What happened: Jeff Blashill ruled out Bowen Byram for Chicago's game at Buffalo on Saturday because of a family matter. The absence keeps Byram off the ice against the club that traded him to the Blackhawks in June.

Why it matters: Chicago loses a key defenseman for a scheduled road matchup that was set to double as Byram's return to Buffalo. With the game still scheduled at 0-0, the lineup change becomes the main development before puck drop.

What to watch: Chicago is scheduled to face Buffalo on Saturday night without Byram available. The next pregame lineup will show who steps into his spot on defense.