Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Flames captain Mark Giordano quietly one of NHL’s best defensemen

BUFFALO – Seven years ago, Mark Giordano bolted from North America, all the way to the Russian KHL. Just 55 games into his NHL career, the Calgary Flames defenseman wanted more playing time and money.

“I didn’t really know if I’d ever come back,” Giordano said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center. “I thought I could be a good player in Europe for a long time if I had to.”

Following one season with ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Hodgson to be scratched against Flames

BUFFALO – Struggling center Cody Hodgson, who has one goal and three points in 28 games this season, will be a healthy scratch for the first time in his Sabres career tonight against the Calgary Flames.

“Maybe a game watching will get him out of that funk,” Sabres coach Ted Nolan said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

Winger Chris Stewart, a scratch last game, will return, Nolan said.

Hodgson has been ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chris Stewart knows he must be better, still irked over benching

BUFFALO – Struggling Sabres winger Chris Stewart has three goals in 27 games this season, skated less than 10 minutes in each of his last two appearances and recently had his coach accuse him of doing “pirouettes” on the ice.

Still, a seething Stewart said getting scratched for the Sabres’ 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday was “a big surprise.”

“I’m not happy about it,” Stewart said Wednesday following a long skate. ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chris Stewart upset over healthy scratch

Still, a seething Stewart called getting scratched for Tuesday’s 1-0 win against Los Angeles a “big surprise.”

“I’m not happy about it,” Stewart said today inside the First Niagara Center. “I don’t agree with being ... Read the full article

Goalie Jhonas Enroth shines again, Sabres beat Kings

BUFFALO – While there has been no official designation, Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth started again Tuesday, his seventh nod in the last eight games.

Two months into the season, the 26-year-old Swede has quietly become the rebuilding team’s No. 1 netminder, showcasing a calm, steady style each night.

Enroth dazzled again Tuesday in the Sabres’ 1-0 win against the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, stopping 34 shots and outdueling counterpart Jonathan Quick, a ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Chris Stewart doesn’t want to discuss benching

BUFFALO – Instead of walking into the dressing room following a long skate Tuesday morning, struggling Sabres winger Chris Stewart veered off and undressed somewhere else.

A few minutes later, a staff member wheeled in Stewart’s equipment on a shopping cart and placed it in his locker.

Clearly, Stewart, a healthy scratch for the Sabres’ 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Kings, wasn’t in the mood to discuss his benching.

“All players have to play ... Read the full article

Kings’ Jamie McBain finally settled following season with Sabres

BUFFALO – No one wanted Jamie McBain.

When the Sabres refused to tender a qualifying offer to the restricted free agent in June, the defenseman found zero suitors on the open market. Late in the summer, McBain received a tryout in Arizona’s training camp. After the Coyotes let him go, he went home to Minnesota.

“It was a long summer, especially October, just sitting there watching all the games,” McBain, who joined the Los ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Nikita Zadorov would be happy in NHL or with Russia

BUFFALO – Naturally, Russia recently put Sabres defenseman Nikita Zadorov on its preliminary roster for the upcoming world junior championship. The country has nothing to lose by adding the 19-year-old’s name.

The Sabres, of course, can keep Zadorov if they want.

But would they actually let Zadorov, who skates more than 20 minutes some nights beside Rasmus Ristolainen, join his country for the tournament?

“I just read it for the first time myself that ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chris Stewart to be scratched against Kings

BUFFALO – Less than two weeks ago, Chris Stewart appeared to turn a corner. The 6-foot-2, 231-pound Sabres winger scored two nifty breakaway goals during a three-game stretch, just his second and third goals this season.

But Stewart has done little since then, so Sabres coach Ted Nolan will make the 27-year-old a healthy scratch for tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings inside the First Niagara Center.

“All players have to play to the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Hodgson slowly emerging from season-long funk

BUFFALO – Just under 11 minutes into Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Florida, Cody Hodgson grabbed a loose puck in the corner and beat a Panthers defender along the wall. The Sabres center then cut to the middle and fended off two more Panthers before deftly feeding Drew Stafford, who one-timed the perfect pass in the net from the left circle.

“For him to have that vision to make a play like that, just goes to ... Read the full article