Sabres place Konsta Helenius on injured reserve, activate Alex Lyon

Some good news, but some bad news, in Western New York.

According to the NHL media website, the Buffalo Sabres have activated goaltender Alex Lyon from injured reserve. To make a spot for him on the roster, the Sabres have placed forward Konsta Helenius on IR.

Lyon has yet to play a game during the 2026-27 regular season. The veteran netminder has been on the shelf since suffering a shoulder injury during a preseason game. In the meantime, the Sabres have ran with the tandem of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colton Ellis, which has gone as well as many fans in Buffalo would’ve helped. Now, with Lyon back in the lineup, the netminder who helped the team win its first Stanley Cup Playoff series in 19 years last spring, optimism has sprung around the fanbase as the team tries to keep up with the top teams in the Atlantic Division.

Lion had the best season of his NHL career last year, going 20-10-4, with a 2.77 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage and three shutouts. His play helped Buffalo earn a postseason berth for the first time since 2010-11, win the Atlantic Division title, and end the league’s longest playoff drought. Although Luukkonen was the team’s starter at the start of the playoffs, Lyon took over in the first round against the Boston Bruins. After beating Boston, Lyon then lost the job back to UPL, with the Sabres ultimately losing to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.

Helenius has been out of action since suffering an upper-body injury on Oct. 27. Per the league’s IR rules, he could return to play when he’s healthy, but Buffalo had to make room for Lyon’s return. The 20-year-old has appeared in 11 games thus far, scoring a goal and three points. The rookie also has a plus/minus of -2 while averaging 13 minutes of ice time.

The Sabres (8-7-3) are sixth in the Atlantic Division, three points back of the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Buffalo is visiting the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.