Buffalo Hockey Beat
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Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen on start of season, different expectations, Connor Hellebuyck trade speculation and more
BUFFALO – In his remarks to the Sabres as training camp got underway Wednesday, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen stressed they must put last season’s breakout 50-win, 109-point season behind them. In winning the ultra-competitive Atlantic Division and ending their NHL-record 14-year playoff drought, the Sabres morphed into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and became the league’s darling. While it was all a blast – the 10-game win streak, the rollicking 39-9-5 run, the first postseason .....
Sabres notes: Eric Staal takes on new role as coach; Buffalo has early injuries
BUFFALO – In addition to his role as a special assistant to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, former Sabres center Eric Staal will now be doing on-ice work during the season, coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday. “He’s going to help us with centermen, and he’s going to help out on the power play,” Ruff said in LECOM Harborcenter, where the Sabres will hold their first on-ice sessions of training camp Thursday. “He’s basically an assistant coach, ... Read the full article The post Sabres notes: ...
Sabres injury updates: Jason Zucker could miss start of season after surgery
BUFFALO – Sabres winger Jason Zucker underwent offseason sports hernia surgery and could miss the first two weeks of the regular season, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said Wednesday after players reported to training camp. “He’s very close to the start of the year,” Kekalainen said in LECOM Harborcenter. Meanwhile, Kekalainen said defenseman Louis Crevier, who arrived in the offseason trade that sent Bowen Byram to the Chicago Blackhawks, underwent shoulder surgery and will likely be .....
Sabres assign four prospects to junior; Rochester adds forward and goalie
The Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday assigned four prospects – defenseman David Bedkowski , goalie Samuel Meloche and forwards Dylan Dumont and Doman Szongoth – to their respective junior teams. All four participated in the Prospects Showcase games the Sabres played against the Boston Bruins on Sunday and Monday at LECOM Harborcenter. In other news, the Rochester Americans on Tuesday agreed to terms with forward Thomas Bordeleau and goalie Talyn Boyko one-year AHL contracts. The 5-foot-10, .....
Sabres sign Noah Ostlund to eight-year, $52.8 million contract
BUFFALO – Just 71 total NHL games were enough to convince the Sabres that center Noah Ostlund deserved a lucrative long-term contract. The Sabres on Monday signed the Swede to an eight-year, $52.8 million contract. That’s a $6.6 million average annual value for the 22-year-old, the 16th overall pick in 2022. “Awesome day for the organization,” Rochester Americans coach Mike Leone, who coached Ostlund in the AHL, said Monday following the Sabres’ 4-3 overtime loss ... Read the full article ...
QMJHL star Samuel Meloche becoming Sabres’ best goalie prospect
BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Samuel Meloche’s experience belies his age. Less than two months after turning 19, just two years into his major junior career, the goalie has played 101 regular-season games and 30 more in the playoffs. Since the start of the 2024-25 season, he has played more than any netminder in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Remember Meloche’s name. The constant action he earned backstopping the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to back-to-back conference semifinal ... Read t...
Radim Mrtka headlines Buffalo Sabres’ Prospects Showcase roster
Defenseman Radim Mrtka , the ninth overall pick in 2025, headlines the Buffalo Sabres’ 22-man roster for the upcoming Prospects Showcase against the Boston Bruins at LECOM Harborcenter. The Sabres, who will hold their first practice this afternoon, host the Bruins at 5 p.m. Sunday and noon Monday. The roster released Thursday features 11 draft picks, nine invites and three players on AHL contracts. The Sabres drafted Matteo Costantini but signed him to an AHL ... Read the full article Th...
Josh Doan says Sabres will be fine after losing players in trades: ‘A better team’
BUFFALO – Alex Tuch’s departure from the Sabres earlier this summer via a sign-and-trade deal with the Washington Capitals hardly surprised winger Josh Doan. In the weeks before free agency opened, it appeared the veteran first-line winger’s run in Buffalo could be ending after five seasons. “There was noise around whether or not he was staying or go,” Doan said prior to throwing out the first pitch at Saturday’s Bisons game against the Worcester Red ... Read the full article The post Jo...
