The Buffalo Sabres have recalled defenseman Ryan Johnson from the Rochester Americans, the team announced Saturday. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson has been placed on injured reserve.
Samuelsson left Friday’s game against Philadelphia with a lower-body injury after skating four shifts during the first period. The Sabres play the Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. Saturday, with coach Don Granato scheduled to meet the media pregame at 5:30.
(UPDATE 5:45 p.m) - Johnson will make his NHL debut against the Maple Leafs, Granato announced. The Sabres received good news regarding Samuelsson's injury and do not expect him out long-term, but he will miss a minimum seven days on injured reserve.
Johnson, a first-round pick by the Sabres in 2019, signed his entry-level contract with the organization in May following a four-year career at the University of Minnesota. He was among the last players sent to Rochester before the regular season, a testament to his strong performance in training camp.
The 23-year-old played five preseason games and earned praise for his ability to make adjustments.
“He’s acclimated very fast to how we want to play systematically, to how we want to play as a pair of D,” Granato said in early October. “It’s been really impressive to see that in him.”
Johnson has four assists in nine games with Rochester, tied for second in the AHL among rookie defensemen behind teammate Nikita Novikov.
