Draft Week
BUFFALO – NHL Draft prospect Dylan Cozens always finds himself dispelling myths about his hometown of Whitehorse, Yukon.
“Lots of people don’t know what it’s like up there,” Cozens said June 1 at the NHL Scouting Combine inside Harborcenter. “They think it’s some little, like, community of igloos and stuff. It’s just a normal place, a normal little town – working electricity, houses. It’s just a normal place.”
Whitehorse, the only city in the Yukon, ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Jack Hughes possesses so much talent – “Maybe the most electric skater that I’ve seen in these last couple generations,” said his coach, John Wroblewski – the presumptive first overall pick seemingly creates offense effortlessly.
So when Wroblewski says Trevor Zegras, another slick center with the U.S. National Team Development Program, “is the best playmaker in the draft” and “a more creative and dynamic player than Hughes,” he believes he must validate it.... Read the full article
DALLAS – Matej Pekar’s smile told the story. In the moments after the Buffalo Sabres drafted the Czech winger in the fourth round, 94th overall, Saturday, it never left his face.
About 10 months ago, the NHL Draft wasn’t exactly on Pekar’s radar.
“Before the season, I was like, ‘Draft, what is it? I’m not going to get drafted,’” Pekar said inside American Airlines Center.
So sitting at a table wearing a blue Buffalo Sabres ... Read the full article
DALLAS – For the time being at least, Ryan O’Reilly, the versatile center several teams are trying to pry away from the Sabres, is still with Buffalo.
General manager Jason Botterill, who’s expected to overhaul the NHL’s worst team this offseason, left the NHL Draft on Saturday without making any player trades.
Of course, the league’s busy season is just getting underway. Teams can talk to free agents starting Monday and begin signing them ... Read the full article
DALLAS – Like any prospect, Mattias Samuelsson wanted to be picked early. Some NHL Draft experts even projected the American defenseman as a first-round selection.
But after the first 31 picks Friday night, Samuelsson, 18, was still on the board.
“Everyone wants to be a first-rounder and everything,” Samuelsson said inside American Airlines Center. “It was a little upsetting, but coming into this I knew I was going to be called pretty quick here.”
Sure ... Read the full article
DALLAS – For the time being at least, Ryan O’Reilly, the versatile center several teams are trying to pry away from the Sabres, is still with Buffalo.
General manager Jason Botterill, who’s expected to overhaul the NHL’s worst team this offseason, left the NHL Draft without making any player trades.
Of course, the league’s busy season is just getting underway. Teams can talk to free agents starting Monday and begin signing them next Sunday. ... Read the full article
DALLAS – With the 32nd pick, the Buffalo Sabres kicked off the second day of the NHL Draft by selecting Mattias Samuelsson, a defenseman with the United States National Development Program.
The 6-foot-4, 218-pound Samuelsson is the son of former NHL defenseman Kjell Samuelsson.
“I’m really shaking, I’m so happy,” Samuelsson said inside American Airlines Center. “Buffalo’s like a world-class organization.”... Read the full article
DALLAS – For 55 days, since the Buffalo Sabres won the right to draft him first overall, Rasmus Dahlin knew the moment was coming. Still, when perhaps the best defense prospect in a generation finally put on his Blue and Gold jersey for the first time, he seemed overwhelmed by the experience.
“It’s amazing,” a smiling Dahlin, 18, told a hoard of reporters Friday after becoming the third player taken first overall in Sabres history ... Read the full article
DALLAS – It’s finally official: defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is a member of the Buffalo Sabres.
The Sabres, as expected, selected the Swede first overall tonight at the NHL Draft inside American Airlines Center.
Stay tuned for more updates. Dahlin and Sabres general manager Jason Botterill will address the media tonight.
Dahlin will almost certainly start next season with the Sabres.... Read the full article
DALLAS – Robin Lehner’s career with the Buffalo Sabres is over.
General manager Jason Botterill said this morning the Sabres have informed Lehner, a restricted free agent, they won’t be making him a qualifying offer, making him a free agent.
“You finish 31st, you have to make some difficult choices,” Botterill said inside the W Dallas Hotel just hours before tonight’s NHL Draft. “We have informed Robin that he’s not coming back next year. … ... Read the full article
