‘NHL teams don’t benefit from the cap-relieving device known as long-term injured reserve until they need to exceed the ceiling, so every injured player is on Buffalo’s cap. That includes forward Cody McCormick, who hasn’t played in almost two years because of blood clots, and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who is day-to-day. Jack Eichel, Tyler Ennis, Ryan O’Reilly, Zach Bogosian and Nicolas Deslauriers are also hurt, giving the Sabres seven guys out of the lineup.’