Florida Panthers | Buffalo Hockey Beat

Moving on: Sam Reinhart, Sabres knew it was time for trade

BUFFALO – For years, center Sam Reinhart wanted to sign a long-term contract with the Sabres, the team that drafted him second overall in 2014.

But when Reinhart’s entry-level contract expired in 2018, he only received a two-year deal. Last year, he settled for a one-year contract from the Sabres’ new regime.

Then the Sabres endured a miserable 2020-21 season, finishing dead last. Reinhart, one of their only bright spots, grew more frustrated as the ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Sam Reinhart to Panthers, receive goalie, high pick

BUFFALO – In Sam Reinhart, the Sabres possessed a five-time 20-goal scorer entering his prime.

This afternoon, the Sabres traded Reinhart, 25, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for goalie prospect Devon Levi and a 2022 first-round pick.

So for a center fresh off scoring a team-high 25 goals and 40 points in 54 games, the Sabres did not receive a roster player.

Reports surfaced late Friday night Reinhart was being traded to the Panthers ... Read the full article

Dealing Brandon Montour to Panthers likely only Sabres’ first deadline trade

BUFFALO – Defenseman Brandon Montour, like so many of the Sabres’ other notable acquisitions in recent years, left town having never sniffed the playoffs.

The Sabres on Saturday traded Montour, who turns 27 today, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a third-round pick in 2021.

Barely two years ago, ex-Sabres general manager Jason Botterill paid a steep price for Montour, sending defense prospect Brendan Guhle and a first-round pick to the Anaheim ... Read the full article

Sabres start dealing, trade defenseman Brandon Montour to Panthers

BUFFALO – The Sabres this afternoon made their first trade before Monday’s deadline, dealing defenseman Brandon Montour to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a third-round pick in 2021.

At the end of this afternoon’s practice inside KeyBank Center, Montour, who did not skate, said goodbye to his teammates from the bench.

Montour, who turns 27 on Sunday, has registered five goals, 14 points and a minus-13 rating in 38 games this season. He signed ... Read the full article

Sabres use special teams, secondary scoring to beat Panthers

BUFFALO – By the final minutes of Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 win, most of the crowd of 17,731 had seen enough of the Sabres and departed KeyBank Center.

It was nothing against them. The spirited fans enjoyed the Sabres’ second straight victory – it was one of the noisiest contests this season – but they had somewhere to go.

The Bills’ AFC Wild Card game against the Houston Texans would be starting soon, and fans wanted ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Scott Wilson rewarded for strong start with Amerks

BUFFALO – After winger Scott Wilson broke his right ankle in training camp last season and missed the first three months, he spent five weeks in the minors.

While Wilson, 27, made it back to the NHL – he played 15 late-season games with the Sabres – his recovery was far from over.

“Really dealing with that ankle was a full-year thing for me,” said Wilson, who was injured Sept. 30, 2018.

So when the ... Read the full article

Wayne Primeau on Sabres’ Dalton Smith: ‘He never gave up, he never quit’

BUFFALO – For the second straight game, Sabres winger Dalton Smith skated in the pregame warm-up before being scratched.

If Smith, 27, had played in Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers, his uncle, former Sabres forward Wayne Primeau, could’ve seen his second NHL game.

On Monday, the Sabres signed Smith to an NHL contract and promoted him from the Rochester Americans. After 400 minor league games, the tough guy made his NHL debut ... Read the full article

Michael Frolik looking forward to fresh start with Sabres

BUFFALO – Like a lot of NHL players, Michael Frolik’s role started changing after he turned 30. His minutes dropped. He even became a healthy scratch.

After spending most of his tenure with the Calgary Flames skating on the second line with Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk, the Czech winger often played under 10 minutes this season.

“I wasn’t really happy with my role,” Frolik, 31, said on a conference call Friday to discuss his ... Read the full article

Replacing rookie Victor Olofsson will be tough for Sabres

BUFFALO – Winger Victor Olofsson’s absence for the next five to six weeks could extinguish the Sabres’ playoff hopes. From the get-go, they’ve relied on the Swedish rookie to score goals.

Now, the lower-body injury he suffered in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers could sideline him until mid-February, the Sabres announced Friday.

Having scored 16 goals and 35 points in 42 games, including six power-play goals in the first seven contests, Olofsson ... Read the full article

Johan Larsson line, goalie Linus Ullmark lead Sabres past Panthers

BUFFALO – Sooner or later, the unheralded Sabres line of Johan Larsson and Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo was due to erupt for some goals.

For more than four games, the trio consistently generated offense, buzzing around the opponent’s zone.

A combination regarded as the fourth just a week ago has quickly morphed into the Sabres’ most reliable line.

But other than one Okposo goal, the players hadn’t done any scoring.... Read the full article