Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Prospect Casey Mittelstadt took unusual path to NHL Draft

BUFFALO – For years, it was a family tradition. Dede and Tom Mittelstadt would take their son, Casey, out of school in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, so they could drive to St. Paul and watch the state high school hockey tournament.

For those unfamiliar with high school hockey’s wild popularity in Minnesota, the best comparison would probably be football in Texas. Almost 20,000 fans pack the Xcel Energy Center, home of the Minnesota Wild, to see ... Read the full article

Sabres pass on signing Giorgio Estephan

BUFFALO – The Sabres have apparently passed on signing center prospect Giorgio Estephan.

NHL teams had until 5 p.m. today to ink their 2015 non-collegiate draft picks to entry-level contracts. While a late contract announcement could be made, it is highly unlikely.

Estephan, 20, enjoyed a big junior season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in 2016-17, scoring 35 goals and 89 points in 68 games. He added 11 goals and 24 points in 18 playoff ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Cal Petersen leaves school; Giorgio Estephan still unsigned

Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Cal Petersen announced Wednesday he will forego his final season of NCAA eligibility with Notre Dame and sign a pro contact this summer.

Now, does that mean Petersen, 22, will sign with the Sabres, who drafted him in the fifth round, 129th overall, in 2013? Not necessarily.

The Sabres have 30 days to sign Petersen, one of the NCAA’s best goalies and the Fighting Irish’s captain, or they lose his rights. ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie prospect Cal Petersen to turn pro

Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Cal Petersen announced this afternoon he will forego his final season of NCAA eligibility with Notre Dame and sign a pro contact this summer.

Now, does that mean Petersen, 22, will sign with the Sabres, who drafted him in the fifth round, 129th overall, in 2013? Not necessarily.... Read the full article

Report: Sabres interview Bob Boughner for coaching job

Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill interviewed San Jose Sharks assistant Bob Boughner for the team’s vacant head coaching job Tuesday, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

The Sabres haven’t had a coach since firing Dan Bylsma with GM Tim Murray on April 20.

Boughner, 46, has spent the last two seasons as an assistant in San Jose. He previously spent eight seasons coaching the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires, winning two championships. He was also ... Read the full article

Sabres fire Amerks coach Dan Lambert

The Buffalo Sabres fired Rochester Americans coach Dan Lambert today, ending his one-year run with the AHL affiliate.

Given Lambert, 47, was hired by former general manager Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma, who were fired April 20, new Sabres GM Jason Botterill was almost expected to make the move.

“I would like to thank Dan for his hard work and contributions to our organization during the last two seasons and I wish him the ... Read the full article

Sabres sign Victor Antipin to bolster defense

BUFFALO – Defenseman Victor Antipin has officially joined the Sabres.

More than two months after it was first reported Antipin would leave the KHL for the NHL, the Sabres signed the 24-year-old to a one-year, entry-level contract today.

“Victor is a well-rounded defenseman who has played in all situations at the pro level,” Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said in a statement. “His mobility and puck-moving skills make him a perfect match for what we’re ... Read the full article

Sabres sign ECHL affiliation agreement with Cincinnati

For three seasons in the early 1970s, Buffalo Sabres prospects developed with the Cincinnati Swords. Players like Rick Dudley, Bill Hajt and Craig Ramsay graduated to the NHL from the AHL affiliate.

Now, more than 40 years later, Buffalo will again send some prospects to Cincinnati. The Sabres have signed an affiliation agreement with the city’s ECHL team, the Cyclones, the team announced today.... Read the full article

Report: Sabres to make uniform changes next season

The Buffalo Sabres are one of 12 NHL teams that will make changes to their uniform next season, according to sportslogos.net.

Don’t, however, expect a big overhaul. The changes could be as small as a few tweaks. The Sabres will keep their primary logo.

The changes will come with the NHL’s switch from Reebok to Adidas as their jersey manufacturer in 2017-18.

The Sabres have worn their current blue home jersey with the charging ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Jason Botterill wants coach with Mike Sullivan’s traits

BUFFALO – When Sabres general manager Jason Botterill interviewed Mike Sullivan for Pittsburgh’s AHL coaching vacancy two years ago, thoughts of the candidate’s unsuccessful run as an assistant in Vancouver were fresh in his mind.

“I had an impression,” Botterill said Thursday of Sullivan, who spent a tumultuous season with the Canucks in 2013-14 beside embattled coach John Tortorella.

But Sullivan changed that impression. The former Boston Bruins coach had just spent a year as ... Read the full article