April Edition
Eric Staal enjoyed his four seasons in Minnesota. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu
The friendship between Buffalo Sabres newcomer Eric Staal and general manager Kevyn Adams dates back 17 years, to their days as teammates on the Carolina Hurricanes.
Back then, Adams, a veteran, often invited the budding superstar to his family’s house for dinner.
“He was very good to me as a young player in Carolina,” Staal said on a Zoom call Friday “I was at his house numerous times as a young guy. We just got ... Read the full article
Eric Staal has remained a productive player. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres endured a rough summer before Wednesday’s acquisition of center Eric Staal from the Minnesota Wild. Gutting the front office three months ago lowered expectations for what has become perhaps the NHL’s most dysfunctional franchise.
So sending forward Marcus Johansson to the Wild for Staal, 35, should ignite a little optimism within the team and its beleaguered fan base.
In his first trade as general manager, Kevyn Adams addressed a major hole – ... Read the full article
Eric Staal has enjoyed a long career. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu
Kevyn Adams made his first trade as Buffalo Sabres general manager today, sending forward Marcus Johansson to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for center Eric Staal.
Staal will likely be utilized as the No. 2 center, a position the Sabres have struggled to fill since dealing Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues in 2018.
Johansson, a winger most of his NHL career, centered the second line much of the 2019-20 season, his first in ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin (26) battles Minnesota’s Zach Parise on Tuesday with teammate Brandon Montour nearby. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – A week before Thanksgiving, the same team that started the season 8-1-1 has already fallen apart. Right now, having lost eight of their last nine games, the Sabres are reeling.
The Sabres can deny it all they want, but it feels eerily similar to last season, when they won 10 straight games in November before imploding and missing the playoffs.
“Listen, we’re not talking about last year,” captain Jack Eichel said following the ... Read the full article
Jason Botterill’s team has struggled this month. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – General manager Jason Botterill said before tonight’s game he’s “actively looking” to find a forward to help the injury-depleted Sabres.
“But we also are very happy with how our players have come up from Rochester and played so far,” said Botterill, whose team played without five forwards against the Minnesota Wild.
The Sabres had lost a forward to injury in five straight games entering Tuesday. The organization is so depleted – three Rochester ... Read the full article
John Gilmour has played only three games this season. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – In the end, instead of recalling a forward or trading for one, the Sabres will simply utilize defenseman John Gilmour as a winger.
So for the first time since he was 15 or 16, Gilmour will skate up front tonight against the Minnesota Wild. He could also move back to the blue line, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said.
Krueger, who has five injured forwards, said Monday the Sabres could dress seven defensemen and ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo suffered a concussion Saturday. ©2019, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Having lost five forwards in the last five games, a stunning run of injuries, the reeling Sabres have two options for tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild.
The Sabres can either dress seven defensemen and only 11 forwards, coach Ralph Krueger said, or they can recall a forward from the Rochester Americans.
They stayed remarkably healthy over the first month of the season, utilizing the same lineup most games. But the injuries have ... Read the full article
Linus Ullmark makes a stop Tuesday. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – Amid all the chaos that materialized around him, Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark calmly moved around his crease, making save after save in Tuesday’s thrilling 5-4 shootout victory.
Right now, having allowed 39 goals over the last nine contests, the Sabres are a mess defensively. So Ullmark can be forgiven for allowing four goals.
Ullmark still stopped 41 shots and all three shootout attempts against the Minnesota Wild, securing just the Sabres’ third win ... Read the full article
Marcus Foligno is in his second season with the Wild. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – This trip was more relaxing. A year ago, Marcus Foligno said he experienced “a lot of nerves” visiting here as an opponent.
“Now it’s just another road game,” said the Buffalo-born Foligno, who’s in his second season with the Minnesota Wild after spending six years with the Sabres.
He added: “It’s always special to come back to Buffalo. You get a little bit excited.”
Foligno, 27, has settled in nicely with the Wild, ... Read the full article
Linus Ullmark has played 21 games this season. ©2019, Hickling Images
BUFFALO – In the last month or so, Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark has regularly earned starts over Carter Hutton.
Instead of simply playing the second game of a back-to-back set, Sabres coach Phil Housley has utilized Ullmark eight times in the last 11 contests.
Two of those appearances, including the final 20 minutes of Friday’s ugly 7-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, came in relief of the struggling Hutton.
Ullmark, 25, will start again ... Read the full article
