get his body right," said Jordan Staal, Eric's brother. "Obviously he was ready for the season, but it's unfortunate that is the way it is."

In the Vancouver Olympics, Staal had one goal and five assists in seven games for Canada.

BUFFALO – The Buffalo Sabres will have a bit of a new look Saturday night when they play host to the New Jersey Devils at First Niagara Center.

Newly acquired forward Zenon Konopka will be in the lineup and forward Ville Leino will be out with a nagging lower-body injury. Konopka was picked up off waivers from the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

"I pride myself on other players not wanting to play against me," Konopka said. "Not just because of the fighting and hitting but just overall strength. I’m looking forward to that and also the penalty kill. I killed a lot early in Minnesota and kind of everywhere else I’ve been."

Sabres interim coach Ted Nolan said Konopka will likely start on a line with John Scott and Matt Ellis. Rookie defenseman Brayden McNabb will also play against the Devils. Alexander Sulzer will be scratched.

BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Sabres go into their game against the Washington Capitals on Sunday having won four of their past five games at First Niagara Center and earning a point in their only loss.

After a 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, the Sabres have earned points in five of their past six games and are looking to extend that streak against the Capitals.

With the same lineup in place, that means defenseman Alexander Sulzer will be the only scratch. Ryan Miller is expected to start in goal.

"To make a change just to make a change doesn't seem right," Sabres interim coach Ted Nolan said. "Defense wasn't our problem last game."

TORONTO -- The Buffalo Sabres used the three-day holiday break to recover from a flu bug that forced the team to use 16 skaters in a 2-1 overtime win against the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday.

A full roster of players hit the ice during the morning skate Friday ahead of their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 p.m. ET, TSN).

"They look a lot better [Friday] so that's good," Sabres interim coach Ted Nolan said. "Anytime you have a couple days' break, especially this time of year, it's good for your emotional spirits. So they came back in good spirits."

Nolan said he'll play newcomer Linus Omark on a line with Marcus Foligno and Ville Leino. All three players missed the game Monday with the flu. Omark was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 19 and has played one game with the Sabres.

"When I signed [with Edmonton] this year I wanted to play in the NHL," Omark said. "I wanted to get the opportunity right away but I didn't get it with Edmonton. So I'm glad that they traded me and I get a chance here to show what I can do."

BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Sabres recalled a pair of players ahead of their game against the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday.

Defenseman Mark Pysyk and forward Johan Larsson were called up from their American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester. Following the optional morning skate, interim coach Ted Nolan said both players would be in the lineup against the Coyotes. The Sabres have a few players dealing with illness.

"We're hoping that they're ready to go," Nolan said. "Four or five of them called in this morning and couldn't make it out of bed. We're hoping by game time they'll feel a bit better."

Nolan only confirmed forward Linus Omark was one of the sick players. Omark was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.

TORONTO – The Detroit Red Wings will get one of their many injured players back when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Saturday night in a preview of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.

Defenseman Danny DeKeyser will be back in the lineup after missing the past 15 games with a separated shoulder.

"I'm really excited about it," DeKeyser said. "There's a good history here between Detroit and Toronto, two pretty storied franchises. It's going to be fun. It's Saturday night so it's going to be a great atmosphere and should be a great game."

BUFFALO -- The Boston Bruins will have another new player in their lineup when they face the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday.

Defenseman David Warsofsky will make his NHL debut. Warsofsky was called up when the team sent down defenseman Kevan Miller on Wednesday. He's spent the past three seasons with the Bruins' American Hockey League team in Providence.

"You'll see he's a very good skating, smart, heady player," Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said. "We have one of those like Torey Krug, so I'm anxious to see how our [defense] will look [Thursday] with two of them."

Warsofsky likely will be with Matt Bartkowski on the third defensive pairing. Goalie Chad Johnson is expected to get his ninth start of the season. Johnson got the win Oct. 23 when the Bruins beat the Sabres 5-2.

BUFFALO -- The Buffalo Sabres have shuffled the roster a little ahead of their game Tuesday night against the Winnipeg Jets.

The Sabres will have defenseman Alexander Sulzer back from injured reserve. To make room for him, they sent defensemen Mark Pysyk and Brayden McNabb along with forward Luke Adam to the American Hockey League and called up forward Kevin Porter and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel.

Pysyk has been a steady player in the Sabres lineup this season, playing in 31 of of their 33 games with no goals and four assists.

"Obviously Mark can play in this League and on this team right now, but is he at the mature level he could be? Not yet," Sabres interim coach Ted Nolan said. "He needs a bit more time to mature. He's a different type of send-down, he's not going down for a long time. He's just going down for a few days and go over to the Spengler Cup and he'll join us right after that."

Sulzer and Porter are expected to play against the Jets.

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs will be without forward David Clarkson when they play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.

Clarkson was suspended for two games because of an illegal check to the head he delivered to St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka on Thursday. Clarkson's absence creates a hole at right wing on their third line that could be filled by Jerry D'Amigo or Carter Ashton.

"We have to make a roster adjustment," Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. "Player in or player out, you have to have a plan A or plan B as far as your roster for that position."

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs will have forward Joffrey Lupul back in their lineup when they face the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

Lupul has missed the past seven games with a groin injury; he'll return playing on a line with center Peter Holland and wing Nikolai Kulemin. The Maple Leafs went 2-3-2 without Lupul in the lineup.

"To put it bluntly, we're not playing very well," Lupul said. "We're not playing how we'd like. We're giving up too many chances and probably not creating enough. We've talked about some things. Penalties are killing us. … So we're going to try and stay out of the box and give our penalty kill a break, give our goalies a break, and go from there."