Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres excited to sign ex-Jets goalie Eric Comrie: ‘He was our guy’

BUFFALO – As free agency approached and the Sabres ramped up their search for a goalie, they did their due diligence on Eric Comrie, a seldom-used but intriguing talent.

Comrie, 27, became a Group 6 unrestricted free agent because he fell 90 minutes short of the minutes threshold. So if he had played another two games, the Winnipeg Jets could’ve retained his rights.

General manager Kevyn Adams said the scouting and analytics staffs and goalie ... Read the full article

NHL Free Agent Tracker: Sabres sign goalie Eric Comrie, Ilya Lyubushkin

BUFFALO – The Sabres have landed their first free agents of the day, signing goalie Eric Comrie and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to two-year contracts.

Comrie’s deal is worth $3.6 million. Lyubushkin’s is worth $5.5 million.

The Sabres, of course, needed to find another goalie with NHL experience. They had just two – Craig Anderson and Malcolm Subban – under contract for the upcoming season.

... Read the full article

Sabres agree to terms with Victor Olofsson on two-year contract

BUFFALO – The Sabres today locked up their most significant restricted free agent, agreeing to terms with winger Victor Olofsson on a two-year, $9.5 million contract.

Olofsson, who turns 27 next Monday, finished last season on a tear, compiling 15 goals and 28 points over his final 34 games. He also enjoyed a hot start, scoring five goals and nine points in the first seven games.

If Olofsson hadn’t suffered a wrist injury in early ... Read the full article

Through free agency or trade, Sabres must find another goalie

BUFFALO – The Sabres possess a stable of strong goaltending prospects.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, a Finn labeled as the Sabres’ goalie of the future, has looked impressive in his limited NHL action. While he has battled injuries and struggled at times in the minors, he’s still a terrific young talent.

The Sabres also boast Devon Levi, the NCAA’s top goalie last season at Northeastern, and drafted Topias Leinonen in the second round on Friday, ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Vinnie Hinostroza, bring back Malcolm Subban

The Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday re-signed winger Vinnie Hinostroza to a one-year, $1.7 million contract and agreed to terms with goalie Malcolm Subban on a one-year, two-way deal worth $850,000 in the NHL.

Both players could’ve become unrestricted free agents Wednesday.

Hinostroza, 28, compiled 13 goals, 25 points and a minus-11 rating in 62 games last season, establishing himself as a scoring threat on the Sabres’ third or fourth line. His 12 even-strength goals ranked ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Devon Levi excited to visit Buffalo, happy at Northeastern

Buffalo Sabres prospect Devon Levi does things his way, embracing a patient approach in his development as a goalie while blocking out any outside noise.

To wit: Levi, the NCAA’s top goaltender last season, chose to return to Northeastern for his junior year instead of turning pro. If he had signed with the Sabres, perhaps he would’ve started for the Rochester Americans or earned a quick taste of the NHL.

But Levi, 20, is perfectly ... Read the full article

Sabres’ development camp roster loaded with top prospects

Eight first-round picks, including all three the Buffalo Sabres selected last week – centers Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich – are on the 43-man development camp roster the team released Monday.

The most anticipated camp in a long time – the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Sabres to cancel it the last two years – begins Wednesday at LECOM Harborcenter.

The roster is loaded with top prospects. Forwards Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn, Isak Rosen ... Read the full article

In drafting talented Russian prospect Viktor Neuchev, Sabres saw value

MONTREAL – In Viktor Neuchev, the Buffalo Sabres saw value. They ranked the talented winger as one of the top three Russian prospects in the NHL Draft, said Jerry Forton, the director of amateur scouting.

Many Sabres scouts graded Neuchev as a first- or early second-round pick. Their analytics staff pegged him as a first-round selection.

As the draft approached, general manager Kevyn Adams said the Sabres would evaluate Russians as prospects first. They ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Jacob Bryson to two-year contract

The Buffalo Sabres on Sunday locked up their second restricted free agent this summer, re-signing defenseman Jacob Bryson to a two-year, $3.7 million contract.

Bryson, 24, earned regular duty last season, compiling one goal and 10 points in 73 games. The 18 minutes, 10 seconds of ice time he averaged each outing ranked seventh on the Sabres.

The Providence College product, a left-handed shot, also established himself as a versatile presence, often playing on ... Read the full article

In Topias Leinonen, Sabres thrilled to draft another high-end goalie prospect

MONTREAL – All along, the Buffalo Sabres planned to select a goalie this year. But there was a problem: the 2022 NHL Draft was light on net prospects.

Still, one youngster, Topias Leinonen, NHL Central Scouting’s top-ranked European goalie, caught their eye.

“We felt this guy had first- (or) second-round value,” Jerry Forton, the Sabres’ director of amateur scouting, said Friday afternoon following the draft inside the Bell Centre. “The question was do we use ... Read the full article