Sabres Stash Olen Zellweger on IR, Recall Dennis Gilbert to Patch the Blue Line

The Buffalo Sabres are already playing roster Tetris. According to Daily Faceoff, the team has placed defenseman Olen Zellweger on injured reserve and recalled Dennis Gilbert to patch up the blue line.

Moving a guy to IR this early is the hockey equivalent of the check engine light coming on before you even leave the driveway. Zellweger is officially on the shelf, meaning Buffalo has to test its defensive depth immediately.

"Daily Faceoff reported the roster move on Thursday."

The Sabres could use a spark right now anyway. They just dropped a 3-2 game to the Detroit Red Wings and followed it up with a 3-1 dud against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

When you are giving up goals and struggling to score them, losing a puck-moving defenseman is not exactly the recipe for a turnaround.

Enter Dennis Gilbert. He gets the call-up from the inactive list to step into the fray and eat some minutes.

Gilbert is not going to suddenly turn into Bobby Orr and fix all of Buffalo's problems, but he brings a physical edge that the Sabres desperately need if they want to stop getting pushed around in their own zone.

Bettors looking at Buffalo's upcoming slate need to factor in this blue-line shuffle. The Sabres head out tonight to face the Columbus Blue Jackets before hosting the Chicago Blackhawks this weekend.

If Gilbert draws into the lineup, expect a heavier, grittier defensive look as Buffalo tries to finally put a crooked number in the win column.