Bill Hoppe - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Brian Elliott’s re-signing means Blues won’t bring back Ryan Miller

The conditional draft pick the Buffalo Sabres received from the St. Louis Blues in the blockbuster Ryan Miller-Steve Ott trade won’t become this year’s first-rounder.

The Blues signed backup goalie Brian Elliott to a three-year extension today, effectively ending Miller’s short run with the club.

The Sabres will likely receive a 2016 third-round selection now.

Clearly, the Blues, a team built to win the Stanley Cup this season, weren’t going to re-sign Miller after their ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Zemgus Girgensons suspended for spearing at world championship

Zemgus Girgensons, dirty player?

Not really. The Buffalo Sabres center showcased a clean game during his rookie season in 2013-14, accumulating only 14 penalty minutes in 70 contests. But the IIHF has suspended Girgensons one world championship game for spearing Alexander Burmistrov in Latvia’s 4-1 loss to Russia on Friday.

Check out the video below. Girgensons, umm, got Burmistrov pretty good.

The 20-year-old must sit out Latvia’s tilt against host Belarus on Monday. Latvia’s ... Read the full article

Sabres veteran Zenon Konopka suspended 20 games for violating PED program

BUFFALO – Sabres center Zenon Konopka has been suspended 20 games for violating the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program, becoming just the second player in NHL history suspended for PEDs.

Konopka, an unrestricted free agent this summer, will serve his ban at the beginning of any new contract. Under terms of the CBA, mandatory referral to the NHL/NHLPA Program for Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health for evaluation and possible treatment accompanies the suspension.

The substance ... Read the full article

Sabres raise season-ticket prices 4 percent

Fresh off a tumultuous year in which they finished dead last in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres will raise season-ticket prices 4 percent for next season, the club announced today.

The increase, the same as last year, is about $1 to $4 a game, depending on seat location.

In a statement, president Ted Black thanked fans for their patience “through a challenging season” and said the Sabres need to balance affordability “against the opportunity to ... Read the full article

Former Sabre Alexander Sulzer signs 5-year deal in native Germany

BUFFALO – Former Sabres defenseman Alexander Sulzer has signed a five-year contract with Kolner Haie, a DEL team in his native Germany.

Sulzer was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The 29-year-old played 57 games with the Sabres over parts of three years, compiling six goals and 14 points.

He suffered a season-ending concussion March 13. He said last month he was still experiencing headaches.

The Sabres’ old regime waived ... Read the full article

Amerks’ Colton Gillies hoping impressive AHL season leads to another NHL gig

ROCHESTER – The summer dragged on and on, and Colton Gillies, a former first-round pick with 154 games of big league experience, couldn’t find any work.

Gillies was still months away from turning 25. He had just spent two straight seasons in the NHL. At 6-foot-4, he possessed size, a precious commodity, yet skating was his biggest asset.

Still, no one wanted him.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that,” Gillies said Saturday after a gritty ... Read the full article

Ex-Sabres standout John Tucker knew life would bring him back to Buffalo

AMHERST – John Tucker quickly found new adventures after his playing career ended in 2000. The popular former Buffalo Sabres center won two championships coaching in Italy. He still co-owns a training rink in Tampa, where he had settled with his family.

But all the while, Tucker, who played with the Sabres from 1983-91, knew his life would bring him back to Buffalo.

“Everyone seems to circle back to stuff they love,” Tucker said Sunday ... Read the full article

Amerks hold late lead, tie series against Wolves

ROCHESTER – A night after blowing a late 3-1 lead and losing the playoff opener in overtime, the Americans experienced deja vu.

“It was ‘Groundhog Day,’” coach Chadd Cassidy joked Saturday after the Amerks grinded out a 3-2 win against the Chicago Wolves, tying the best-of-five Calder Cup playoff series. “We go up 3-1. Rasmus (Ristolainen), just a complete bomb off the crossbar.

“Same thing happened (Friday). We had a chance to go up 4-1 ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Tim Schaller developing into all-around talent with Amerks

ROCHESTER – On April 5, the Americans began the third period of a pivotal late-season tilt trailing the Marlies 3-0. Twenty minutes later, buoyed by fourth-line center Tim Schaller’s natural hat trick, they had rallied for a stunning 4-3 victory in Toronto.

Schaller had four goals in 65 AHL games before scoring three times in a 14-minute stretch.

“I didn’t think it would ever happen, but it did,” Schaller said last week inside the Blue ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko thriving with AHL Amerks

ROCHESTER – Finally, almost two years after the Buffalo Sabres drafted him 12^th overall, center Mikhail Grigorenko has landed in the AHL.

Just weeks before his 20^th birthday, the prospect too good for junior but too green for the NHL has settled in nicely with the Americans.

The Amerks closed the regular season 7-1-1 with Grigorenko, who recorded his four assists in his first three appearances.

But numbers aren’t important right now.

“Maybe ... Read the full article