Monday afternoon, Colten Ellis was preparing for his third season with the Springfield Thunderbirds in Massachusetts. That changed quickly when St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong called to inform him that he had been claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Sabres.
By Tuesday morning, Ellis was practicing at KeyBank Center as a member of the Sabres. “It’s my first time going on waivers, so I didn’t really know what the process was like,” Ellis said. “But when I got the call yesterday, I was super excited for the opportunity here and coming to Buffalo. It’s definitely a whirlwind, but at the same time, (I’m) just trying to live in the moment. It’s my first time experiencing all this, so I’m trying to soak it all in, take it in day by day and just learn as much as I can.”
The league’s roster cutdown period led to several goaltenders being placed on waivers Sunday. Among them were Cal Petersen, Cayden Primeau, Brandon Bussi, Michael DiPietro and Kaapo Kahkonen. The Sabres selected 25-year-old Ellis as their top choice from this group.
“When Ellis became available, he’s someone that as an organization we felt really highly about,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “I like his puck play. I like how quick he is. Watched a good part of his games yesterday; (he has) a calmness about him. So, I can understand why he’s been on the radar.”
Last season with Springfield, Ellis played 42 games and recorded 22 wins, 14 losses and five overtime losses with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage—ranking fourth among AHL qualifiers. Over three seasons at that level, he has posted a .919 save percentage.
Ellis credited his coaches—including Springfield’s goaltending development coach Dan Stewart—for supporting his development as a player. With starter Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen sidelined week-to-week due to a lower body injury and recent signing Alexandar Georgiev placed on waivers, Ellis is expected to be on Buffalo’s opening night roster as backup to Alex Lyon for Thursday’s home opener against the New York Rangers.
“It’s something I’ve worked for for 25 years now,” said Ellis. “Every day, just grinding to get better and working on what I can control… Just putting it all together and now having the opportunity to be in an NHL dressing room is awesome, and I’m super excited about it.”
Alex Lyon also commented on starting opportunities ahead of Thursday’s game: “If you can win games and provide quality starts and provide stability, then you’re gonna get a bigger opportunity… For sure [internal competition elevates play]. I mean, it’s the name of the game.” Lyon noted that changes under the new CBA will require teams to have a designated emergency backup goalie who travels with them beginning next season—a move he believes will help players manage workloads during long seasons.
Defenseman Owen Power returned to practice Tuesday wearing a non-contact jersey but participated fully in team drills including line rushes and special teams sessions. Both Power and coach Ruff expressed optimism about Power returning from injured reserve in time for Thursday’s opener.
The Sabres open their regular season Thursday at KeyBank Center against the New York Rangers; tickets remain available online.
