BUFFALO – Waiving tough guy Mason Geertsen was the easy one. Difficult roster decisions loom for the Sabres as sick and injured players begin to return to the lineup.

By taking Geertsen, a healthy scratch 15 times this season, off the roster, they can activate winger Jason Zucker, 33, off injured reserve.

The Sabres, who host the Chicago Blackhawks tonight at KeyBank Center, sorely need Zucker. Their oldest and most experienced player has missed the last eight games battling an illness. They’re just 2-5-1 during that stretch.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday that Zucker would be available against the Blackhawks.

Luckily for the Sabres, more help should be on its way.

Winger Zach Benson skated with his teammates prior to Wednesday’s 6-2 loss to the Calgary Flames and is day to day after missing the last nine games with a lower-body injury. Center Josh Norris started practicing again this week after suffering an upper-body injury opening night. If he keeps progressing, he should be available soon.

So, how do the Sabres, assuming they stay healthy, create space on the 23-man roster in the near future?

For most of the season, they’ve carried an enforcer, Geertsen, and three goalies, luxuries most teams can’t afford.

“As soon as we get players coming back, it’s going to force some decisions, whether that means your extra forward has to go down, or, short term, you carry six D, whatever that is,” Ruff said Tuesday. “The three goalies will force us into a hand that will have to make decisions.”

So perhaps there will be just two goalies on the roster soon. But which one would go?

Rookie Colten Ellis, a waiver claim before the season, has started three straight games and four of the last five. While he allowed six goals Wednesday – he received little help from his teammates – he has been their best option of late.

If the Sabres tried to send him to the Rochester Americans, he would almost certainly be claimed off waivers.

Veteran Alex Lyon has compiled a team-high .907 save percentage in 12 games and deserves Sabres MVP honors one-quarter into the season.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who suffered two injuries before the season started, has mostly struggled in his limited action, winning just one of his four appearances and compiling an .883 save percentage.

The Finn has often failed to provide a critical stop.

Luukkonen was expected to be the Sabres’ No. 1 netminder. He’s in the second season of a five-year, $23.75 million contract, so if they want to trade him, most teams wouldn’t want to absorb a hefty deal like that without the Sabres retaining some money.

Sometimes, of course, these roster situations work themselves out. A player or two gets hurt and another one can be activated. Problem solved.

Perhaps the simplest solution would be sending rookie forwards Noah Ostlund and Isak Rosen back to the AHL.

But Ostlund, 21, and Rosen, 22, have looked impressive since being recalled, combining for six goals and 11 points while often skating on scoring lines and the top power-play unit.

A strong argument can be made they deserve to stay put.

– If Geertsen, 30, clears waivers, he will likely be assigned to the Amerks.

Geertsen has compiled zero points, 12 penalty minutes and a minus-1 rating in five games this season. He has averaged just 4 minutes, 7 seconds of ice time per outing.

The Sabres signed the 6-foot-4, 231-pound winger to a two-year, two-way contract as a free agent to add toughness.

Before this season, his only NHL experience consisted of 25 games with Ruff’s New Jersey Devils in 2021-22.

Geertsen has spent most of the last 10 years in the AHL, compiling 19 goals, 44 points, 840 penalty minutes and a minus-44 rating in 447 games. He can also play defense.

– Budding Blackhawks superstar Connor Bedard, 20, entered Thursday’s contest against the Seattle Kraken on a tear, having scored 11 goals and 22 points during a torrid 11-game stretch that featured two hat tricks.

He began Thursday tied for second in the NHL with 13 goals and fourth with 29 points in 19 games.

– The Sabres had Thursday off.