Author: Bill Hoppe

Jeff Skinner could’ve vetoed a trade to the Sabres. ©2018, Hickling Images

Young talent helped convince Jeff Skinner to join Sabres

BUFFALO – Having a no-trade clause attached to his six-year, $34.35 million contract meant Jeff Skinner controlled his future. The Sabres’ newest player could veto a deal and wait until the Carolina Hurricanes and his agent found him a new team he liked.

While Skinner denied he turned down any offers before the Sabres materialized, reports and the timing of his trade – high-profile NHL deals rarely transpire in August – suggest otherwise.... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner waived a no-trade clause to join the Sabres. ©2018, Hickling Images

Jeff Skinner sees fit with Sabres

BUFFALO – Having a no-trade clause attached to his six-year, $34.35 million contract meant Jeff Skinner controlled his future. The Sabres’ newest player could veto a deal and wait until the Carolina Hurricanes and his agent found him a new team he liked.

While Skinner denied he turned down any offers, reports and the timing of his trade – high-profile NHL deals rarely transpire in August – suggest otherwise.... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner has scored 30 goals three times. ©2018, Hickling Images

Jeff Skinner acquisition shows Sabres believe they can win now

Before Thursday’s acquisition of slick winger Jeff Skinner, so many of the Buffalo Sabres’ trades throughout their seemingly endless rebuild focused on the future. Deals would often net them prospects or draft picks, a sign winning wasn’t imminent.

But Sabres general manager Jason Botterill made a different swap to nab the three-time 30-goal scorer from the Carolina Hurricanes. For one of the few times in recent years, the Sabres dealt futures for a proven commodity.... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner offers the Sabres more scoring. ©2018, Hickling Images

Sabres acquire Jeff Skinner from Hurricanes

The Buffalo Sabres pulled off a rare August trade early tonight, acquiring three-time 30-goal scorer Jeff Skinner from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward prospect Cliff Pu, a second-round pick in 2019 and third- and sixth-round selections in 2020.

The trade for Skinner, who’s entering the final season of his contract, gives the Sabres another proven scorer at wing. The Sabres, the NHL’s lowest-scoring team last season, needed to replace the offense they lost ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen spent the early part of his career in his native Finland. ©2018, Hickling Images

Sabres prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to play in OHL next season

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, perhaps the Buffalo Sabres’ goalie of the future, will play junior hockey next season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves, the Finn announced today on Twitter.

The Wolves selected Luukkonen, 19, third overall in the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft on June 28.... Read the full article

The Sabres drafted Rasmus Dahlin first overall. ©2018, Hickling Images

Tickets available for Sabres’ Prospects Challenge tournament

BUFFALO – Fans can now reserve their seats for defenseman Rasmus Dahlin’s first appearances in a Sabres uniform.

The team announced this morning tickets for the annual Prospects Challenge rookie tournament from Sept. 7 to 10 at HarborCenter are now on sale.

The Sabres, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins will all be competing in a round-robin challenge.

Tickets for the games – each team plays three times – cost $10 and are ... Read the full article

The Sabres selectred Vasily Glotov in the seventh round in 2016. ©2018, Micheline Veluvolu

Amerks sign Tyler Randell, Vasily Glotov to AHL contracts

The Rochester Americans have signed forwards Tyler Randell and Vasily Glotov to one-year AHL contracts, the Buffalo Sabres’ top affiliate announced today.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Randell played 27 games with the Boston Bruins in 2015-16, scoring six goals and six points.... Read the full article

Ray Emery was known for his competitiveness. ©2018, Hickling Images

Martin Biron on Ray Emery: ‘He was a fighter in every sense of the word’

For years, Martin Biron only knew about Ray Emery’s ultra-competitive side.

Their 2007 fight, the centerpiece of a memorable brawl between Biron’s Buffalo Sabres and Emery’s Ottawa Senators, ranks among the wildest goalie scraps ever and provided the seminal moment of the teams’ fierce post-lockout rivalry.... Read the full article

C.J. Smith compiled 17 goals and 44 points last season. ©2018, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans

Sabres re-sign C.J. Smith; Sam Reinhart last unsigned RFA

BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed forward C.J. Smith, one of the AHL’s top rookies last season, to a one-year, two-way deal, the team announced today.

The contract is worth $874,125 at the NHL level.

Winger Sam Reinhart is now the Sabres’ only unsigned restricted free agent.... Read the full article