Roy - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Steve Ott thrilled to be with Sabres, ‘brother’ Mike Weber

BUFFALO – Last month, Steve Ott and Mike Weber heard a rumor Ott could be joining his close friend with the Sabres. The two laughed, and then resumed working out together at the gym.

The mere thought of Ott coming to Buffalo resonated, however. The gritty forward was cognizant the Dallas Stars might be looking to deal him.

“Could you imagine?” the friends asked each other.

On July 2, about two weeks later, Ott missed ... Read the full article

Grigorenko latest prized prospect in Sabres’ stable

BUFFALO – On Wednesday, the day the Sabres signed slick Russian center Mikhail Grigorenko to a three-year, entry-level contract, general manager Darcy Regier encountered a slew of prospects while visiting the players’ lounge inside the First Niagara Center.

Luke Adam, Marcus Foligno and Brayden McNabb, who all impressed during NHL stints last season, are in town working out. So is Grigorenko, the 12th overall pick last month, and 14th pick Zemgus Girgensons, who inked his ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Frederick Roy acting on NHL dream

BUFFALO – Three years ago, Sabres prospect Frederick Roy bolted from the game he loved, all the way to Hollywood. The teenager needed a mental break, wanted to find a new passion.

Thousands of miles from home and about a million more from hockey, Roy immersed himself in acting.

The son of Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy hired a manager, went on auditions and took classes. He even landed a small role as a ... Read the full article

Darcy Regier insists Sabres traded healthy Derek Roy to Stars

BUFFALO – The Dallas Stars’ decision to have Derek Roy undergo shoulder surgery and miss four months doesn’t mean the Sabres traded damaged goods, general manager Darcy Regier cautioned.

If the Sabres hadn’t dealt Roy for winger Steve Ott and defenseman Adam Pardy last week, the center, who was originally hurt last preseason, wouldn’t have underwent the procedure.

“We’re very confident in the decision by our medical staff,” Regier said Thursday inside the First Niagara ... Read the full article

Former Sabre Roy undergoes shoulder surgery

BUFFALO – Ex-Sabres center Derek Roy, dished to Dallas last week for forward Steve Ott and defenseman Adam Pardy, underwent shoulder surgery Wednesday and will be out until November, the Dallas Morning News reported.

Roy, who hurt his shoulder last preseason, played through the ailment, only missing notable time in training camp. While he was cleared medically to be dealt, an “intense” physical in Dallas revealed the shoulder injury, according to the paper.

The 29-year-old ... Read the full article

Sabres deal underachieving Roy to Dallas for Ott, Pardy

BUFFALO – The conversations, the first overtures into acquiring Steve Ott, the gritty Dallas forward the Sabres coveted, began last season. General manager Darcy Regier, who held struggling center Derek Roy as a key chip, had been keeping a dialogue with counterpart Joe Nieuwendyk for months.

At times, Regier said he didn’t want to pull the trigger. Other times, Nieuwendyk wasn’t willing.

“Either the timing wasn’t right or the people weren’t right,” Regier said Monday ... Read the full article

Sabres draft 2 centers during wild first round

PITTSBURGH – The defensemen kept going and going at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft; seven straight after the Montreal Canadiens selected center Alex Galchenyuk third overall, in fact.

For the Buffalo Sabres, a team targeting a talented center, the planets aligned Friday night inside the Consol Energy Center.

They got two.

Incredibly, picking 12^th, the Sabres grabbed a Russian, Mikhail Grigorenko, a slick playmaking center from the QMJHL’s Quebec Ramparts ranked No. 3 ... Read the full article

Roy’s days with Sabres could be numbered

BUFFALO – It was March 30, Fan Appreciation Night, when Derek Roy, as part of the Sabres’ “Jersey Off My Back” promotion, awarded a lucky seat holder his jersey during a brief video message.

Each of the Sabres made an announcement that night; only one, Roy, was booed.

The fans’ frustration boiled over during the center’s fifth straight pointless game at crunch time, so they jeered him a bit, even snickered when he popped up ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign late-season surprise Sulzer

BUFFALO – Alexander Sulzer arrived three months ago as an unknown short on NHL experience. The German immediately became the Sabres’ seventh defenseman, a role he knew well from being scratched 51 times during his brief tenure with the Vancouver Canucks.

It was assumed Sulzer might play occasionally before quietly departing during the offseason. Then Andrej Sekera became ill, and the 27-year-old began assuming regular duty.

Within about a week, Sulzer was skating 20 minutes ... Read the full article

Sabres’ disappointing season could claim victims

BUFFALO – Their run together stands at 423 total games over five fruitless seasons. In that time, the Sabres’ homegrown core players have earned two playoff appearances and zero series wins.

That’s it.

Most teams would’ve broken up that group years ago. The Sabres have plodded forward, mostly keeping it intact despite little success.

But a veteran star could finally be jettisoned following a bitterly disappointing ninth-place finish this season. A club constructed to hoist ... Read the full article