Deslauriers - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Top Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart sits against Bruins

BUFFALO – In less than a week, top Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart went from centering some high-scoring wingers to playing fourth-line minutes between grinders.

So it wasn’t shocking the Sabres scratched the struggling 18-year-old for Saturday’s 4-0 loss to the Boston Bruins inside the First Niagara Center.

Reinhart has zero goals, two shots and a minus-1 rating in his first five NHL games.

“Why do you sit out anybody?” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. “It’s ... Read the full article

Sabres to scratch top prospect Sam Reinhart tonight

BUFFALO – The Sabres will scratch top prospect Sam Reinhart for the first time tonight against the Boston Bruins.

It wasn’t hard to see this move coming. The slick center, the No. 2 pick in June, has been skating limited minutes on the fourth line. Reinhart played only seven minutes, nine seconds in Friday’s 1-0 loss to Florida.

The 18-year-old has zero goals, two shots and a minus-1 rating in his first five NHL games.... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Patrick Kaleta back practicing, anxious to return

BUFFALO – Patrick Kaleta’s face was mangled.

“Broke a bunch of things in there,” the oft-injured Sabres winger said Thursday following practice inside the First Niagara Center.

Kaleta said doctors inserted three plates and 14 screws after a shot hit him in the face during a Sept. 28 preseason game in Toronto. The 28-year-old has experienced blurred vision and migraines.

Still, less than three weeks after the scary incident, the Angola native is on the ... Read the full article

Sabres taking ‘different approach’ with top prospect Sam Reinhart

BUFFALO – In his fourth NHL appearance, top prospect Sam Reinhart skated only six minutes, 39 seconds on the fourth line between Nick Deslauriers and Cody McCormick in the Sabres’ 4-3 shootout win against Carolina on Tuesday.

Why did Sabres coach Ted Nolan slash the 18-year-old’s minutes?

For three regular-season games and the entire preseason, Nolan threw Reinhart “right into the fire” to see how he would react. So the slick center, the No. 2 ... Read the full article

Reeling Sabres already changing lineup

Three games into the season, Buffalo Sabres coach Ted Nolan is already overhauling his reeling team’s lineup.

– Defenseman Andrej Meszaros, a minus-6, will be benched tonight in Carolina for Tyson Strachan.

– Cody Hodgson, a winger from late last season through Monday’s ugly 5-1 loss to Anaheim, switched from the left side back to center this morning.

– Rookie center Sam Reinhart was dropped to the fourth line.

The 0-3 Sabres are already ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Michal Neuvirth to make first start this season

BUFFALO – The Sabres will make one lineup change for this afternoon’s tilt against the Anaheim Ducks, but it won’t be on defense.

Sabres coach Ted Nolan said goalie Michal Neuvirth, who endured an awful preseason, will make his first start this season. The Sabres also play Tuesday in Carolina, so Jhonas Enroth needs some rest.

“Neuvy’s been well-rested,” Nolan said inside the First Niagara Center. “He’s got some great work in the last ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody McCormick questionable for Saturday

BUFFALO – Forward Cody McCormick missed today’s practice but could accompany the Sabres to Chicago for Saturday’s game against the Blackhawks.

Sabres coach Ted Nolan officially called McCormick’s absence a maintenance day. He skated 10 minutes, 46 seconds in Thursday’s 3-1 season-opening loss to Columbus.

Brian Flynn subbed on his line between Nick Deslauriers and Torrey Mitchell.

In other news, the Sabres switched two centers today, putting 18-year-old rookie Sam Reinhart back between Marcus ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nick Deslauriers trying to build on breakout season

BUFFALO – The whole season, Sabres winger Nick Deslauriers said, “was pretty crazy.”

Barely a year ago, Deslauriers was a defenseman in Los Angeles’ organization. Three years into his career, he hadn’t played an NHL game. Then a forward shortage forced the Kings to make him a winger.

Suddenly, Deslauriers became a goal scorer up front, compiling 16 in 60 games for AHL Manchester.

That scoring prowess, coupled with his usual nasty edge, caught the ... Read the full article

Andrej Meszaros enjoying fresh start with Sabres

TORONTO – Coach Ted Nolan noticed a little smirk on Andrej Meszaros’ face following the defenseman’s recent Buffalo Sabres debut.

Meszaros had just skated a whopping 29 minutes, 39 seconds in Tuesday’s 2-0 win against Carolina. The minutes felt like a warm welcome.

“It felt pretty good,” Meszaros said last week.

Meszaros, 28, hadn’t played that much in a 60-minute game since May 6, 2011. Back then, the Slovak had just been named Philadelphia’s top ... Read the full article

Goalie Andrey Makarov to start against Leafs, part of young Sabres lineup

BUFFALO – The Sabres aren’t bringing their ‘A’ squad to Toronto for tonight’s preseason contest against the Maple Leafs, but the lineup features a lot of youngsters and bubble players “that deserve to play,” coach Ted Nolan said.

“Camp’s far from over,” Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

First, here are forward lines: Cody Hodgson, Mikhail Grigorenko, Chris Stewart; Zac Dalpe, Torrey Mitchell, Brian Flynn; Joel Armia, Johan Larsson, Nick Deslauriers; ... Read the full article