Taylor - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ awful second half led to Phil Housley’s dismissal

BUFFALO – The Sabres fired Phil Housley this afternoon, less than a day after the team completed a disappointing season in which it fell from first overall in late November to sixth in the Atlantic Division.

Even as the Sabres stumbled and lost their grip on a playoff spot early in the winter, it seemed like Housley would return for a third season unless the team totally imploded down the stretch.

Well, the Sabres fell ... Read the full article

Sabres fire coach Phil Housley

Even as the Sabres stumbled and lost their grip on a playoff spot early in the winter, it seemed like Housley would return for a third season unless the team totally imploded down the stretch.

Well, the Sabres fell ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Alexander Nylander ready to seize chance in NHL

BUFFALO – On Feb. 27, Sabres prospect Alexander Nylander played his 13th straight game without scoring a goal. At that point, nearly five months into his third AHL campaign, the chances of the slick winger earning a recall looked slim.

Nylander, 21, enjoyed a strong training camp this season, nearly forcing the Sabres to keep him. The Swede parlayed that into a terrific start with the Rochester Americans, scoring six goals and 17 points ... Read the full article

Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen looks sharp in Sabres debut

BUFFALO – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is likely years away from cracking the Sabres.

The goalie prospect is just beginning his North American junior career with the Sudbury Wolves. After that, Luukkonen will probably need years of apprenticeship in the minors.

But Sabres got a glimpse of Luukkonen, a youngster many have tabbed as their goalie of the future, in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in the Prospects Challenge rookie tournament.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Will Borgen showcasing physicality in rookie camp

BUFFALO – On the ice, Sabres defense prospect Will Borgen often looks like a beast, throwing his 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame around and rattling opponents.

Borgen showcased his physicality throughout Friday’s 6-4 win inside noisy HarborCenter, throttling some New Jersey Devils and drawing their ire in the Prospects Challenge opener.

“He really enjoyed it,” coach Chris Taylor said. “Obviously, the fans brought that out for him. They were cheering for him, the big hit.”... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin wows in Sabres debut

BUFFALO – The roar lasted until defenseman Rasmus Dahlin reached the bench to celebrate the first of his two goals with his Sabres teammates.

Fans packed HarborCenter on Friday looking for a show from the first overall pick in his rookie camp exhibition debut.

So when Dahlin rewarded them, scoring his first goal 11:18 into the second period, the capacity crowd kept cheering for the young star.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alexander Nylander showcasing maturity, acting like leader

BUFFALO – In a matter of minutes, coach Chris Taylor noticed a different, more mature Alexander Nylander. Instead of taking a backseat, the slick Sabres prospect started his third pro season acting like a leader.

During the first session of rookie camp Thursday, Nylander, 20, showcased his newfound confidence, leading practice drills.

“He’s leading, he’s going to the front of the lines now,” Taylor said inside HarborCenter. “Before he’d go second, third, maybe last ... Read the full article

Excitement accompanies Rasmus Dahlin’s Sabres debut

BUFFALO – Chris Taylor understands the excitement surrounding defenseman Rasmus Dahlin’s first appearance in Blue and Gold. Tonight, more than four months after the Sabres won the right to draft the ultra-talented Swede first overall, he will finally play a game.

“So do you guys want me to play Rasmus for 30 or 40 minutes tomorrow?” Taylor joked Thursday after rookie camp opened inside HarborCenter.

There are, you know, 26 other youngsters on the roster ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Hudson Fasching ends season struggling with Amerks

ROCHESTER – Barely two years ago, Hudson Fasching stood out as one of the Buffalo Sabres’ top prospects. Just days after leaving college, the power forward scored minutes into his NHL debut. Months later, he cracked the big club out of training camp.

Fast forward to today, and Fasching, having just sat out two AHL playoff games as a healthy scratch, might have an iffy future with the Sabres.... Read the full article

Amerks goalie Linus Ullmark emotional after season-ending loss

ROCHESTER – Linus Ullmark struggled to answer the question. The goalie paused for a moment and fought back tears following what could be his last AHL appearance.

Talk to any member of the upstart Americans, and they’ll likely tell you how a great group of guys helped buoy them to their first playoff appearance since 2014.

So when Ullmark, 24, tried talking about what made the team so special following Wednesday’s season-ending 6-3 loss, he ... Read the full article