Sabres’ Zucker Practices, Still Not Ready to Leave IR as Buffalo Prepares for Stars

The Buffalo Sabres received a measured boost on the injury front this week, with veteran forward Zach Zucker practicing as he works back from offseason surgery. According to Yahoo Sports, Zucker is not yet ready to come off injured reserve, meaning his return timeline remains in limbo as the Sabres continue to piece together depth and consistency across their roster.

Buffalo’s next test comes against the Dallas Stars at KeyBank Center on Thursday, the third game of a five-game homestand. The timing matters for a team looking to manage workload and roles while important pieces work through recovery. With Zucker still out, the Sabres must get their offense and line structure to function without his full availability, even as practice indicates progress rather than an immediate game-day change.

In goal, the Sabres’ preparation reflects a steady approach rather than a wholesale shake-up. Yahoo Sports reported that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will get the start against Dallas. That decision follows Tuesday’s outing versus the Minnesota Wild, when backup Colten Ellis started and came away with a 3-2 overtime win, giving Buffalo a positive result while keeping the goaltending rotation in motion.

Ellis’s overtime victory helped extend the emotional and competitive momentum of the homestand, and it also illustrates how the Sabres can get production even when their lineup is missing specific players. For Thursday’s matchup, Luukkonen’s return to the starting role is a key housekeeping detail, because it suggests Buffalo is prioritizing a tried-and-true option in net for a game against a quality opponent rather than overreacting to one game.

For Zucker, the immediate storyline is not a formal return but the fact that his presence in practice indicates he is progressing through the later stages of recovery. In-season recoveries can be unpredictable, and the Sabres’ decision to keep him on injured reserve underscores that Buffalo appears to be valuing readiness over timeline pressure.

What to watch next is how Zucker’s participation evolves week to week. If practices continue to become more complete, it could set the table for an eventual activation, but Yahoo Sports’ report makes clear he is not ready yet. Meanwhile, the Sabres will also be focused on turning home-ice opportunities into results as they face Dallas and continue through the rest of the homestand, with their goaltending plans and forward depth shaped in part by Zucker’s status.