WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
2026-27 Season Edition
Mattias Samuelsson was injured last Tuesday. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Injured Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson could play in Thursday’s season opener in Columbus against the Blue Jackets.
Samuelsson, who suffered a lower-body injury blocking a shot last week, skated on his own Tuesday and could practice with the Sabres Wednesday, coach Lindy Ruff said.
If Samuelsson, the Sabres’ top shutdown defender, can’t play Thursday, Ruff expects him to return in the near future.... Read the full article
Conor Sheary is in his second stint with the Sabres organization. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres this afternoon placed winger Conor Sheary on waivers and will assign him to the Rochester Americans if he clears, the team announced.
Sheary, 34, returned to practice today after suffering an upper-body injury last week.
The Sabres brought back Sheary, who spent 2018-19 and most of 2019-20 in Buffalo, during the offseason, signing him to a one-year, one-way contract worth $850,000.... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left Saturday’s game after tweaking something. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres’ initial 23-man roster for the 2026-27 season released Monday features three goalies, six defensemen and 14 forwards.
Goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon and defenseman Olen Zellweger, all of whom suffered injuries in preseason games last week, are listed on the roster.
One rookie, forward Konsta Helenius, made the team.... Read the full article
Matt Grzelcyk made his Buffalo debut Saturday. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres wasted no time getting newcomer Matt Grzelcyk acclimated. Without the benefit of a practice or pregame skate, they threw the defenseman into the lineup for their preseason finale.
Grzelcyk, who on Friday signed a one-year, $850,000 contract, looked comfortable throughout Saturday afternoon’s 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, skating 16 minutes, 48 seconds, mostly alongside Conor Timmins.
“It almost helped, honestly, just having no pregame skate, nothing – just go right ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen left Saturday’s game in the third period. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When the Sabres open the regular season Thursday in Columbus, Colten Ellis could be their starting goalie.
A trying preseason in which they lost five significant players to injury in four games, including top goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon, has mercifully ended.
In Saturday afternoon’s 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ruff said Luukkonen, who has a history of injuries, left 3:47 into the third period when he tweaked something on ... Read the full article
Matt Grzelcyk battles Buffalo’s Zach Benson as a member of Pittsburgh. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When the Sabres announced Friday they had signed veteran Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year, $850,000 contract, it felt like they might also reveal they expected at least one of their two injured defensemen, Mattias Samuelsson and Olen Zellweger, to be sidelined longer than they expected.
But Samuelsson and Zellweger, both of whom went down in Tuesday’s 5-1 preseason win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, are doing well.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said Samuelsson, ... Read the full article
Buffalo drafted Ryan Johnson 31st overall in 2019. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres on Friday placed eight players on waivers, including defenseman Ryan Johnson, a first-round pick in 2019, for the purpose of assigning them to the Rochester Americans.
The Sabres also waived goalie Matt Villalta, defenseman Dennis Gilbert and forwards Mason Geertsen, Trevor Kuntar, Aidan McDonough, Carson Meyer and Jason Polin.
Update: Everyone on waivers cleared.
In addition, the Sabres also assigned the following players to the Amerks, their AHL affiliate: goalies Talyn ... Read the full article
Matt Grzelcyk (right) celebrates a goal with Sidney Crosby (center) as a member of Pittsburgh. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres, who lost two of their top defensemen to injury in Tuesday’s preseason game, added depth to their blue line this morning by signing veteran Matt Grzelcyk to a one-year, $850,000 contract.
Inking the left-shot Grzelcyk, a puck-moving defender, indicates Mattias Samuelsson, who’s week to week with a lower-body injury, and Olen Zellweger, who has a concussion, could be sidelined into the regular season.
The Sabres open their campaign Thursday on the ... Read the full article
Ryan Johnson spent most of last season in Rochester. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Ryan Johnson’s legs are his greatest gift. The Sabres prospect is a sublime, world-class skater who possesses the talent to move alongside anyone.
“We know he can skate with the best players,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said of the defenseman following a recent session of training camp in KeyBank Center. “He can skate with the top players in the league.”
Pure skill isn’t an issue. To stick in the NHL, Johnson, the 31st ... Read the full article
Alex Lyon left Thursday’s game late in the first period. ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu
For the second straight preseason game, the Buffalo Sabres lost two key players to injuries.
Goalie Alex Lyon and center Jiri Kulich both exited Thursday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings.
Update: Ruff said Lyon is being evaluated today. The team will know more about his injury Saturday.
Meanwhile, Kulich stayed off the ice today for maintenance. Ruff said the Czech could skate Saturday or play in the preseason finale against the Pittsburgh ... Read the full article