20210223_Bryson_Eaton

Jacob Bryson will make his NHL debut for the Buffalo Sabres against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, coach Ralph Krueger announced.
Bryson was recalled from the taxi squad along with forward Rasmus Asplund prior to the game. Asplund will join the lineup in place of forward Tobias Rieder, who sustained an injury against the New York Islanders on Monday. Bryson will step in for Brandon Davidson, who was reassigned to the taxi squad.
Bryson, 23, was selected by the Sabres during the fourth round of the 2017 NHL Draft. The defenseman played three NCAA seasons at Providence College, earning a trip to the Frozen Four tournament in Buffalo as a junior before turning pro last season.

Bryson tallied 27 points (4+23) in 61 games as a rookie with the Amerks. He scored all four of his goals during the final 10 games of the season.
"Jacob Bryson was clearly our strongest defenseman in Rochester at the latter part of the season last year," Krueger said. "We really enjoyed the development. What he's done thus far, he's been definitely the leader in the defensive corps (in Rochester).
"They've had some good success down in Rochester, and for us, it just felt right to inject him and give him his first National Hockey League game. He's just earned that and deserved that."
Krueger described Bryson as a talented puck mover with a strong mindset. The defenseman said he plans to maintain his playmaking mindset as he makes the jump to the next level.
"Obviously, there's nerves and that happens with everyone's first game," he said. "Just play simple and play my game, which is a lot of skating. I'm going to try and skate with the puck as much as I can and try to make plays out there."
The Sabres defense corps was dealt another blow Tuesday with the announcement that Will Borgen is expected to miss six to eight weeks due to a fracture in his right arm. The team announced Monday that Jake McCabe would miss the rest of the season due to injuries to his right knee while Rasmus Ristolainen is out indefinitely as he works his way back from a serious bout with COVID-19.
Borgen finished the game Saturday after sustaining an injury while blocking a shot during the first period. He was initially considered day-to-day before tests revealed the fracture.
"Absolute shock," Krueger said. "I mean, what courage that kid had. He broke his arm at the end of the first period and played two more. And as a result, because he played, it was doubtful that it was broken. By the time we got the picture, it was."

The lineup

Asplund will fill Rieder's role on the penalty kill as well as on a line alongside Cody Eakin and Kyle Okposo. Jeff Skinner will remain a healthy scratch for the second straight game.
Casey Mittelstadt stepped in for Skinner on Monday and tallied an assist.
"We are working in a constructive way here hoping that watching a couple games will free him and allow him to bring his tools and his assets into our game," Krueger said of Skinner. "We need his game. We need his 5-on-5 scoring, we need his threat, and may this have been the right path."

Tune in

Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m. You can listen to the game on WGR 550 with puck drop set for 7.