Buffalo Sabres Scratch Ryan McLeod and Louis Crevier for Game Against Columbus

In the high-stakes environment of professional hockey, the distance between a long-term contract extension and a seat in the press box can be measured in a few short weeks.

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Louis Crevier, who signed a four-year, $16 million deal just before the season began, found himself a healthy scratch for Friday’s matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The move, reported by Sportsmonkie, follows a string of performances that have failed to replicate the impact the team expected when they bet on the 6-foot-8 defender’s potential.

The decision to bench Crevier comes as part of a broader shakeup by head coach Lindy Ruff. After a frustrating 2-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, where the Sabres were outskated and struggled to maintain momentum, Ruff said no roster spot is guaranteed.

Sports-Yahoo reported that center Ryan McLeod also sat out Friday’s game, marking the first time both players had been scratched after appearing in every one of the team’s first 15 games this season.

For Crevier, the transition has been abrupt. Last season with the Chicago Blackhawks, he logged significant minutes, averaging 17:08 of ice time across 78 games and recording 25 points.

In his first 15 games with Buffalo, however, that role has diminished, with his ice time dipping to an average of 12:52 per night. His performance reached a low point on Wednesday, when he saw just 8:05 of ice time—the fewest of any defenseman on either team.

“Going To Take A Little Mental Reset Here And Find My Game.” | Ryan McLeod | Buffalo Sabres

“We wanted get Timmins a game. He’s on the right track. He’s a very coachable kid. He works extremely hard. There’s a lot of great aspects to him. We’re in a position now where this might just be a one-game absence, and he’s right back in,” Ruff said, as noted by Sportsmonkie.

The lineup change introduces Conor Timmins, who had been sidelined since the preseason with a lower-body injury, and welcomes back Jiri Kulich. While Ruff framed the move as a potential one-game reset, he also hinted at a more permanent structural change for the defensive unit.

The Sabres may move toward a rotation of seven defensemen, a system that would see different players taking turns in the press box to ensure the team maintains a competitive edge.

The organization faces high stakes. The contract extension signed by Crevier on October 1 does not even take effect until the 2027-28 season, meaning the team is looking toward long-term development rather than immediate, short-term production. Yet, with the Sabres currently holding a 7-5-3 record, the coaching staff faces the perennial challenge of balancing future potential with the immediate need to secure points in a tight Atlantic Division.

Buffalo Sabres Scratch Ryan McLeod and Louis Crevier for Game Against Columbus — Photo: sports.yahoo.com

Ryan McLeod’s situation offers a different perspective on the team’s current discipline. His scratch followed a visible, costly error in Wednesday’s loss, where a lost defensive-zone faceoff directly preceded the game-tying goal by Ottawa’s Shane Pinto.

McLeod, who is in the second year of a four-year, $20 million contract, took responsibility for the lapse. In a league defined by thin margins, a single defensive breakdown can override a player’s established track record.

The question now remains whether this shift marks the beginning of a sustained rotation or a brief corrective measure. As the Sabres look to regain their form, the benching of two regulars suggests that the “work ethic” mentioned by the coaching staff is no longer a suggestion, but a requirement for maintaining a lineup spot.

For players like Crevier, the path back to the ice involves proving that the version of the player the Sabres invested in can still be found in the current rotation.