Kyle Okposo has missed six games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres captain Kyle Okposo to return against Devils; Jacob Bryson injured

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Kyle Okposo, out the last six games recovering from a lower-body injury, will play tonight against the New Jersey Devils, his first action since Nov. 10.

“Just some wear and tear I’ve been dealing with and had to give it some time to calm down,” Okposo said this morning at KeyBank Center. “But feeling better, ramped it up over the past few days.”

Okposo, 34, recently began skating on his ... Read the full article

Jack Quinn has scored three goals this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres rookie Jack Quinn developing confidence, starting to score goals

BUFFALO – The first quarter of Sabres rookie Jack Quinn’s season can be broken down into three parts.

In the early going, Quinn, 21, looked overwhelmed. So he embraced sitting out two games as part of the Sabres’ forward rotation, using it as an opportunity to catch his breath and study the game from a fresh perspective. The time helped him develop a better understanding of the team’s system and the intensity needed to ... Read the full article

Injuries have cost Casey Mittelstadt 42 games this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt confident as season ends: ‘Getting to another level’

BUFFALO – Casey Mittelstadt likes to extract positives from difficult experiences. So the Sabres forward believes a trying, injury-riddled season in which he has missed 42 games and scored just four goals has also featured personal growth.

Recovering from two upper-body injuries has helped him develop patience – “That’s probably one of the things I struggled with most, I’m pretty impatient,” he said – and evolve as a person.

Mittelstadt, 23, had to do something ... Read the full article

Alex Tuch, shown here in November, is fulfilling a dream by playing for Buffalo. ©2021

Alex Tuch’s debut sign of brighter times ahead for Sabres

BUFFALO – The result doesn’t matter. That the undermanned Sabres lost 4-3, even to the reeling New Jersey Devils, wasn’t surprising. The rebuilding team has six players in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and played its first game in 12 days.

Wednesday was about the debuts of Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and what their presence represents for the Sabres’ future.

After a decade of futility, the Sabres finally seem to be adding the right ... Read the full article

Matt Ellis (pictured) played for Lindy Ruff before coaching against him. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Matt Ellis debuts against Lindy Ruff, coach he knows best

BUFFALO – Of all the coaches the Sabres’ Matt Ellis could’ve faced in his first game filling in for Don Granato, it turned out to be the one he knows best, Lindy Ruff.

These days, Ruff, 61, coaches the New Jersey Devils, the Sabres’ opponent Wednesday at KeyBank Center.

Ellis, 40, played under Ruff for parts of five seasons, growing from a forward the Sabres plucked off waivers into an NHL regular. ... Read the full article

Ethan Prow has spent most of his career in the AHL. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

COVID-19 keeps hitting Sabres; Ethan Prow could make NHL debut

BUFFALO – Make that four. In addition to forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch, it appears another player, defenseman Ethan Prow, will be making his Sabres debut tonight.

Like Peterka, Prow, 29, has never played in the NHL. Ironically, Peterka and Prow were teammates last season with Red Bull Munich, a Deutsche Eishockey Liga team.

The Sabres this morning recalled Prow to the taxi squad and Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster because ... Read the full article

Jacob Bryson has played 29 games this season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Jacob Bryson enters COVID-19 protocol; Sabres make two recalls

BUFFALO – The Sabres this morning placed defenseman Jacob Bryson in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and recalled defensemen Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster and Ethan Prow to the taxi squad.

The depleted team, which host the New Jersey Devils tonight at KeyBank Center, now has six players and coach Don Granato in protocol.

Defenseman Colin Miller, who left Tuesday’s practice early, isn’t skating this morning, so Prow could be elevated to the roster later.... Read the full article

JJ Peterka is one of Buffalo’s top prospects. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Debuts of Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch offer Sabres some hope

BUFFALO – In the Sabres’ recent history, games as significant as tonight’s can be counted on one hand. How often have three highly regarded young players – in this case, forwards Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka and Alex Tuch – all made their debuts together?

Their presence illustrates that after a decade of futility, maybe – just maybe – a franchise known for dysfunction is starting to get things rights.

In less than a year, the ... Read the full article

Dustin Tokarski has earned Don Granato’s trust. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Goalie Dustin Tokarski establishes himself as trusted option for Sabres

As coach Don Granato watches Dustin Tokarski move around his crease aggressively challenging shooters, he sees a goalie comfortable in the Sabres’ system.

Tokarski, 32, has quickly established himself as a trusted option for Granato, stopping 57 of the 60 shots he has faced through two starts.

“He’s reading where and when and how shots are coming,” Granato said on a Zoom call following Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils. “… When ... Read the full article

Brett Murray played for Rochester on Friday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres recall Brett Murray from Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon recalled winger Brett Murray from the Rochester Americans.

Having lost centers Cody Eakin and Casey Mittelstadt to injuries, the Sabres did not have an extra forward on the roster before summoning Murray.

The Sabres play a road game tonight against the New Jersey Devils.

The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Murray, 23, played his first two NHL games late last season. He earned a long look from the Sabres during training camp and ... Read the full article