Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres defensemen Jake McCabe, Casey Nelson week-to-week

BUFFALO – Defensemen Jake McCabe and Casey Nelson are both week-to-week with upper-body injuries, the Sabres announced this morning.

Coach Phil Housley said McCabe’s injury, originally pegged as day-to-day, is worse than the Sabres originally thought.

McCabe has missed three games since leaving last Thursday’s 5-4 road loss to the Tampa Bay early.... Read the full article

Sabres star Jack Eichel busts out of goal-scoring slump

BUFFALO – In about 10 minutes Tuesday, captain Jack Eichel scored twice during a wild third period, giving the Sabres a short-lived lead and equaling his goal output from the previous 25 games.

Eichel, 22, has quietly enjoyed a terrific season, compiling 27 assists and 34 points in the first 29 contests.

At his current pace, the slick center would have 76 assists and 94 points over 82 games, the Sabres’ most prolific offensive ... Read the full article

Sabres battled back, fall to Maple Leafs in overtime thriller

BUFFALO – The loss didn’t crush the Sabres. Sure, their fourth straight defeat certainly stung. They battled back and grabbed a late lead before Auston Matthews’ overtime winner with just 2.7 seconds left secured the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-3 victory.

But after arriving in Buffalo at 1 a.m. following Monday’s 2-1 loss in Nashville, the Sabres earned a point and had one of the NHL’s heavyweights on the ropes.

That’s probably why coach Phil Housley, ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Tyler Ennis happy in fourth-line role with Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – Instead of being relied upon to produce offense, ex-Sabres winger Tyler Ennis is now a fourth-liner.

Sure, Ennis, 29, skates on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ second power-play unit. The former first-round pick even started the season on the No. 1 line beside center Auston Matthews and Patrick Marleau.

But Ennis is no longer the ultra-slick presence from his early days. The concussions he suffered in his final seasons with the Sabres helped stymie ... Read the full article

Ex-Sabres star Tyler Ennis embracing new role with Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – Instead of being relied upon to produce offense, ex-Sabres winger Tyler Ennis is now a fourth-liner.

Sure, Ennis, 29, skates on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ second power-play unit. The former first-round pick even started the season on the No. 1 line beside center Auston Matthews and Patrick Marleau.

But Ennis is no longer the ultra-slick presence from his early days. The concussions he suffered in his final seasons with the Sabres helped stymie ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Conor Sheary to return against Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – Suddenly, the Sabres have a three-game losing streak. Sure, they lost three road contests by one goal. It should also be noted the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators, the NHL’s top two clubs points-wise, beat them.

So the Sabres’ 0-2-1 run – they earned a point in Friday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers – isn’t a normal losing skid.

Still, the Sabres, who have another stiff test tonight against the ... Read the full article

Sabres, Maple Leafs could become fierce rivals again

BUFFALO – Ask any Sabres player or fan to name the team’s biggest rival, and they would likely peg the Toronto Maple Leafs, tonight’s opponent at KeyBank Center.

Without any recent playoff series – the Sabres haven’t made the postseason since 2011 – or high-stakes regular-season meetings to ramp up intensity and generate hatred, the Sabres don’t exactly have a lot of opponents they detest these days.

The Leafs, their closest opponent at just 100 ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin named NHL’s top rookie for November

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who led all led all first-year defensemen with 10 points in 15 games during November, has earned NHL rookie of the month honors, the league announced today.

Dahlin, 18, average 19 minutes, 52 seconds of ice time as the Sabres went 11-3-1 during November, jumping to second place in the NHL standings with 37 points (17-7-3). His plus-9 rating also ranked second among all rookies.

The Swede compiled one goal ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Matt Tennyson from Amerks with Jake McCabe hurt

Is Buffalo Sabres defense prospect Lawrence Pilut going to make his NHL debut tonight?

The Sabres recalled defenseman Matt Tennyson from the Rochester Americans this morning, meaning Jake McCabe, who left Thursday’s 5-4 road loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning with an undisclosed injury, likely won’t play tonight against the Florida Panthers.

Update: Pilut will play, according to reports out of Florida.

In addition, the Sabres activated forward Patrik Berglund from injured reserved ... Read the full article

Sabres playing games with playoff implications again

BUFFALO – Considering they endured a seven-year run of futility before their recent resurgence, the Sabres haven’t exactly played a lot of big games lately.

That’s why tonight’s road tilt against the heavyweight Tampa Bay Lightning, which, believe it or not, trails the Sabres for the first time in, umm, a long time, is so meaningful.

The Sabres, who tied a franchise record Tuesday by winning their 10th straight tilt, ranked first in the 31-team ... Read the full article