Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

John Muckler, coach and GM of Sabres in 1990s, dies at 86

John Muckler, the coach and general manager of the Buffalo Sabres for much of the 1990s, died Monday. He was 86.

Glen Sather, who brought Muckler to the Edmonton Oilers as they began their Stanley Cup dynasty in the early 1980s, told the Edmonton Journal his friend had been in failing health.

“John had a heart attack, then he had heart surgery, then he fell in his recovery, then he got COVID,” Sather told the ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt focused on making Sabres after having ‘blast’ with Amerks

On the surface, Casey Mittelstadt’s 36-game run with the Rochester Americans last season looks a little underwhelming.

In his first stint in the minors, Mittelstadt, 22, never morphed into a dominant AHL presence or forced his way back to the Buffalo Sabres. The center compiled nine goals, 25 points and a poor minus-15 rating – hardly numbers you might expect from an eighth overall pick with 114 games of NHL experience.

But Mittelstadt, who was ... Read the full article

Amerks set to participate in 28-team AHL season

The Rochester Americans, the Buffalo Sabres’ top minor league affiliate, are one of 28 teams that will participate in the upcoming American Hockey League season.

Three AHL teams – the Charlotte Checkers, Milwaukee Admirals and Springfield Thunderbirds – have opted out of this season but will return in 2021-22, the league also announced Monday.

For the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, the Amerks have been grouped in the new North Division with the Binghamton Devils, Hershey Bears, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zemgus Girgensons suffers ‘very questionable lower-body injury’

In the second period of Monday’s Buffalo Sabres scrimmage, Zemgus Girgensons eyed up Steven Fogarty as he carried the puck and tried to hit him inside the blue line.

But Fogarty skated around Girgensons, forcing the Latvian to make a last-second adjustment. Girgensons’ legs split awkwardly as he attempted to find Fogarty and he fell to the KeyBank Center ice. Girgensons left the scrimmage and did not return.

Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said Girgensons, who ... Read the full article

Rasmus Ristolainen happy with Sabres, excited to play for Ralph Krueger again

The chatter about Rasmus Ristolainen wanting out of Buffalo has ended. These days, the defenseman says he’s happy and excited to be with the Sabres.

“I enjoy being here right now,” Ristolainen said on a Zoom call Sunday. “The team looks good and ready to go and it’s going to be a very exciting year.”

Ristolainen, 26, has rarely spoken so optimistically. Prior to last season, in an interview with a Finnish TV station, he ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Victor Olofsson day-to-day after suffering upper-body injury

Buffalo Sabres winger Victor Olofsson suffered an upper-body injury when he crashed into the goalpost Saturday and is day-to-day, the team announced Sunday.

Tage Thompson practiced in Olofsson’s spot Sunday at right wing on the No. 1 line, according to reports from KeyBank Center.

Olofsson briefly left the ice favoring his right arm and wrist before returning to practice, according to The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington. But Olofsson departed for good when the Sabres took ... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner, Eric Staal excited to team up as duo with Sabres

During the six years Jeff Skinner and Eric Staal spent together as teammates with the Carolina Hurricanes, they usually skated on separate lines.

Back then, the Hurricanes were in the midst of a marathon 14-year playoff drought. As one of the NHL’s bottom-feeders, they possessed little depth up front. So the coaches would often play their top scorers on different lines.

“We were pretty thin,” said Staal, who joined Skinner and the Buffalo Sabres in ... Read the full article

Sabres assessing Victor Olofsson after crash into goalpost

Coach Ralph Krueger said the Buffalo Sabres are assessing winger Victor Olofsson, who left today’s practice after crashing into the goalpost.

“We do not have an update,” Krueger said on a Zoom call this afternoon.

Olofsson briefly left the KeyBank Center ice favoring his right arm and wrist before returning to practice, according to The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington. But Olofsson departed for good when the Sabres took a break to watch video.

Update:... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin ready to enjoy breakout season after long layoff

As defenseman Rasmus Dahlin spent month after month packing muscle on his 6-foot-3 frame and honing his skills, coach Ralph Krueger could feel a special transformation was taking place.

Dahlin, 20, possesses the maturity to match his enormous skill set. The Buffalo Sabres’ disappointing finish last season – they missed the NHL’s 24-team playoff qualifying round by one point – irked the Swede and put him in a reflective state of mind.

So Dahlin, who’s ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jack Eichel misses first practice

Buffalo Sabres coach Ralph Krueger prefaced his update on the statuses of captain Jack Eichel and goalie Linus Ullmark with four words to alleviate any concern.

“All is under control,” Krueger said on a Zoom call Friday after both players missed the first session of training camp inside KeyBank Center.

Shortly before the Sabres’ first practice in almost 10 months, they announced Eichel, their MVP, would be sidelined Friday. The center suffered an upper-body injury ... Read the full article