Stafford - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Memories of Steve Montador special for Sabres’ Mike Weber

BUFFALO – The memories brought a warm smile to Mike Weber’s face. As a youngster trying to crack the NHL four years ago, Steve Montador mentored Weber. The Sabres defensemen often spent plane rides and meals together talking about hockey and life.

Montador, who played with the Sabres from 2009-11, was found dead Sunday morning in his Mississauga, Ontario, home, according to multiple reports. He was 35. Police do not suspect foul play.

“Monty will ... Read the full article

Johan Larsson ready for fresh opportunity with Sabres

BUFFALO – As the Sabres trickled out on the ice Sunday morning, coach Ted Nolan and winger Johan Larsson skated around and talked about the prospect’s latest recall.

Upon getting demoted to Rochester in early January, Larsson voiced his displeasure with having to skate on the fourth line in the NHL, a complaint that irked Nolan.

“Yeah, I was upset,” Nolan said. “Players play. The tail can’t wag the dog.”

So Nolan gave Larsson a ... Read the full article

Zach Bogosian happy to join Sabres: ‘I heard Buffalo, it was a good feeling’

BUFFALO – The mood on the ice inside HarborCenter belied the Sabres’ sorry state. Players laughed and had fun throughout Saturday’s up-tempo practice, the end of another trying week for the rebuilding club.

For some, the session, the first with new Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian, was therapeutic.

“We got a good group of guys,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said. “They give us what they have every day. They’re trying to keep their spirits up as ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan vows Sabres will fight to finish after blockbuster trade

BUFFALO – What will happen now? The Sabres were the NHL’s worst team before they traded Tyler Myers, Jhonas Enroth and Drew Stafford. The final 27 games could be brutal without their best defenseman, starting goalie and No. 3 scorer.

Myers skated a team-high 25 minutes a game, zooming all over the ice. Despite the Sabres’ porous defense, Enroth tended some strong goal all season. Stafford had nine of the club’s 97 goals and 24 ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan on Sabres: ‘Not going to be like sacrificial lambs’

BUFFALO – The NHL’s worst team is down its top defenseman, starting goalie and No. 3 scorer after Wednesday’s trades. How rough will the Sabres’ final 27 games be without Tyler Myers, Jhonas Enroth and Drew Stafford?

Coach Ted Nolan told his Sabres they’re “not going to be like sacrificial lambs, just go out there and get slaughtered.”

“We have to make sure we play together, we protect one another and we work together – ... Read the full article

Sabres pay steep price, land Evander Kane from Jets

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ acquisition of winger Evander Kane and defenseman Zach Bogosian from the Jets in Wednesday’s blockbuster trade that sent defenseman Tyler Myers to Winnipeg makes the rebuilding club closer to contending, general manager Tim Murray said.

“My plan was to do something like this to speed it up,” Murray said inside the First Niagara Center after pulling off the NHL’s biggest deal this season.

The Sabres paid a steep price, however, dealing ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray believes Evander Kane trade speeds up Sabres’ rebuild; Goalie Jhonas Enroth dealt to Stars

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ acquisition of winger Evander Kane and defenseman Zach Bogosian from the Jets today in the blockbuster trade that sent defenseman Tyler Myers to Winnipeg makes the rebuilding club closer to contending, general manager Tim Murray said.

“My plan was to do something like this to speed it up,” Murray said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center after pulling off the NHL’s biggest deal this season.

The Sabres paid a steep ... Read the full article

Sabres acquire Evander Kane from Jets in blockbuster trade, send Tyler Myers to Winnipeg

BUFFALO – The Sabres pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Winnipeg Jets this morning, acquiring winger Evander Kane, defenseman Zach Bogosian and a goalie prospect for defenseman Tyler Myers, winger Drew Stafford, prospects Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux and a 2015 first-round pick.

Stay tuned for more updates. The Sabres are scheduled to start practice at 11:45 a.m.

The two big pieces are Kane, a 23-year-old former 30-goal scorer, and Myers, a 25-year-old former ... Read the full article

Sabres have franchise-low 10 shots, fall to Isles

BUFFALO – Even by Sabres standards, it was ugly. Almost 32 minutes into Sunday’s 3-2 loss, the New York Islanders led by three goals. The Sabres, meanwhile, had five shots total and zero in the second period to that point.

Then, like so many other times this season, they got going. After Sabres coach Ted Nolan called a timeout, Marcus Foligno buried Nikita Zadorov’s rebound.

Just like that, the Sabres had two shots in about ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Hodgson scratched again; Marcus Foligno scores in return

BUFFALO – Some nights, Ted Nolan said, he lies awake in bed wondering how he can fix Cody Hodgson, his struggling winger. Right now, the Sabres coach and his staff can’t get through to the 24-year-old, who might be enduring the worst season of any NHL forward.

Nolan scratched Hodgson, who has two goals and eight points in 51 games this season, for Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders, the third time ... Read the full article