WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Josh Gorges’ season ended Feb. 10. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The mindset of a player at the start of the season is never focused on building for the next one, Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges said.
“You come in with a mindset of we’re going to win, we’re going to try to win,” the veteran said this morning as the Sabres cleaned out their lockers following a 30th-place finish. “As players, our job is not to play for the future and play ... Read the full article
Patrick Kaleta had tears in his eyes when he was presented a jersey with an ‘A’ sewn on. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – It was Wednesday morning, and before the Sabres hit the ice, Ted Nolan had some business to take care of in a team meeting. The coach handed Mike Weber a jersey, which the defenseman then tossed to winger Patrick Kaleta.
The jersey was Kaleta’s No. 36 with an ‘A’ stitched on it, meaning Weber wanted the heart-and-soul player to take over his alternate captaincy.
Emotion overwhelmed Kaleta. The 28-year-old Angola native had ... Read the full article
Patrick Kaleta wore the ‘A’ for the first time Wednesday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – It was Wednesday morning, and before the Sabres hit the ice, Ted Nolan had some business to take care of in a team meeting. The coach handed Mike Weber a jersey, which the defenseman then tossed to winger Patrick Kaleta.
The jersey was Kaleta’s No. 36 with an ‘A’ stitched on it, meaning Weber wanted the heart-and-soul player to take over his alternate captaincy.
Emotion overwhelmed Kaleta. The 28-year-old Angola native had ... Read the full article
Jake McCabe made his NHL season debut Sunday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres coach Ted Nolan offered no details about Nikita Zadorov’s benching Sunday, only saying the defenseman was getting scratched for violating team rules, another episode in the 19-year-old’s turbulent rookie season.
“We had a number of discussions, and another thing happened this morning,” Nolan said prior to the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll talk to him again.”
The Sabres needed Zadorov badly against the ... Read the full article
Nikita Zadorov was suspended last month. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov will be scratched for tonight’s game against the Nashville Predators for “team reasons,” coach Ted Nolan said this morning.
The 19-year-old Zadorov, whose maturity has been a problem all season, was suspended last month after his flight back to Buffalo following the NHL All-Star break was oversold.
“It’s just part of the growing process,” Nolan said inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll just have to deal with him. ... Read the full article
Matt Moulson beats New York Rangers goalie Mackenzie Skapski early Friday. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – It was a gift the Sabres couldn’t exploit. Instead of starting backup goalie Cam Talbot, the New York Rangers used little-known rookie Mackenzie Skapski on Friday.
Who?
Skapski, 20, has been dressing for games as superstar goalie Henrik Lundqvist recovers from a neck injury. The 2013 sixth-round pick spent most of his first professional season playing in the AHL before getting recalled earlier this month. He even made one start in the ECHL.... Read the full article
Josh Gorges has missed three games. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges’ season could be over.
Gorges will decide his future in the next day or two, Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. The veteran is “getting the final information” on the lower-body injury that has sidelined him three games, Nolan said. But the team is planning on playing without Gorges.
“We’ll see next little bit here,” Nolan said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.
In other news, the Sabres will ... Read the full article
Patrick Kaleta has battled injuries throughout his career. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Oft-injured Sabres winger Patrick Kaleta will be sidelined four to six weeks after he undergoes “minor surgery to clear up a couple things,” coach Ted Nolan said.
Kaleta had played 21 straight games before a lower-body injury sidelined him for Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Philadelphia. The injury isn’t related to one specific incident.
“I think it’s a combination of just the way he’s been playing and just to clean up some mess,” Nolan ... Read the full article
Johan Larsson’s comments last month upset Sabres coach Ted Nolan. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – As the Sabres trickled out on the ice Sunday morning, coach Ted Nolan and winger Johan Larsson skated around and talked about the prospect’s latest recall.
Upon getting demoted to Rochester in early January, Larsson voiced his displeasure with having to skate on the fourth line in the NHL, a complaint that irked Nolan.
“Yeah, I was upset,” Nolan said. “Players play. The tail can’t wag the dog.”
So Nolan gave Larsson a ... Read the full article
Johan Larsson didn’t like his linemates his last trip up. ©2015, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The lower-body injury Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges has been nursing could sideline the veteran for a while.
Sabres coach Ted Nolan wouldn’t say Gorges’ season is over, however.
“I’m not too sure about that,” Nolan said this morning after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll see. He’s going to get a second opinion.”
Sabres winger Patrick Kaleta, meanwhile, had played 21 consecutive games, ... Read the full article
