April Edition
Linus Ullmark has earned nine of Buffalo’s 11 wins this season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark is week to week with a lower-body injury, interim coach Don Granato said this afternoon.
So, does that mean Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be recalled? General manager Kevyn Adams said Thursday the top goalie prospect could make his NHL debut this weekend.
Luukkonen, 22, hasn’t been summoned yet. Granato said the Sabres would determine his status later today. The Finn has been recovering from a lower-body injury and missed the ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen missed Wednesday’s game in Rochester. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Top goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s highly anticipated NHL debut could take place this weekend, Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said.
The Sabres have become woefully thin in net, losing Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton to injuries after trading Jonas Johansson.
If Luukkonen hadn’t suffered a lower-body injury with the Rochester Americans, the Sabres likely would’ve recalled him before Thursday’s 5-2 road win over the Washington Capitals at Capital One Center. The Finn missed ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel was injured March 7. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
When Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel was diagnosed with a herniated disc in his neck last month, doctors told him to rehab, general manager Kevyn Adams said.
Perhaps the disc would move enough over time and Eichel could be cleared to play. But when the center was examined last week, Adams said the injury showed only “slight improvements.”
“There still wasn’t a comfort from anyone it was the right time to jump back into the ... Read the full article
Jason Karmanos has won three Stanley Cups. ©2021, Rochester Americans
After Kevyn Adams took over as Buffalo Sabres general manager last June, he said he wanted to catch his breath and develop an understanding of what he needed for his front office.
Adams, who had never worked in a hockey department, inherited a skeleton crew with no assistant GMs after the Sabres fired GM Jason Botterill and 21 members of his department.
On Wednesday, Adams added a major piece, hiring Jason Karmanos as associate GM.... Read the full article
Jack Eichel has missed the last 19 games. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
As late as Monday, Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams held out a sliver hope injured captain Jack Eichel could return and play some late-season games.
But on Wednesday, the Sabres announced Eichel, 24, will miss the rest of the season recovering from a herniated disc in his neck.
The Sabres expect Eichel will be healthy and ready for the start of next season. Interim coach Don Granato said he doesn’t know if Eichel needs ... Read the full article
Don Granato has quickly made an impact on the Sabres. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Even before Don Granato started winning games and unlocking talent from struggling players, Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said he wanted the interim coach to be in the mix when he began pursuing a regular coach.
“From the beginning, I always thought that Donnie should be part of this conversation regardless of what happens exactly on the wins and losses of our team,” Adams said on a Zoom call Tuesday after the trade deadline.... Read the full article
Linus Ullmark has been Buffalo’s MVP. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
In his third full NHL season, goalie Linus Ullmark has emerged as the Buffalo Sabres’ MVP and backbone. When a lower-body injury sidelined him almost a month earlier this year, they lost 15 straight games.
Their three other goalies this season – Carter Hutton, Jonas Johansson and Dustin Tokarski – have a combined record of 1-19-3!
The Sabres sorely need to re-sign Ullmark, who can become an unrestricted free agent following the season.
“A ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel has missed the last 18 games. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said this afternoon that captain Jack Eichel will miss more time recovering from his upper-body injury.
Eichel, 24, has missed 18 games since suffering what appeared to be a neck injury when the New York Islanders’ Casey Cizikas hit him behind the net March 7.
Adams did not rule out Eichel returning for some late-season games.... Read the full article
Curtis Lazar signed a two-year contract in the offseason. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Ex-Buffalo Sabres center Curtis Lazar signed a two-year contract prior to the season and quickly solidified a regular spot in the lineup, so he wasn’t expecting to be traded before this afternoon’s deadline.
“Yeah, it completely caught me off guard,” said Lazar, who was dealt to the Boston Bruins earlier today with winger Taylor Hall in exchange for forward Anders Bjork and a second-round pick in 2021.
At 11 p.m. Sunday, Lazar, 26, said he ... Read the full article
Taylor Hall has a no-movement clause in his contract. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
In October, before winger Taylor Hall signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Buffalo Sabres, he said he was “really close” to joining the Boston Bruins as a free agent.
“I was ready to be a Bruin and just some other things kind of didn’t work out,” Hall said on a Zoom call Monday morning hours after being traded to the Bruins. “But it was not like any hard feelings or anything like ... Read the full article
