Smith - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Making of a coach: How Amerks’ Seth Appert went from college goalie to AHL

Seth Appert remembers feeling scared walking up the stairs that day almost 26 years ago inside Ferris State’s hotel.

A night earlier, as Miami was annihilating his school in a CCHA playoff game in Oxford, Ohio, Appert had approached his coach, Bob Daniels, during the second intermission.

Appert, a junior backup goalie, suggested to Daniels that Jeff Blashill, who had been pulled early from the blowout, should replace him. If Blashill re-entered the game, Appert ... Read the full article

Sabres send Jack Quinn to Amerks, recall two players to taxi squad

BUFFALO – The Sabres assigned rookie winger Jack Quinn to the Rochester Americans this morning and recalled forwards Jean-Sebastien Dea and C.J. Smith to the taxi squad.

Quinn, 19, spent the first few weeks of the season on the Sabres’ taxi squad. He recently recovered from an upper-body injury, coach Ralph Krueger said last week.

The Sabres drafted Quinn eighth overall last year. In a normal year, he would likely be playing with his junior ... Read the full article

Sabres need struggling Rasmus Dahlin to bounce back after benching

In Friday’s 4-3 shootout loss, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger benched Rasmus Dahlin, playing the struggling defenseman just one 73-second shift over the game’s final 32 minutes.

Dahlin, 20, looked lost around Buffalo’s net, allowing the Capitals to convert two easy chances he could’ve nullified. After Jakub Vrana scored 13:07 into the second period, a frustrated Dahlin smashed his stick into the ice.

His night was just about done. He only played one more ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ralph Krueger on Bills’ win, INT return: ‘The whole city just exploded’

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said he heard horns honking outside his home in the Elmwood Village into the middle of the night after the Bills advanced to AFC Championship Game on Saturday.

“Lots of sound, lots of people running around with flags in the village,” Krueger said on a Zoom call following this afternoon’s practice at KeyBank Center. “So that buzz was terrific to feel.”

Krueger and his coaching staff wanted to share ... Read the full article

Sabres send eight players to Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres sent eight players to the Rochester Americans this afternoon.

Joining the AHL affiliate following the first assignments of training camp are: defensemen Casey Fitzgerald and Ryan Jones; forwards Brandon Biro, Steven Fogarty, Brett Murray and C.J. Smith; and goalies Michael Houser and Dustin Tokarski.

Fogarty, Smith and Tokarski cleared waivers today. Defenseman Brandon Davidson also cleared waivers but is still with the Sabres, who had today off.... Read the full article

Implementing new taxi squad will be challenge for Sabres

In the COVID-19 world, the Sabres start each day by having a logistics meeting.

NHL teams can utilize a four- to-six man taxi squad this season, meaning in addition to figuring out the big league and AHL rosters, the Sabres have another group they must prepare to handle.

“This is so much a new world, trying to figure out exactly how we’re going to integrate the taxi squad,” Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said on a ... Read the full article

Sabres switch up lines, move Tage Thompson up, Jeff Skinner down

After a 10-month layoff, the Buffalo Sabres play 10 games in an 18-day stretch, starting with Thursday’s season opener against the Washington Capitals.

That includes three back-to-back sets. The early stretch will be rigorous and likely test the Sabres’ depth. They’re going to have to roll four lines.

“Right now, we need to be a good four-line team early in the season,” Krueger said on a Zoom call Friday.

So Krueger, who pretty much kept ... Read the full article

Sabres release training camp roster, schedule; 37 players to participate

On Friday, the Buffalo Sabres will touch the KeyBank Center ice for the first time in 296 days and begin preparing for the most unusual of seasons.

The NHL will be attempting to play during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will likely experience problems – positive tests, postponements or even cancellations – as the schedule unfolds.

But those potential roadblocks can be examined another day. The Sabres’ 10-month break is nearly over. Training camp officially ... Read the full article

Sabres’ signings show Ralph Krueger’s growing influence under Kevyn Adams

When the Buffalo Sabres fired general manager Jason Botterill and gutted their hockey department four months ago, they also also elevated Ralph Krueger.

Technically, Krueger, 61, still holds the same title: head coach. But his influence has clearly grown under rookie GM Kevyn Adams, a front office neophyte.

Three of the five free agents the Sabres have signed this offseason – most notably, Taylor Hall, the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner – have connections ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin using offseason to develop into elite talent

As the COVID-19 pandemic forced much of the world into quarantine, Sweden remained open, offering Rasmus Dahlin an opportunity to hone his skills on the ice as most NHL players stayed in their homes.

“I’m working on my shot almost every day,” the Buffalo Sabres defenseman said on a Zoom call May 27. “That’s my main thing right now, my shot.”

Dahlin, of course, already possesses a terrific shot. Still, he believes it can improve, ... Read the full article