After impressive rookie season, Sabres sign Zach Metsa to contract extension
The Buffalo Sabres on Friday signed defenseman Zach Metsa , one of their biggest surprises last season, to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $900,000. Metsa, 27, is entering the final season of a two-year, two-way deal worth $1.63 million he signed in 2025. He can become an unrestricted free agent when his extension expires following the 2027-28 season. After signing his first NHL contract last year, the 5-foot-9, 198-pound Metsa earned his first recall ... Read the full article...
Former Sabres prospects have found new jobs all over this summer
For a while, former Buffalo Sabres defense prospect Nikita Novikov looked like a steal as he quickly adapted to North American hockey. Not only did the Russian generate offense without the benefit of power-play time, he led the Rochester Americans in plus-minus – gaudy ratings of 20 and 28, respectively – in each of his first two seasons. Novikov, a sixth-round pick in 2021, 188th overall, appeared to be on track to at least earn ... Read the full article The post Former Sabres prospects...
Is trading for Connor Hellebuyck worth the steep price for the Sabres?
As you read this, Buffalo Sabres general manager Jarmo Kekalainen could be deep into trade talks again with Kevin Cheveldayoff, his counterpart in Winnipeg, trying to pry goalie Connor Hellebuyck away from the Jets. On Thursday, Hellebuyck, 33, confirmed through a statement released by his agent, Ray Petkau, what had long been suspected: he wants to get the heck out of Winnipeg just two seasons into a seven-year, $59.5 million contract extension. Hellebuyck said he ... Read the full articl...
Buffalo Sabres to appear on national TV 14 times during 2026-27 schedule
Fresh off winning the Atlantic Division title, the Buffalo Sabres will be appearing on national television broadcasts 14 times during the upcoming season, NHL rights holders announced Wednesday. The schedule features eight games on TNT/HBO Max, three games on ESPN or ABC’s channels and three exclusive games on ESPN+/Hulu (subscription streaming). The complete schedule is below. – Oct. 21 vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m. (TNT/HBO Max) – Oct. 27 at San Jose, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN) – ... Read t...
Buffalo Sabres sell out of season tickets for 2026-27, create waiting list
The Buffalo Sabres’ success last season created so much demand they’ve sold out of season tickets for the 2026-27 season, the team announced Tuesday. So the Sabres, like they did in the mid-2000s, have started a season-ticket waiting list. For a $100 deposit, fans will have their name added to the list and be given access to purchase season seats ahead of the general public. They will also receive playoff ticket pre-sale access and a ... Read the full article The post Buffalo Sabres sell...
Rochester hires Philip Samuelsson as assistant coach
The Rochester Americans on Thursday named Philip Samuelsson, who recently retired following a 15-year pro career as a defenseman, as an assistant coach. He replaces Nathan Paetsch, who earlier this month left the Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate to become head coach of the Youngstown Phantoms. Samuelsson, 35, played nearly 900 games as a pro, including 13 in the NHL and 512 in the AHL. His father, Ulf, a former defenseman, spent 16 seasons in the ... Read the full article The post Roche...
Sabres trade prospect Stiven Sardarian to Hurricanes
The Buffalo Sabres today traded the rights to unsigned forward prospect Stiven Sardarian to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for future considerations. Sardarian, who has played the last four seasons in the NCAA, was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent Saturday. The Russian, however, did not submit paperwork to NHL Central Registry indicating he is no longer an undergraduate student, according to Puckpedia.com. He will remain on a reserve list until paperwork is filed, ... Rea...
Sabres prospect Radim Mrtka handled trade rumors well, kept developing
BUFFALO – When word leaked in early March the Sabres would deal defense prospect Radim Mrtka to the St. Louis Blues if veteran defenseman Colton Parayko waived his no-trade clause , Seattle Thunderbirds coach Matt O’Dette said he and his assistants checked in on the youngster. Their message to Mrtka, 19, was simple: control what you can control. “He handled it really well,” O’Dette told the Times Herald. “He’s pretty, in a lot of ways, ... Read the full article The post Sabres prospect R...
