January Edition
BUFFALO – In Vegas, Colin Miller spent two seasons as one of the Golden Knights’ top defensemen, eating up minutes and piling up points.
But Miller, who will return tonight against his old team after sitting out two straight games, hasn’t secured a regular spot with the Sabres. Their biggest offseason acquisition – they traded Vegas two draft picks – has been a healthy scratch 14 times.
When Miller has played, he has often ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Long before he developed into a terrific net-front presence in the NHL, Sabres winger Sam Reinhart operated from the circle on the power play.
“It’s a pretty normal spot,” Reinhart said after scoring a power-play goal from the left circle in Saturday afternoon’s 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks inside KeyBank Center.
After moving back there earlier this month, Reinhart has looked comfortable, scoring on two one-timers.
Those goals, believe it or not, ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Carter Hutton, who hasn’t won a game since Oct. 22 and has backed up Linus Ullmark the last eight contests, will start this afternoon against the Vancouver Canucks, coach Ralph Krueger said.
Hutton, 34, has struggled since starting the season 6-0-0, compiling a wretched 0-6-4 record with a ghastly 4.19 goals-against average and an .867 save percentage in his last 10 games.
He made his last appearance Dec. 19, making ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – In his five-year NHL career, Sabres winger Conor Sheary said he had never experienced being a healthy scratch until last month.
“That was something different for me,” said Sheary, who sat out three times over a six-game stretch.
But in his first half season as Sabres coach, Ralph Krueger has established he’s willing to scratch anyone.
Krueger benched forward Evan Rodrigues on opening night and has kept sitting him out for months. In ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Curtis Lazar loves playing center. After thriving back at his natural position a year ago with the Stockton Heat, the Calgary Flames’ AHL affiliate, he talked to the Sabres during free agency about remaining there.
“All my conversations during the summer said I’d be down the middle, and then I come to camp and played strictly wing,” said Lazar, who signed a one-year, $700,000 contract July 1. “I’m honestly fine with whatever. I ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Seven years ago, Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe had no idea he would be named captain of Team USA’s entry at the World Junior Championship.
The team, after all, had some returning players. McCabe, then 19, was participating in his first tournament.
“It was one I was surprised about because I was a first-year player,” McCabe said prior to Friday’s 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins at KeyBank Center. “But I took it with ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Fresh off a three-day Christmas break, the Sabres will change their lineup tonight against the Boston Bruins.
Illness will sideline defenseman Marco Scandella, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said.
Something has been spreading through the locker room. Krueger said Scandella called Thursday night and he he was sick.
“Hopefully he’s the last one,” Krueger said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “It kind was kind of going through. There were six, seven guys that felt ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – For Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian, sitting out four straight games, the first healthy scratches of his 12-year NHL career, wasn’t easy.
“Anytime you don’t get a chance to be in there to be a part of the team and do what you want to do and do what you love, I mean, it’s tough,” Bogosian said after skating just over 18 minutes in his return in Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 win over the ... Read the full article
TORONTO – Whether he’s starting regularly or riding the bench, Buffalo Sabres goalie Carter Hutton doesn’t change his behavior, according to coach Ralph Krueger.
“That makes him really unique,” Krueger said. “Like, even on a game day, he’s always there still giving to the team and supporting, whereas often goalies will check out. … But he’s exactly the same guy. Like, you don’t notice a change at all.”
So for the last month, as Hutton ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, out the last eight games with a concussion, practiced today on a regular pairing and also manned a point on the top power play.
So, could Dahlin, 19, return Thursday against the Nashville Predators?
“There’s a definitely a step in the right direction,” Krueger said inside KeyBank Center. “We’re just going to assess him and wanted to see him in his customary role and see how he looks. ... Read the full article
