Injury Notes: Benson, Strome, Nylander

Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson has been among the team’s best players in this early portion of the 2025-26 season, but despite his brilliance, he’s had some trouble staying on the ice. Injuries forced Benson to miss the first three games of the Sabres’ season, and since his return the club has bounced back from its 0-3-0 start to record a 5-4-3 record. They’ll have to sustain that momentum without Benson, though, as the forward was placed on IR yesterday with a lower-body injury. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff provided some more detail on Benson’s absence, via Buffalo Hockey Beat’s Bill Hoppe, stating that Benson is likely to miss just a week and therefore isn’t likely to see his absence extend beyond the timeline mandated by his IR placement.

Ruff did note, per The Hockey News’ Michael Augello, that Benson has been managing his injury for the past few games, and it’s gotten to the point where he’s unable to play and needs that time to recover. Benson has been very good to start the season, registering eight assists in eight games. He had occupied a spot on the Sabres’ top line and first power play unit, and in response to Benson’s absence, Ruff shook up the lines for the team’s shootout victory last night. The player who Buffalo recalled to take Benson’s spot – 2021 first-rounder Isak Rosen – scored his first NHL goal to give the Sabres a lead late in the first period of yesterday’s game.

Other injury updates from around the NHL:

• While the Sabres were forced to manage the absence of one of their top scorers in yesterday’s game, the Washington Capitals dealt with the reverse: the return from injury of one of their top offensive talents. Center Dylan Strome made his return last night after a lower-body injury cost him the chance to play in two Capitals contests. Strome is Washington’s most important center, and he led the team in scoring last season. The 2015 No. 3 overall pick scored 82 points in 82 games last season, has 11 points in 10 games this year, and also scored a goal last night in Buffalo.
• Toronto Maple Leafs star winger William Nylander missed another game due to his lower-body injury. The 29-year-old has been managing the injury for some time, his classification originally beginning as a game-time decision on Oct. 27 before deteriorating to an “out” designation for each of the Maple Leafs’ last two games. Nylander has been Toronto’s best player early this season with 15 points in nine games. While last night was a difficult one for Toronto sports overall, the Maple Leafs managed to register a strong 5-2 win in Nylander’s absence.