Sabres' Jason Zucker Expected to Miss Start of Season After Hernia Surgery
Buffalo general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said the veteran forward could miss the opening weeks of the 2026-27 season.
Jason Zucker underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia and is expected to miss the start of the 2026-27 season, Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Wednesday as players reported for training camp.
Kekalainen did not provide a firm recovery timeline. He said Zucker is close to being ready but could miss the opening weeks of the schedule.
Zucker, 34, is entering his third season with Buffalo. He recorded 24 goals and 21 assists for 45 points in 62 regular-season games last season, then added two goals and two assists in 13 playoff games. He missed 20 regular-season games, including an 11-game stretch in December.
Defenseman Louis Crevier will also open camp on the sideline while completing his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. Kekalainen said Crevier appears close to playing but still needs clearance from the surgeon. Buffalo acquired the 25-year-old from Chicago in June in the trade that sent Bowen Byram to the Blackhawks.
