McCabe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

City, organization helped Jack Eichlel sign extension with Sabres

BUFFALO – By dinnertime Tuesday night, as Jack Eichel sat on the couch enjoying a meal with two teammates, the young Sabres star was still hush-hush about the eight-year, $80 million contract extension he had just signed.

“I didn’t really tell anyone for a while,” Eichel said this afternoon inside KeyBank Center.

But by the time Eichel, 20, returned to dinner after taking a congratulatory call from Sabres owner Terry Pegula, word had spread on ... 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 hope to have healthy defense corps for opener

BUFFALO – Right now, the revamped Sabres blue line that has received so much attention for its puck-moving abilities is missing some key pieces.

Just three days before the season opener, Zach Bogosian and Jake McCabe are sidelined. The Sabres still have nine defensemen in training camp, a number that might shrink in the coming days.

So, could the Sabres potentially have the defense corps they envisioned all summer together for Thursday’s tilt against the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zach Bogosian day-to-day

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian, who left Friday’s preseason finale with a lower-body injury, is day-to-day, coach Phil Housley said this afternoon.

So, could Bogosian play in Thursday’s season opener against the Montreal Canadiens? Housley said the veteran’s injury isn’t as serious as the Sabres first believed.

“He seems to be in a good spot, so we’ll know more tomorrow,” Housley said inside HarborCenter.... 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’ Seth Griffith impressive in preseason

BUFFALO – Among the 39 players the Sabres used in their six preseason games, very few stood out.

Of course, star center Jack Eichel performed strongly, compiling one goal and four points in his first three appearances. Meanwhile, veteran winger Jason Pominville scored twice in his debut.

But those Sabres are expected to make notable contributions. What about the bubble players, the AHL guys looking to crack the big club out of training camp?... Read the full article

Phil Housley in no hurry to name new Sabres captain

BUFFALO – Instead of using a temporary captain this preseason, Sabres coach Phil Housley has named three alternate captains each game.

A slew of players, including perhaps the top three candidates for the vacant captaincy – Jack Eichel, Kyle Okposo and Ryan O’Reilly – have worn an ‘A.’

Housley is in no rush to name a captain.... Read the full article

Depth defensemen fighting to stay with Sabres out of training camp

BUFFALO – Shortly after enjoying the longest stint of his NHL career, defenseman Taylor Fedun re-signed with the Sabres early in the summer, inking a two-year deal.

What made the contract significant wasn’t just the length – many depth players don’t earn multi-year deals – but the fact a new regime offered it.

Fedun, 29, provided valuable depth last season, playing 27 NHL games, 12 more than the previous three seasons combined. In the AHL, ... 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

Sabres won’t see Leafs for months after weekend set

BUFFALO – How’s this for a scheduling quirk? After this weekend’s home-and-home preseason set with the Maple Leafs – the Sabres play tonight in Toronto – the fierce rivals don’t meet again until March 5.

“It’s crazy,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “When I looked at the schedule, here’s one of the rivals in our division, we’re not going to see them until March. Hopefully, they’re going to be real ... Read the full article