Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

Sabres re-sign Mark Pysyk to two-year deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres re-signed defenseman Mark Pysyk to two-year contract worth $2.25 million Tuesday.

Pysyk, who was a restricted free agent, is expected to be a regular next season after playing only seven NHL games in 2014-15.

The 23-year-old will receive $1 million in 2015-16 and $1.25 million in 2016-17, according to CBC’s Tim Wharnsby. He had an $810,000 NHL salary last season.

Despite some strong play as an NHL regular two seasons ago, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly charged with impaired driving, leaving scene of accident

Just days after signing a seven-year, $52.5 million contract extension, Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly was arrested Thursday and charged with impaired driving and leaving the scene of an accident after his pickup truck allegedly hit a Tim Hortons in Lucan, Ont.

The incident, which occurred at 4:05 a.m., was announced by the Ontario Provincial Police’s Middlesex County unit Monday night. CFPL-AM first reported the news earlier in the day.

The 24-year-old O’Reilly, who signed ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Phil Varone to two-way deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres re-signed Phil Varone to a one-year, two-way contract today, avoiding arbitration with the forward.

Varone would’ve gone to an arbiter July 27. He’ll earn $600,000 in the NHL next season, according to CBC’s Tim Wharnsby, a $5,000 raise.

The 24-year-old, who had three goals and five points in 28 NHL games last season, likely wanted an AHL raise as a restricted free agent. He only had a $62,500 deal with the ... Read the full article

Jason Kasdorf could be Sabres’ best goalie prospect

BUFFALO – Some of hockey’s biggest young names switched teams in the Sabres’ blockbuster seven-player trade with the Winnipeg Jets in February.

The Sabres paid a hefty price for 30-goal winger Evander Kane and workhorse defenseman Zach Bogosian, giving up slick defenseman Tyler Myers, forward prospects Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux, veteran winger Drew Stafford and a 2015 first-round pick.

Lost in the hubbub was a college goalie the Jets quietly sent the Sabres in ... 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 GM Tim Murray wants to find defenseman, hire coach for Amerks

BUFFALO – One way or another, Sabres general manager Tim Murray plans to get another left-handed defenseman before the season starts.

“We’ve looked at everybody we feel is going to need waivers,” Murray said this afternoon following development camp inside the First Niagara Center. “We’re still talking trades with teams. We’re still talking about a couple of guys who are out there. But there’s no hurry.”

Murray’s willing to wait until right before the season, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dan Bylsma impressed by goalie coach Andrew Allen

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Dan Bylsma had no previous connection to Andrew Allen before hiring the 38-year-old as goalie coach this week.

“Really word of mouth and had some great recommendations from people in Chicago,” Bylsma said Friday inside the First Niagara Center. “So I got to know him in the last week or 10 days and got him in here a little bit earlier this week.”

Allen, a former pro goalie, spent the last ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel and Sabres prospects wowed by support from Buffalo fans

BUFFALO – The 17,115 Sabres fans who chose a hockey scrimmage – or, more appropriately, an opportunity to watch center Jack Eichel – over spending a beautiful Friday night in July outdoors probably don’t regret their decision.

For $10, they watched their newest star up close, saw center Sam Reinhart score twice and were treated to a five-on-five development camp exhibition with some unusual intensity.

“That was probably one of the most fun games of ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jack Eichel chooses No. 15; Andrew Allen hired as goalie coach

BUFFALO – Jack Eichel’s not thinking too far ahead. But “if the opportunity presented itself to make the team” next season, he plans to wear No. 15.

Of course, minutes after he mentioned his first NHL number Friday morning, the Sabres tweeted they would be a selling a limited number of Eichel jerseys hours later at the First Niagara Center prior to the development camp scrimmage.

Before the gates even opened, the line stretched from ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel will wear No. 15 for Sabres

BUFFALO – Your long wait is over, Sabres fans. Jack Eichel said this morning that “if the opportunity presented itself to make the team” next season, he would wear No. 15.

Of course, minutes after he mentioned the number, the Sabres tweeted a limited number of Eichel No. 15 jerseys will be available tonight at the First Niagara Center prior to the development camp scrimmage.

Eichel has been wearing No. 41 this week, a number ... Read the full article