October Edition
©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Three years into his NHL career, Sabres winger Victor Olofsson is already sporting his third number.
The Swede recently switched to No. 71 after having No. 68 for two seasons. He also briefly wore No. 41 for his first six NHL games late in the 2018-19 season.
Why did Olofsson pick new digits? When he broke into the NHL, No. 71, one of his favorite numbers, was worn by Evan Rodrigues, a forward ... Read the full article
Owen Power talks to the media Friday. ©2021
BUFFALO – On Friday night, 60 family members and friends gathered in the backyard at Owen Power’s aunt’s house in Burlington, Ontario, to celebrate and support the 18-year-old.
Since the Sabres won the draft lottery seven weeks ago, it was assumed they would select Power first overall at Friday’s NHL Draft.
Still, Power, a Michigan defenseman, said he did not know the Sabres would take him until general manager Kevyn Adams announced the pick from ... Read the full article
Rene Robert (14) earned the respect of teammates like Mike Robitaille (clapping) during his career in Buffalo. ©2021, Janet Schultz
When Mike Robitaille caught up with Rene Robert last year, he was struck by how well his old friend and Buffalo Sabres teammate looked.
Robert, who was approaching his 72nd birthday, had a trim physique and a full head of hair. Robitaille saw the same man he had played with almost 50 years earlier.
“Looked like a young Rene to me, just kind of bouncing along and feeling good,” Robitaille told the Times Herald on ... Read the full article
Rene Robert holds his plaque at the Sabres’ Alumni Plaza outside KeyBank Center.
Rene Robert, a member of the Buffalo Sabres’ legendary “French Connection” line and one of the most popular players in franchise history, passed away Tuesday, the team announced. He was 72.
Robert had been hospitalized in Florida since suffering a heart attack last week.
Throughout much of the 1970s, Robert, center Gilbert Perreault and left wing Rick Martin formed hockey’s most dynamic trio.
In 2012, the Sabres immortalized the line by erecting a statue ... Read the full article
Rene Robert is one of the most popular players in Sabres history. ©2021, Janet Schultz
Rene Robert, a member of the Buffalo Sabres’ legendary “French Connection” line and one of the most popular players in franchise history, is hospitalized in Florida after suffering a heart attack, according to multiple reports.
Robert, 72, is in critical but stable condition and on life support systems as he awaits more heart procedures, according to The Buffalo News.
Throughout much of the 1970s, Robert, center Gilbert Perreault and left wing Rick Martin ... Read the full article
Owen Power could be the No. 1 overall pick. ©2021, Chicago Steel
Kevyn Adams said his heart was racing before Wednesday’s NHL Draft Lottery. The Buffalo Sabres general manager looked intense. At one point, Terry Pegula texted him and told him to smile.
Leading up to the announcement, Adams said all the adversity the Sabres endured during a hellish season in which they finished dead last was flashing through his mind. He was also thinking about how much the top pick would mean to owners Terry ... Read the full article
Owen Power spent two seasons with the Chicago Steel before joining Michigan. ©2021, Chicago Steel
The Buffalo Sabres won tonight’s NHL Draft Lottery and will pick first overall July 23.
This is the second time in four years the Sabres own the top pick. After they won the lottery in 2018, they selected defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
The Sabres, by virtue of their last-place finish this season, had the highest odds for the No. 1 pick, just 16.6%. The NHL only conducted two draws this year, meaning the Sabres could ... Read the full article
Joe Daley played one maskless season with Buffalo before putting on protection later in his career. Photo courtesy of Joe Daley
Fifty years ago today, the Buffalo Sabres played their first game, beating the Penguins 2-1 on Oct. 10, 1970 at Pittsburgh Civic Arena.
Jim Watson and Gilbert Perreault scored for the Sabres that night. Roger Crozier, whose presence offered the expansion team instant credibility, made 35 saves.
Crozier’s goalie partner that inaugural season was a journeyman named Joe Daley, a 27-year-old who had spent most of his career in the minors.
Daley played just one ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel generated Hart Trophy buzz in 2019-20. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu
A dynamic season in which Jack Eichel scored a career-high 36 goals in 68 games while generating Hart Trophy buzz has earned the captain the Buffalo Sabres’ MVP award for 2019-20.
Eichel was also named Sabres Foundation Man of the Year for his work in the community. Meanwhile, 20-goal winger Victor Olofsson was named the Sabres’ rookie of the year and veteran winger Kyle Okposo, who enjoyed a terrific bounce-back season, was named the ... Read the full article
Randy Sexton (left) and Jason Botterill spent three years with the Sabres. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
If the NHL could’ve held its draft as scheduled next week, Jason Botterill would likely still be employed as the Buffalo Sabres’ general manager. But the COVID-19 pandemic forced the league to postpone the annual event until the fall.
The extra time gave Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula an opportunity to discuss and plan the team’s future – “Really start digging in,” Kim Pegula said on a Zoom call Tuesday to discuss Botterill’s firing ... Read the full article
