BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Sabres will be without defenseman Rasmus Dahlin for their matchup against the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night due to back spasms. Coach Lindy Ruff confirmed that Dahlin would not be participating, although he did not specify when the player might return to the lineup. Ruff expressed optimism that Dahlin’s absence would be brief, stating, “but you never know.”

Dahlin experienced the injury during the third period of Tuesday’s game, in which the Sabres lost to Colorado by a score of 5-4 after relinquishing a 4-0 lead. This setback marks a concerning trend for the team, which struggled defensively in the final period against the Avalanche.

The current issue with Dahlin seems to be linked to a prior injury he incurred at training camp, which caused him to miss a significant portion of the preseason. In his absence, Dennis Gilbert is expected to fill in. Additionally, the Sabres have recalled defenseman Ryan Johnson from their AHL affiliate in Rochester.

Dahlin, who was the first overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, is a key player for the Sabres, leading the team’s defensemen and ranking third overall with 19 points, consisting of six goals and 13 assists. Furthermore, Dahlin was recently selected to the Swedish national team for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, showcasing his prominence in the sport.

Meanwhile, two other injured players for the Sabres, defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and forward Jordan Greenway, participated in practice on Thursday. Samuelsson has been recovering from a lower-body injury he sustained on November 11 while playing against Montreal, and Greenway has been sidelined due to a mid-body injury incurred on November 14 during a game against St. Louis.