Jack Eichel and the Sabres mobbed Victor Olofsson following Thursday’s overtime goal. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

Victor Olofsson returns in grand fashion, leads Sabres to overtime win

BUFFALO – After missing six weeks of action, Sabres winger Victor Olofsson needed some time to adjust.

For the first two periods of Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Swedish rookie generated little offense.

“I got a little rust in my game there,” Olofsson said after scoring two goals, including the winner 2:44 into overtime.

By the end of Thursday’s thrilling come-from-behind victory, Olofsson kept showcasing the talents – his quick ... Read the full article

Nathan Gerbe has played 16 games with Columbus this season. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Nathan Gerbe enjoying regular duty with Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – At first, learning the Columbus Blue Jackets had recalled him upset Nathan Gerbe a little. The former Sabres winger had just arrived home in Michigan for a short Christmas break from the Cleveland Monsters.

The affable Gerbe, 32, wanted to see his family. Instead, on Dec. 22 he hurried to Long Island for the Blue Jackets’ game the next day against the New York Islanders.

“I hadn’t seen them in a while,” Gerbe ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt scored 12 goals as a rookie. ©2019, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt believes he can thrive in Ralph Krueger’s system

BUFFALO – For seven months last season, Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt lived the hectic NHL life. The rookie practiced almost daily, played 77 games and logged thousands of air miles traveling across North America.

Mittelstadt, 20, had never experienced anything like it.

Then in the second week of April, everything stopped. When the season ended, Mittelstadt quickly became bored.

“You go from 100 mph to literally zero,” Mittelstadt said prior to Wednesday’s 4-3 preseason overtime ... Read the full article

Jake McCabe has battled shoulder problems in the past. ©2019, Hickling Images

Sabres’ Jake McCabe to miss rest of preseason

BUFFALO – An upper-body injury will sideline Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe the rest of the preseason, the team announced this morning.

“It was in practice yesterday, just light upper body,” Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said inside KeyBank Center. “We’re expecting him to be good to go for the first league game.”

McCabe, 25, has battled shoulder problems in the past.

In addition to McCabe, four other Sabres defensemen – Zach Bogosian (hip), Matt Hunwick (neck), ... Read the full article

Kevin Dineen led the Sabres’ AHL affiliate in Portland before moving up to coach Florida. ©2019, Hickling Images

Offering another chance to ex-head coach could benefit Sabres

BUFFALO – Coaches often evolve or reinvent themselves following their failures. Sometimes they swallow their pride to do it. They might return to junior hockey or the minors and start riding buses again. They might take an assistant or development job.

Remember that as general manager Jason Botterill searches for the Sabres’ sixth coach in barely six years after firing Phil Housley on April 7.

Sometimes the best candidates aren’t the names being bandied about. ... Read the full article

Jay McKee was recently promoted. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Former Sabres standout Jay McKee ready for head coaching job

The tweets are gone now, most likely casualties of Jay McKee’s budding new career.

In between gigs a few years ago, before McKee, 38, quickly ascended up the junior coaching ladder, the popular former Buffalo Sabres defenseman often eschewed the mundane words and pictures many ex-athletes tweet and utilized Twitter to showcase his lively personality.

It was all, of course, harmless fun for McKee, who on May 12 was named coach of the Kitchener Rangers. ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel (15) stickhandles Wednesday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Sabres playing well in losses, need to score more goals

BUFFALO – They’re different this year. Unlike the last two seasons, the Sabres rarely get pummeled in their losses. They stay in contests and often outplay their opponents. That’s why the six-game losing streak they carry into tonight’s home tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes feels a bit odd.

Sure, the Sabres have only led for eight minutes, 22 seconds during the skid. That happens when you’ve scored just seven times.

But they’ve been in every ... Read the full article

Jay McKee won a championship earlier this year. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Otters hire former Sabres defenseman Jay McKee as assistant coach

Twitter funnyman and former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jay McKee has joined the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters as an assistant coach.

The team introduced the 36-year-old during a news conference this afternoon.

No word on whether he’ll still tweet about Nathan Gerbe’s size.

McKee, who retired from the NHL in 2010, coached one year with the Rochester Americans in 2011-12 before getting fired by former coach Ron Rolston.

Prior to his 802-game NHL ... Read the full article

Andrej Sekera (4) and Nathan Gerbe left the Sabres after last season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

Former Sabres Nathan Gerbe, Andrej Sekera thriving with Hurricanes

BUFFALO – At first, Nathan Gerbe said, he didn’t understand why the Sabres waived and bought him out in early July. The diminutive winger had no inkling they had given up on him after five seasons.

“I didn’t know it was coming, that’s for sure,” Gerbe said Thursday prior to the Carolina Hurricanes’ 5-3 win inside the First Niagara Center. “No one spoke to me about it. So I think you get a little shocked. ... Read the full article

Tyler Myers can’t play until next Tuesday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald

NHL suspends Sabres’ Tyler Myers three games for head hit

BUFFALO – On Monday, hours before the NHL suspended Tyler Myers three games for an illegal check to Dainius Zubrus’ head, the Sabres defenseman said his hulking stature wouldn’t make him change his aggressive style.

“I don’t want to change my game just because of how tall I am,” the 6-foot-8 Myers said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes inside the First Niagara Center. “It’s just something that comes ... Read the full article