NHL Injury Update: Colten Ellis placed on IR as Buffalo Sabres face another major setback

The most recent NHL injury update, Buffalo Sabres news, and Colten Ellis injury report have captured the headlines as the team suffers another setback in their heated Eastern Conference battle. Every roster change matters, and the coming of the IR for Ellis has become a huge talking point in the league as the Sabres are trying to break the record of their long-term postseason drought.Rookie goalie Colten Ellis was placed on the injured reserve list after a concussion spotter removed him during the Tuesday 4-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers. Before leaving, he had stopped all six shots taken at him and was having a very promising start to his very first NHL season. Claimed off waivers from St.Louis in October, Ellis has got 4-3-0 in eight games with a .895 SV% and 3.25 GAA, showing moments of his AHL form where he had a very strong .922 SV% last year in Springfield.Buffalo is hit by Ellis' injury at the very moment when they are struggling the most. The Sabres are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division with a 12-14-4 record and 28 points—not much, as they are only 7 points away from a wild card due to the close location in the standings. The absence of Ellis from the squad puts a lot of pressure on Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, thus creating a very uncertain situation for a team that has been grappling with finding stability in net.Furthermore, Buffalo will have to bear the burden of being the team that has not qualified for the playoffs for the longest period of time in the NHL, having missed the playoffs every year since 2011. Losing Ellis will not end their hopes of qualification, but it will certainly reduce the margin of error during a very critical period of the season.The transfer of Colten Ellis to the injured reserve list comes at a very inconvenient time for the Sabres, who are very much in need of a miracle to stay in the playoffs. The goaltending situation has become a little shaky due to the injury, but Buffalo still has to count on the other two goaltenders to either prolong the season or let it go down as yet another lost year.Also Read: NHL Update: Timo Meier out for personal leave as New Jersey Devils prepare to face Tampa Bay Lightning