Malone - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres finalize 23-man roster

BUFFALO – Thirteen forwards, eight defensemen and two goalies comprise the Sabres’ first 23-man roster for the 2018-19 season.

NHL rosters needed to be finalized by 5 p.m. The Sabres open the season Thursday against the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center.

The Sabres reached the 23-man limit by placing four players – forwards Johan Larsson, Sean Malone and Scott Wilson and defenseman Matt Hunwick – on injured reserve.... Read the full article

Sabres forwards Conor Sheary, Sean Malone out with injuries

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Conor Sheary, a newcomer expected to skate on a top line, is week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury during Friday’s practice.

“In the first day (of training camp), he took a hit the wrong way, and we’re just making sure we’re on top of that,” said Sabres coach Phil Housley, who is dealing with three notable injuries just five days into camp.

Center Sean Malone will miss six weeks after ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brandon Hickey ready for preseason debut

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

Sabres re-sign West Seneca’s Sean Malone

BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed forward Sean Malone, a West Seneca native who spent last season in the AHL, to a one-year, two-way deal, the team announced today.

The contract is worth $787,500 at the NHL level.

After battling injuries and missing all of training camp, Malone, 23, earned regular duty as a rookie with the Rochester Americans in 2017-18, compiling 12 goals and 22 points in 73 games.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin will wear No. 26

BUFFALO – In the Sabres’ 48-year existence, players of all talents wore No. 26 before the team awarded the digits to defenseman Rasmus Dahlin today.

Two-time 40-goal scorer Thomas Vanek sported it. So did Randy Wyrozub, one of the franchise’s first players. The Sabres issued the number 20 times before Dahlin, according to hockey-reference.com.... Read the full article

Colin Blackwell morphs from Sabres camp invite into Amerks’ top threat

ROCHESTER – With the Americans about to suffer a devastating loss that would drop them into fourth place, coach Chris Taylor tabbed center Colin Blackwell for a crucial offensive zone faceoff.

Blackwell, 25, has been the Amerks’ unsung hero for more than a month, quietly piling up points and morphing into the AHL club’s late-season MVP.

In critical times, Taylor enjoys utilizing Blackwell, a Harvard graduate who had trouble finding work this season.... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Sean Malone adjusting to pro hockey with Amerks

ROCHESTER – After years of battling hip injuries, Buffalo Sabres prospect Sean Malone enjoyed a healthy senior season a year ago, helping Harvard roar to the semifinal of the NCAA Tournament.

On April 8, two days after Malone’s college career ended, he debuted with the Sabres just hours after signing his entry-level contract. In July, the West Seneca native participated in his first Sabres development camp since 2013.

Then when rookie camp began in September, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jake McCabe ready to play

BUFFALO – After Jake McCabe practiced for the first time in 11 days this morning, the Sabres defenseman pronounced himself ready to play in Thursday’s season opener.

While Phil Housley had said McCabe was week-to-week with an upper-body injury, the coach sounded optimistic in recent days he would be ready for the regular season. McCabe was hurt late in an exhibition loss Sept. 22 in Toronto.... Read the full article

Sabres send Justin Bailey, Nick Deslauriers to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres trimmed their roster by four today, sending wingers Justin Bailey, Nick Deslauriers and defenseman Taylor Fedun to the AHL and releasing defenseman Cody Goloubef from his tryout.

Deslauriers and Fedun must clear waivers before reporting to the Rochester Americans. The Sabres scratched all four players for Friday’s 3-1 home loss to the New York Islanders, the preseason finale.

The Sabres have 27 players – 16 forwards, nine defensemen and two ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evan Rodrigues, Jake McCabe out with injuries

BUFFALO – The Sabres could start the regular season without two regulars, center Evan Rodrigues and defenseman Jake McCabe.

Rodrigues suffered a hand injury in Friday’s 3-0 loss in Toronto when Maple Leafs forward Andreas Borgman crunched him into boards, Sabres coach Phil Housley said. He had no timetable for a return.

“That’s as much as I know right now,” Housley said of the injury today following practice inside HarborCenter.... Read the full article