Happy Holidays
BUFFALO – Every once in a while a prospect like Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut comes along. After a short apprenticeship in the AHL – maybe just a few months or less – he arrives in the NHL and stays for good.
For as much as the Sabres and other teams stress development and paying dues, some guys are just ready for the big leagues right away.
Pilut, 22, is just four games into his career. ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – This morning, three days before the Sabres open the season, 23 healthy players practiced inside KeyBank Center.
So, could that be their 23-man roster for Thursday’s opener here against the Boston Bruins? The roster must be finalized by 5 p.m. Tuesday.
“It’s too early to tell,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said. “There’s a lot of moving parts right now.”... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Just as one Sabres winger, Conor Sheary, returned from an injury Sunday, they lost another one.
Toward of the end of practice, Scott Wilson got tangled with defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and appeared to injure his right leg. Wilson stayed on the HarborCenter ice for a couple of minutes before being helped off. He couldn’t put any pressure on his right foot.... Read the full article
BUFFALO – The Sabres waived Justin Bailey and Nick Baptiste, two 23-year-old wingers who once ranked among the organization’s top prospects, and defenseman Matt Tennyson on Saturday.
The Sabres also sent rookie defenseman Lawrence Pilut to the AHL, meaning Brendan Guhle has possibly earned a spot on the blue line.
Teams have until noon today to claim the waived players. The Sabres, who open the season on Thursday against the Boston Bruins, have 28 players ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – One training camp earlier in his career, Sabres defenseman Matt Tennyson said he knew he was locked into the sixth spot on the San Jose Sharks’ blue line.
“Other than that, I’ve just been grinding away, just trying to make it,” Tennyson said Thursday inside KeyBank Center after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s preseason finale.
Tennyson, 28, is the typical journeymen defensemen. He usually ranks anywhere from sixth to 10th on the depth ... Read the full article
CLINTON – When center Casey Mittelstadt told some of his teammates skating this morning inside tiny Clinton Arena this felt like high school, he said they starting making fun of him.
But Mittelstadt, 19, is less than two years removed from playing high school hockey. Memories of skating in old rinks like the 65-year-old barn where the Sabres will face the Columbus Blue Jackets in tonight are fresh.... Read the full article
BUFFALO – When Sabres defenseman Brandon Hickey received word he would be playing in tonight’s preseason opener, he said a “whole bunch of anxious energy” started running through his body.
“It’s my first taste of pro hockey,” Hickey said this morning. “I’ve been looking forward to this my whole life. I’m pretty excited to get things going tonight.”
Hickey, 22, is a bit old for a rookie. Despite being picked by the Calgary Flames in ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Nathan Beaulieu had never experienced anything as trying as last season, so when it mercifully ended, the Sabres defenseman said he “let it eat me up for a little bit.”
“This is kind of new grounds for me,” Beaulieu said Saturday following another session of training camp inside HarborCenter. “I’ve never really been in this situation. It’s kind of my first year in the NHL that didn’t really go my way at all, ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Rasmus Dahlin secured his roster spot the second the Sabres drafted him first overall almost three months ago. The ultra-talented Swedish defenseman is expected, even as a rookie, to help transform the franchise into a winner.
But Dahlin, 18, isn’t taking anything for granted. He sometimes talks about if he makes the Sabres. He said it again Friday after his first official NHL practice.... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Part of the fun of rookie camps can often be watching the variety of youngsters participating.
The Sabres had four first-round picks, including this year’s No. 1 overall selection, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, on their Prospects Challenge roster. They also had seven undrafted players, including center Myles Powell, an R.I.T. product.
That meant prospects from opposite ends of the spectrum could connect to make memorable moments.... Read the full article