Ex-Sabres star Jeff Skinner finds home overseas; Buffalo adds to hockey staff
Winger Jeff Skinner , who will count $6.4 million against the Buffalo Sabres’ salary cap in the upcoming season, has signed a one-year contract with EHC Biel, a team in the Swiss League. Skinner, 34, played 32 games for the San Jose Sharks last season, scoring six goals and 13 points before having his one-year contract terminated. After the Sabres exercised a buyout for final three seasons of his eight-year, $72 million contract following the ... Read the full article The post Ex-Sabres ...
Sabres set to induct Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek into Hall of Fame Jan. 14
Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek will be inducted into the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame prior to the Jan. 14 game against the Colorado Avalanche at KeyBank Center, the team announced today. The former captains and high-scoring wingers entered the NHL together in 2005-06 and will become the 45th and 46th members of the team’s hall of fame. During a reunion last season of the beloved team they starred for as rookies, the Sabres surprised ... Read the full article The post Sabres set to ind...
Nathan Paetsch leaves Rochester for head coaching job in Youngstown
Nathan Paetsch , who spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Rochester Americans, has left the Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate to become head coach of the Youngstown Phantoms. The Phantoms, a junior team, play in the United States Hockey League. Ryan Ward, their last coach, recently moved up to the AHL to become an assistant with the Providence Bruins. Paetsch, 43, spent 17 seasons in Buffalo’s organization as player, assistant coach ... Read the full article The post N...
After long junior career, former Sabres standout Jay McKee ready to coach pro with AHL Hamilton Hammers
In his early days as a coach, Jay McKee said he visualized success the same way he had as a player. The popular former defenseman, a linchpin on some beloved Buffalo Sabres teams in the late 1990s and early 2000s, wanted to reach the highest level as quickly as possible. “As a former athlete … you strive to be at the top level,” said McKee, who played his first NHL game at 18 and secured ... Read the full article The post After long junior career, former Sabres standout Jay McKee ready to ...
Blue Jackets hire former Sabres coach Don Granato as assistant
Former Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato is back in the NHL. The Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday named Granato an assistant coach on Rick Bowness’ staff. Granato, 58, most recently led Team USA’s entry in the World Championship in the spring, his first head coaching gig since his dismissal from the Sabres following a sixth-place finish in the Atlantic Division in 2023-24. After arriving in Buffalo as an assistant in 2019, he led the Sabres ... Read the full article The post Blue Jac...
Sabres to host Prospects Showcase rookie games Sept. 13 and 14
The Buffalo Sabres’ annual preseason rookie tournament will have a different look this year. The Sabres announced today they will host a two-game Prospects Showcase against the Boston Bruins on Sept. 13 and 14 at LECOM Harborcenter. Beginning in 2015, the Sabres annually hosted the Prospects Challenge, a tournament that featured five or six teams. Ticket information and rosters will be released at a later date. The Sabres will play two games in Boston ahead ... Read the full article ...
Sabres prospect Luke Osburn displayed talents of special defenseman in first year at Wisconsin
BUFFALO – University of Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings said he sometimes tells Sabres defense prospect Luke Osburn to take a break and stay off the ice. While Osburn’s strong work ethic is one of greatest strengths – “The standard he sets for himself is at an elite level,” Hastings told the Times Herald – he occasionally needs to take a step back. “He’s a very good self-evaluator,” Hastings said. “He’s one of those few players, ... Read the full article The post Sabres prospect Luke Osbur...
Former Sabres found new jobs as free agents this summer
In his sixth pro season, forward Josh Dunne finally stuck in the NHL. Other than a one-game stint with the Rochester Americans in October, he spent all year in Buffalo, playing a career-high 34 games as he established himself as a versatile and rugged presence on the Sabres’ fourth line. On another team, the affable Dunne, 27, might’ve enjoyed more regular duty. But the Sabres possessed depth up front, so he moved in and out ... Read the full article The post Former Sabres found new jobs a...
If the Sabres sign Patrick Kane, would he fit into their identity?
Three weeks after free agency opened and long after the feeding frenzy ended, South Buffalo native Patrick Kane is reportedly considering joining the Sabres or returning to Chicago, where he became an icon while starring for 16 seasons and leading the Blackhawks to three Stanley Cup championships. That info, courtesy of ESPN analyst Chris Chelios, makes sense. Following three seasons and zero playoff appearances with the Detroit Red Wings, Kane, 37, could take a run ... Read the full article...
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