Ristolainen (upper body) won't be in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Capitals, John Vogl of The Buffalo News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ristolainen will miss a second consecutive contest Tuesday, but he's still considered day-to-day with his upper-body ailment, so he could return to Buffalo's lineup as soon as Friday against the Panthers. The Finnish blueliner has been a bit of a disappointment this season, as he's only notched five assists in 13 games after racking up 45 points in 79 matches in 2016-17.

Ristolainen continues to be day-to-day, The Buffalo News reports.

EDGE Analysis

This puts Ristolainen's status for Tuesday's game against Washington in doubt, which will mark the second straight game he's missed. The good news is that the Sabres have a three-day break after their date with Washington, and Ristolainen's injury is not believed to be serious. The Sabres' No. 1 defenseman has had a slow start to the season with just five assists in 13 games with a minus-4 rating.

Ristolainen is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and he's effectively been ruled out for Saturday's road contest against the Stars.

EDGE Analysis

Red flags had risen at morning skate, with the Finn not showing up for that session. Instead, Victor Antipin saw the ice in preparation for the upcoming showdown with Dallas. The Sabres don't have any other blueliner that can outright match Risto's two-way acumen, nor can anyone else consistently log 25-plus minutes while quarterbacking the No. 1 power play, but perhaps a concerted effort among the defensive corps in general will get the job done while the Finn is out of action.

Ristolainen (undisclosed) wasn't on the ice for morning skate Saturday, ahead of a road game against the Stars.

EDGE Analysis

We're seeking more details about this developing situation, but it's worth noting that the Swords went with Marco Scandella and Justin Falk on the top defensive pair for the morning session. Given Ristolainen's status as a consistent, puck-moving back-end producer with a role on the man advantage, his status will be worth monitoring all the way up through puck drop Saturday.

Ristolainen was held without a point, but tallied seven hits, two shots on goal, two blocked shots, and a plus-3 rating with 29:40 of ice time in Buffalo's 5-4 overtime win against Boston.

EDGE Analysis

This is why the 22-year-old blueliner is so highly regarded. Even when he's not posting points, he still finds a way to impact the game. Ristolainen has four points -- all assists -- in his nine games played so far. The Finland native should see his point production rise soon, as he's averaging a ridiculous 27:27 of ice time per game.

Ristolainen set up a power-play goal in Tuesday's 5-4 overtime road loss to the Golden Knights.

EDGE Analysis

The Finn went minus-1 in the contest, but he was back on track offensively after dropping goose eggs in the points column the prior three contests. Risto is averaging 26:58 of ice time, meaning he should continue to see ample opportunities to light it up for his fantasy owners.

Ristolainen played over 26 minutes for the second straight game Thursday against San Jose, and also registered a team-high six shots on goal.

EDGE Analysis

The Sabres have been talking about reducing Ristolainen's ice time for three straight years, but through four games this season he's averaging over 26 minutes per game yet again. Some of that can be attributed to more power-play time with a league-wide crackdown on slashing, but the Sabres just don't have anyone else who can play at both ends of the ice as effectively as Ristolainen. He's doing everything he can with two assists and 13 shots on goal to help the Sabres win games, but a revamped blue line hasn't been as much of a help as everyone expected, so head coach Phil Housley is leaning on the young Finn once again. Ristolainen is easily a top-25 defenseman in fantasy, but you really wonder how much pressure and minutes he can take before he starts to falter. The Sabres have three games remaining in their Western Conference road trip in Los Angeles, Anaheim and Las Vegas.

The Sabres intend to address their leaky defense and to better manage Ristolainen's minutes next season, Sportsnet reports.

EDGE Analysis

Former head coach Dan Bylsma promised to lighten Ristolainen's load this past season, but had to eat his words after the Sabres' blue line was decimated by injuries and poor play. The 22-year-old played a career-high 26:28 per game this season, and also scored a career-high 39 assists and 45 points this season, but if the Sabres want to build a competitive team with long-term success, they'll need to surround him with quality players. The free agent market isn't very good this season, but the Sabres have a potential trade chip in Evander Kane. Whatever the scenario, it's unlikely the Sabres will drastically reduce Ristolainen's role, which means he remains a potential top-20 fantasy defenseman for the 2017-18 season.

Ristolainen recorded a goal, three shots on net, three hits and a minor penalty during Wednesday's win over Montreal.

EDGE Analysis

The rearguard had sandwiched a recent three-game suspension with a three-game point drought, but he ended it with a first-period goal Wednesday. For the campaign, Ristolainen is up to six goals, 45 points, 183 shots, 158 blocked shots, 58 PIM and 193 hits, and his cross-category production makes him a valuable asset in all fantasy settings.

Ristolainen has served his three-game suspension for his hit on Pittsburgh forward Jake Guentzel in a March 21 contest.

EDGE Analysis

The power-play distributor from the blue line will be all systems go for Sunday's home clash with the Islanders. He'd been in a minor rut offensively -- one point (an assist) in five games -- leading up to the suspension, so with any luck, the brief ban has afforded him the chance to clear his head.