Sabres' McCabe expected to miss 6-8 months with knee injuries

Jake McCabe's season appears to be over.

The Buffalo Sabres defenseman will likely be out for about six-to-eight months after injuring the ACL, MCL, and meniscus in his right knee during Saturday's win over the New Jersey Devils, the Sabres announced Monday.

McCabe had to be helped off the ice after colliding with Devils forward Nico Hischier in the third period.

The 27-year-old blue-liner had been one half of the Sabres' top defensive pair alongside Rasmus Ristolainen, who remains unavailable despite being removed from the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list.

McCabe collected only one goal and two assists in 13 games in 2021, but he was playing much better than those numbers indicated. The veteran rearguard posted a 55.56 five-on-five goals for percentage and a 61.97 expected goals for percentage in the same situations, according to Natural Stat Trick.

He's spent his entire career with the Sabres, who drafted him 44th overall in 2012.