Tage Thompson is day to day with an upper-body injury.
The forward, who leads the Sabres with 34 goals, 34 assists and 68 points, did not practice Monday. He watched the end of practice from the bench in street clothes.
"He's been, like lots of players, dealing with nagging issues and they're a little bit more from last game (3-2 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday)," coach Don Granato said. "So it's way better for him to just take the day. He could have skated today, but way better for him to just take a day."
Granato expects Thompson, who was named to his first NHL All-Star Game this season, will practice Tuesday and said he should be able to play against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN NOW).
"I'm pretty certain Thompson will be in practice tomorrow and we'll have a conversation after that," Granato said.
Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who has missed two games with a lower-body injury, and forward Dylan Cozens, who has missed one game with an undisclosed injury, were on the ice for practice Monday.
Each is better, but their status for Wednesday is to be determined.
"I don't need a decision today, so let those guys skate," Granato said.
Cozens has 43 points (17 goals, 26 assists) in 48 games, and Samuelsson has five points (one goal, four assists) in 34 games.-- Heather Engel