Game Preview | 5 things to know ahead of Sabres vs. Oilers

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson will be back in the lineup as the team opens a three-game homestand at KeyBank Center with a Saturday matinee against the Edmonton Oilers.

Thompson missed Thursday’s game in Nashville due to an upper-body injury, but coach Don Granato said he is “good to go” against Edmonton.

The forward has 35 points (18+17) in 53 games this season and has recorded six points (3+3) in his last 10 games.

Granato also shared that forward Jordan Greenway will miss the game due to an injury he sustained in Nashville.

Bowen Byram, who was acquired from Colorado in exchange for forward Casey Mittelstadt ahead of the trade deadline on Wednesday, is expected to make his home debut in the blue and gold.

Pregame coverage on MSG/MSG+ begins at noon with puck drop scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Radio coverage can be found on WGR 550.

Here are five things to know before the puck drops.

1. Trade deadline recap

In addition to bringing in Byram, the Sabres acquired defenseman Calle Sjalin as well as two picks and a conditional pick at the trade deadline.

They opened deadline day by trading two veterans on expiring contracts, receiving Sjalin and a conditional seventh-round draft pick from Florida for captain Kyle Okposo and a fourth-round pick from Philadelphia for defenseman Erik Johnson.

Buffalo ended the day by acquiring a seventh-round pick in 2025 in exchange for goaltender Devin Cooley, who has spent the season playing in Rochester.

• READ: Adams discusses adding 'top-pair talent' in Byram, recaps trade deadline

2. In the crease

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to get the start in goal on his 25th birthday. Luukkonen has started in 20 of Buffalo’s last 23 games dating back to Jan. 11, posting an 11-8-1 record and recording a .928 save percentage and a 1.95 goals-against average in that span.

The Sabres’ primary starting goaltender has allowed two or fewer goals in seven of his last 10 games.

3. It’s Bo time

Byram will play at KeyBank Center against the Oilers after recording a goal and an assist in his first game with the Sabres in Nashville on Thursday.

He became the first defenseman acquired by Buffalo in a trade to record a goal in his debut with the Sabres since Alexei Zhitnik did so on Feb. 15, 1995 and joined John Van Boxmeer and Lee Fogolin as the only Sabres defensemen acquired in a trade to notch multiple points in their debut with Buffalo.

Among all defensemen selected in the 2019 NHL Draft, Byram ranks first in goals (24), even-strength goals (20) and shooting percentage (11.9).

4. Girgensons’ impact

While the team parted ways with Okposo and Johnson, the Sabres kept pending unrestricted free agent Zemgus Girgensons, who is the longest-tenured Sabres player.

During his post-deadline media availability, Adams emphasized the impact Girgensons has had on the Sabres locker room.

“I did have conversations with teams and it just had to make sense for us and Zemgus,” Adams said. “Where we got to today, there wasn’t the right deal to make, and I’m really glad we’re keeping him because there’s something special about him. I think it’s important here down the stretch too that he’s in this locker room.”

5. Scouting the Oilers

Edmonton continues its four-game road trip after defeating Boston 2-1 in overtime on Tuesday and falling to Columbus by a score of 4-2 on Thursday.

The Oilers boast a 33-9-1 record since Nov. 24, which stands as the league’s best winning percentage in that span (.779).

Connor McDavid leads the Oilers and ranks third in the league with 100 points (23+77) in 59 games. His 77 assists rank first in the NHL this season. He enters Saturday's matinee on a 13-game point streak, with 29 points (2+27) in his last 13 games. 

The team added forwards Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick and defenseman Troy Stecher to its roster ahead of the trade deadline.