Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres sign Western Michigan product Dawson DiPietro to entry-level contract

The Buffalo Sabres have signed winger Dawson DiPietro to a one-year, entry-level contract, the team announced today.

DiPietro, 24, scored 12 goals and 29 points in 35 games as a senior with Western Michigan in 2019-20.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound DiPietro attended the Sabres’ summer development camp last year.

“Dawson was excellent at our development camp last summer, where he was able to showcase his speed and skill,” Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said in a ... Read the full article

Sabres at 50: Dave Hannan fondly remembers overtime goal versus Devils

A few years ago, former Buffalo Sabres center Dave Hannan sat down to watch a little television before bed and spotted a replay of the wildest six hours of his 15-year NHL career.

In the years since he scored 5:43 into the fourth overtime on April 27, 1994, he had only caught a few periods of the 1-0 playoff classic the Sabres and New Jersey Devils played until 1:52 a.m. inside Memorial Auditorium.

So Hannan ... Read the full article

Five ‘Sabres Classics’ to air next week on MSG

For hockey-deprived fans waiting for the NHL season to resume, five memorable Buffalo Sabres games will be rebroadcast next week on MSG and also be available on the team’s YouTube channel.

So get ready to relive goalie Dominik Hasek’s legendary 70-save performance, the final game at historic Memorial Auditorium and other “Sabres Classics.”

The games, of course, are being aired because the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NHL to suspend its season indefinitely March 12.

The ... Read the full article

Sabres sign Penn State product Brandon Biro to entry-level contract

The Buffalo Sabres have signed former Penn State forward Brandon Biro to a two-year, entry-level contract, the team announced today.

Biro, 22, captained Penn State as a senior in 2019-20, scoring 10 goals and 25 points in 25 games as the Nittany Lions’ 12-8-4 record led the Big Ten.

“Brandon will bring a combination of skill, hockey sense and character to our organization,” Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said in a statement. “We’re confident that ... Read the full article

AHL season won’t resume before May

The American Hockey League season won’t resume before May, the league announced today.

But the league has recommended to its 31 teams they help their players return home, an ominous sign the season could be canceled in the coming weeks.

On Thursday, shortly after the NHL suspended its season indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the AHL also stopped its campaign.

On Sunday, the CDC recommended that events with 50 or more people be canceled ... Read the full article

NHL tells players they can return home

In a best-case scenario, the NHL could restart its season in the second week of May, the league announced today.

Of course, that timeline could be overly optimistic. The COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the NHL to suspend its season indefinitely Thursday, is a fluid situation.

Just days ago, the NHL was hopeful players could soon resume small group workouts.... Read the full article

PSE will pay arena workers if COVID-19 pandemic forces game cancellations

Players, staff, the Buffalo Sabres Foundation and Pegula Sports and Entertainment will help pay the lost wages of game day arena employees if the COVID-19 pandemic forces games to be canceled.

PSE owner and CEO Kim Pegula made the announcement Saturday, three days after the NHL suspended its season indefinitely as more coronavirus cases were confirmed throughout the country.

PSE also owns the Rochester Americans and two National Lacrosse League teams: the Buffalo Bandits and ... Read the full article

Coronavirus fears put NHL season, Sabres on hold indefinitely

Before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the NHL to suspend its season indefinitely on Thursday, the Buffalo Sabres generated a little optimism in their last outing.

In Monday’s 3-2 win over the Washington Capitals, star captain Jack Eichel and rookie Victor Olofsson both busted out of slumps as the Sabres ended their six-game losing streak. Newcomer Dominik Kahun looked impressive again, scoring the shootout-winning goal. Goalie Linus Ullmark dazzled in his first appearance in nearly six ... Read the full article

Coronavirus pandemic forces NHL to suspend season

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the NHL to suspend its season indefinitely today.

The league announced the decision following a conference call with its Board of Governors and less than a day after the NBA suspended its season after one its players tested positive for coronavirus.

“In light of ongoing developments resulting from the coronavirus, and after consulting with medical experts and convening a conference call of the Board of Governors, the National Hockey League is ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Johansson meshing well with new linemates

BUFFALO – Marcus Johansson and Victor Olofsson started developing their chemistry in September, when they spent part of training camp as linemates.

But nearly six months passed before the Swedes shared any meaningful ice time during the regular season.

Olofsson, 24, earned a plum assignment at left wing beside top Sabres center Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, and he thrived there nearly all season, morphing into one of the NHL’s top rookies.

Meanwhile, Johansson, ... Read the full article