Bylsma: Eichel out weeks, not days, with 'moderate' ankle sprain
Jack Eichel is indeed suffering from a high ankle sprain, Buffalo Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma confirmed Thursday, a day after Eichel was forced from practice after taking an awkward fall.
Related: Watch: Sabres' Eichel leaves practice with ankle injury after awkward fall
Eichel got his skate tangled with forward Zemgus Girgensons during a drill and fell on his left ankle. TSN's Bob McKenzie was the first to report the original diagnosis, noting Eichel is expected to be out of the lineup for at least four-to-six weeks, a timeline Bylsma suggested is at least on the right track.
Dan Bylsma terms Jack Eichel's high-ankle sprain as "moderate."
— John Vogl (@BuffNewsVogl) October 13, 2016
"Certainly more weeks than days," Sabres coach said.
While the club copes with the loss of their No. 1 center, the team did receive some encouraging news Thursday: Ryan O'Reilly - who's been dealing with a back ailment - will play in the opener against the Montreal Canadiens.
In other news, defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will sit Thursday as he deals with a bruised tailbone. Casey Nelson will start for the club.