Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle could crack lineup

BUFFALO – Brendan Guhle is no longer the impressive rookie getting a long look before going back to junior. Suddenly, the Sabres defense prospect, the 51^st overall pick in June, has a real chance to be on the opening-night roster in nine days.

“Definitely there’s an opportunity,” said Guhle, who will play his fourth preseason game tonight. “There’s some injuries now, whatnot. I’m not looking too far ahead of myself.”

Four notable defensemen – ... Read the full article

Sabres suddenly possess impressive center depth

BUFFALO – Dan Bylsma wanted to count them all first. So before the coach talked about the impressive center depth the Sabres have quickly assembled, he rattled off each one on the roster.

When Bylsma stopped, he had named eight: Ryan O’Reilly, No. 2 overall pick Jack Eichel, Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson, David Legwand, Sam Reinhart and Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, two wingers with experience down the middle.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen ready to return

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen practiced today and should play in Tuesday’s preseason game against the Toronto Maple Leafs inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres suddenly need the Finn, who had been sidelined by a lower-body injury all of training camp, badly. Four defensemen are injured 10 days before opening night.

Zach Bogosian and Josh Gorges are both week-to-week with lower-body injuries, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said inside HarborCenter. Bogosian was originally labeled ... Read the full article

Sabres send 10 players to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres have sent 10 players to the Rochester Americans, including Williamsville native Justin Bailey, a wing prospect beginning his first professional season.

The Sabres also sent forwards Nick Baptiste, William Carrier, Dan Catenacci, Jerry D’Amigo, Jean Dupuy Justin Kea, Jack Nevins and Phil Varone and goalie Andrey Makarov to the AHL club. D’Amigo and Varone must clear waivers.

In addition, the Sabres released forward Matt Garbowsky and defenseman Matt Prapavessis from their ... Read the full article

O’Reilly brothers enjoy special night as Sabres teammates

TORONTO – Growing up about 140 miles away in Goderich, Ont., Buffalo Sabres center Cal O’Reilly witnessed some epic meltdowns when he beat his younger brother, Ryan, in hockey games.

“When he would lose, he would start throwing stuff – sticks and anything he could get his hands on,” Cal O’Reilly said Friday prior to the Sabres’ 6-4 preseason win against the Maple Leafs, the brothers’ first appearance together as teammates at any level ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle still impressing; Dan Catenacci to debut

TORONTO – Instead of being in Canada’s largest city for an NHL exhibition game tonight, Buffalo Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle figured he’d likely be playing his first junior game this season about 3,000 kilometers away – hey, check the dateline – in Saskatchewan for the Prince Albert Raiders.

But the defenseman, the 51^st pick in June, will play his third straight preseason game tonight against the Maple Leafs inside the Air Canada Centre.

“Good ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno searching for consistency

TORONTO – Like the coaches before him, Dan Bylsma catches glimpes of Marcus Foligno’s potential watching the 6-foot-3, 226-pound Buffalo Sabres winger on tape. But, Bylsma noted, “How often do you have to watch him?”

Coaches could examine weeks of video before finding a single Foligno highlight.

“You watch him skate and you see his size and you see what he can do on the ice,” Bylsma said Thursday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s ... Read the full article

Former Sabres standout Derek Plante still reminded of famous goal

BUFFALO – At home in Duluth, Minn., no one knows or cares about the goal. But when Derek Plante occasionally visits here, where he played six seasons for the Sabres, he can’t avoid talking about it.

“Everybody brings up the goal, of course,” Plante said this morning about his Game 7 first-round overtime winner against the Ottawa Senators on April 29, 1997, one of the most famous goals in Sabres history.

Plante quietly enjoyed ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Eichel likely out against Leafs; Rasmus Ristolainen progressing

BUFFALO – Rookie center Jack Eichel likely won’t play in the Sabres’ third preseason game Friday in Toronto against the Maple Leafs, coach Dan Bylsma said this morning.

Eichel, who had a goal and assist in his debut Monday, should play in Saturday’s road tilt against the Ottawa Senators. The Sabres will essentially use split squads for the next two games, Bylsma said.

Bylsma wants his regular goalies, Robin Lehner and Chad Johnson, to play ... Read the full article

Evander Kane scores twice in Sabres’ preseason loss to Senators

BUFFALO – A week ago, Sabres newcomer Evander Kane, a winger who has hit the 30-goal mark once in his six-year career, boldly said he wants score 40 or 50 times this season.

Was it brash? You bet. But Kane backed up his words Wednesday, starting his Sabres career splendidly by scoring twice in their 5-2 exhibition loss to the Ottawa Senators before an announced crowd of 17,298 fans inside the First Niagara Center.

“It ... Read the full article