The Buffalo Sabres have suffered a huge blow to their blueline. Jake McCabe has suffered a significant knee injury. He will miss 6-8 months as a result of the recovery. This injury reportedly involves McCabe’s ACL, MCL, and meniscus ligaments, so the damage seems extensive. The team announced McCabe’s status Monday afternoon.
Defenseman Jake McCabe was diagnosed today with injuries in his right knee to his ACL, MCL and meniscus as the result of a play during our game on Feb. 20 in New Jersey.
The expected recovery time for his injuries is approximately 6-8months.
Best wishes to Jake in his recovery! pic.twitter.com/48qiu1V7ZA
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 22, 2021
Sabres Jake McCabe Suffers Knee Injury
The 27-year-old McCabe was having an average season acting as one of Buffalo’s forechecking defenders. He had just one goal and three points in 13 games but did have 22 hits and 15 blocks while starting in the defensive zone almost 59 percent of the time. It’s impressive that McCabe still managed a 56.6 percent Corsi For and 8.5 relative Corsi considering how the number of tough defensive minutes he was seeing. He was also leading the team in average shorthanded ice time. It’s a big defensive loss for a team that is already last in the East Division.
The Sabres originally drafted McCabe in the second round of the 2012 Draft and he debuted in 2013-14 for seven games. His first significant action came in 2015-16 when the 6’1″ Wisconsin native posted a career-high four goals and 14 points in 77 games along with 114 hits and 109 blocks. He’s never been a great scoring option or possession defender, but his skills have provided Buffalo with a solid bottom-four defender who checks the opposition. The team will miss him until he can return in 2021-22.
How Buffalo Replaces McCabe
The team has at least two defenders they can press into action with McCabe’s injury. William Borgen and Matt Irwin have each played in a handful of games this year. The two have a combined two points, 17 hits and 15 blocks. The team has a few taxi squad defenders they can call upon if absolutely necessary as well.
However, fans should not discount the possibility that Buffalo begins selling parts. Their prospect depth is lacking and losing McCabe only makes an uphill division battle more difficult. Do not be shocked if someone is sold to acquire more assets for the future.
[pickup_prop id=”4153″]
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
