Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres release training camp roster and schedule

BUFFALO – The season’s getting closer, Sabres fans.

The team announced today training camp will open next Thursday when veterans report for testing and physicals. The first on-ice sessions are a day later.

On-ice sessions at the First Niagara Center are open to the public.

The camp roster and the first week of the schedule are below.

2014-15 Training Camp Roster

Friday, Sept. 19
Session one: 11-11:45 a.m.
Session two: 1:15-2 p.m.
Session three: 3:30-4:15 ... Read the full article

Sabres players excited by Terry and Kim Pegula’s purchase of Buffalo Bills

BUFFALO – It wasn’t hard for Sabres winger Drew Stafford to see the excitement Terry and Kim Pegula’s purchase of the Buffalo Bills has generated around town.

“Everyone’s kind of got a little bit of a jump in their step,” Stafford said this morning, a day after Sabres owner Terry Pegula added the NFL franchise to his family’s growing sports empire.

The acquisition, Stafford said, is “bringing everyone together” around Buffalo.

“There’s a lot of positivity ... Read the full article

Sabres owner Terry Pegula issues statement following purchase of Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula and his wife, Kim, released this statement today following their purchase of the Buffalo Bills:

“Kim and I are humbled and honored that the Wilson family has chosen us to be the second owner of the Buffalo Bills. Pending the NFL approval process, being the next owner of the Buffalo Bills would be a great privilege for our family. Ralph Wilson left an indelible mark on our community and we ... Read the full article

Flashback: Terry Pegula’s emotional purchase of Sabres

To a certain degree, the euphoria sweeping through Western New York today was felt once before, on Feb. 22, 2011, when Terry Pegula was introduced as the Sabres’ fourth owner.

Of course, Pegula’s reported purchase of the Buffalo Bills is much different.

While the Sabres weren’t in danger of moving, there was a feeling he had rescued the franchise. With the Sabres among the NHL’s bottom-feeders, it’s easy to forget now, but that day was ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Andre Benoit paid dues to earn regular NHL gig

BUFFALO – Andre Benoit never stayed on a straight path to the NHL. The Sabres defenseman zigzagged, even backtracked, all across the globe before earning an opportunity.

After two seasons in Montreal’s organization, Benoit bolted for Europe out of frustration over his playing time. When he returned and briefly cracked the NHL with Ottawa, he jetted to Russia to earn more money.

All the while, Benoit, an undersized 5-foot-11, kept posting big offensive numbers. But ... Read the full article

Sam Reinhart headlines Sabres’ Traverse City roster

BUFFALO – Four first-round picks, including center Sam Reinhart, the No. 2 overall selection this year, are on the Sabres’ 24-man roster for the 2014 NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich.

Winger Joel Armia and defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov are the other first-rounders.

The eight-team tournament runs from Friday until next Tuesday. The Sabres won in 2011 and finished second in 2013.

The complete Buffalo roster the team released today is ... Read the full article

Brian Gionta on Sabres’ captaincy: ‘By no means am I expecting it’

BUFFALO – To most observers, it’s a formality. At some point before the season begins Oct. 9, the Sabres will name Brian Gionta their new captain.

Awarding Gionta the prestigious ‘C’ makes sense. The 35-year-old, the rebuilding club’s oldest and most experienced player, just served four seasons as Montreal’s captain. He won the Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2003.

By any measure, the winger’s the Sabres’ most qualified candidate.

Still, Gionta, who signed a ... Read the full article

Bruins invite Sabres buyout Ville Leino to training camp

Mark your calendars, Sabres fans. When Boston visits Buffalo on Oct. 18, Ville Leino could be a member of the Bruins.

The Bruins, the 2011 Stanley Cup champions and one of the NHL’s elite teams for years, have invited Leino to training camp on a tryout.

The Sabres, of course, bought out the final three seasons of Leino’s six-year, $27 million contact in June. The Finn, who scored zero goals last season, is on Buffalo’s ... Read the full article

Mike Grier to coach team at All-American Prospects Game

BUFFALO – USA Hockey has named popular former Sabres winger Mike Grier and Ed Olczyk the coaches for the upcoming All-American Prospects Game.

Grier played 1,060 NHL games, including 241 with the Sabres over parts of four seasons. He retired in 2011.

The 39-year-old represented the U.S. in international competitions as a player. He was an on-ice instructor at the USA Hockey Boys’ Select 17 Player Development Camp in July.

Olczyk played 1,031 NHL games ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel headlines All-American Prospects roster

BUFFALO – Jack Eichel, a slick center many project to be the No. 2 draft pick next year, headlines the 42-man roster USA Hockey released today for the upcoming All-American Prospects Game.

The Sept. 25 tilt at the First Niagara Center features the top U.S. players eligible for the 2015 draft.

Eichel, a Boston University freshman, could be one of the top American prospects ever. He’s expected to be drafted behind center Connor McDavid, whose ... Read the full article