Rodrigues - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle could crack lineup

BUFFALO – Brendan Guhle is no longer the impressive rookie getting a long look before going back to junior. Suddenly, the Sabres defense prospect, the 51^st overall pick in June, has a real chance to be on the opening-night roster in nine days.

“Definitely there’s an opportunity,” said Guhle, who will play his fourth preseason game tonight. “There’s some injuries now, whatnot. I’m not looking too far ahead of myself.”

Four notable defensemen – ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Dan Catenacci often overshadowed

BUFFALO – As last year dragged on and the losses and recalls piled up, at least one bright spot emerged for the depleted Rochester Americans, forward Dan Catenacci, an often overlooked Sabres prospect.

In his second professional season, Catenacci, 22, developed into one of the AHL club’s lone offensive threats, scoring 12 of his 15 goals in his final 38 games.

Catenacci, a third-round pick in 2011, 77^th overall, is rarely mentioned among Buffalo’s ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel wows early in Sabres’ win against Devils

BUFFALO – It took just one 25-second shift, his first wearing a Sabres uniform, for rookie Jack Eichel to create his first highlight.

There will likely be many more over the coming years.

Seconds into Sabres’ 6-2 rookie camp exhibition win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, Eichel snagged the puck in his own zone with clear ice ahead, and the announced crowd of 5,505 inside the First Niagara Center began to buzz.

An ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Jack Eichel ready for ‘Prospects Challenge’

BUFFALO – A week and a half ago, Jack Eichel moved into Matt Moulson’s home with the veteran’s wife and two children. The family gave the rookie his own room, a bathroom and a set of “rules of the house and rules of living with them.”

“But,” Eichel said slyly, “it’s confidential.”

Eichel, the second overall pick in June, has a sweet setup with Moulson, who offered to take the 18-year-old in to help him ... Read the full article

Josh Chapman unlikely standout at Sabres development camp

BUFFALO – The nifty winning goal in today’s three-on-three development camp tournament wasn’t scored by Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart or one of the Sabres’ other high-end forward prospects.

Try 6-foot-3, 210-pound Josh Chapman, an undrafted defenseman the Sabres invited.

“Someone asked him how many goals he scored this year,” said winger Evan Rodrigues, Chapman’s teammate in the eight-team tournament. “He said none.”

That’s right, Chapman scored zero goals in 44 games last season with ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Nick Baptiste knows Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid well

BUFFALO – OK, it’s time for a quick development camp quiz, Sabres fans.

Name the only youngster in hockey who has already played alongside slick centers Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, the top two picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.

It’s Sabres prospect Nick Baptiste, the 69^th overall selection in 2013.

“I’m a lucky guy,” Baptiste said Thursday. “They’re both so fantastically good.”

Now, name the most prolific career scorer among the 46 players ... Read the full article

Anthony Florentino developing into one of Sabres’ top defense prospects

BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Anthony Florentino can relax a bit this week. The defenseman only has to defend slick center Jack Eichel during development camp drills and possibly a scrimmage.

Last season, the youngsters went head-to-head three times, including the national championship game, when Florentino’s Providence College Friars stunned Eichel’s Boston University Terriers 4-3 on April 11.

At times, Eichel, the second overall pick last month, gave Florentino fits.

“Defending him, he’s definitely the hardest ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel ready to settle in with Sabres

BUFFALO – At around 1:10 p.m. on Monday, most of the 1,000 or so Sabres fans on hand to watch development camp had their eyes focused on the tunnel next to the visiting bench waiting for a glimpse of Jack Eichel.

When the slick center finally touched the First Niagara Center ice for the first time in Sabres gear, the crowd cheered Buffalo’s newest phenom. Cameras snapped photos. Memories were made.

“It was pretty cool,” ... Read the full article

High-scoring college free agent Evan Rodrigues sees fit with Sabres

BUFFALO – Yes, Evan Rodrigues said, he thought about potentially playing with Jack Eichel again before signing a two-year, entry-level contract with the Sabres. But there was more to the 21-year-old winger’s decision than being reunited with his slick Boston University linemate.

Rodrigues chose the Sabres before Saturday’s NHL Draft Lottery guaranteed them the second selection in the upcoming draft, a pick they will almost certainly use to select Eichel, whose talents could potentially change ... Read the full article

Reports: Sabres sign Evan Rodrigues, Jack Eichel’s college linemate

BUFFALO – The Sabres have signed undrafted winger Evan Rodrigues, a linemate of Jack Eichel’s at Boston University, to a two-year, entry-level deal, according to WEEI and TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

Update: The Sabres have officially announced the signing.

The 21-year-old Rodrigues just finished a huge senior season beside Eichel, scoring 21 goals and 61 points in 41 games. Rodrigues ranked second in the NCAA in scoring behind Eichel, the likely No. 2 pick by ... Read the full article