Adams - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Amid trade speculation, Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt thriving: ‘I love it here’

BUFFALO – Center Casey Mittelstadt understands the trade speculation. The Sabres, after all, are mired in 14th place, a distant 12 points out of the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot. Changes will inevitably come.

“I mean, it’s a business, right?” he said of his future being discussed.

In the midst of a disappointing year, Mittelstadt, 25, has emerged as the Sabres’ leading scorer and perhaps their most consistent forward. As a restricted free agent ... Read the full article

Sabres waive goalie Eric Comrie to create roster spot

The Buffalo Sabres on Sunday placed struggling goalie Eric Comrie on waivers to create a roster spot for winger Zemgus Girgensons, who was activated from injured reserve.

Girgensons, 29, has missed the last 17 games with a lower-body injury. He could return for Sunday’s road game against the Ottawa Senators.

The move leaves the Sabres with goalies Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

Comrie, who signed a two-year, $3.8 million contract as a free agent in ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kevyn Adams expresses faith in Don Granato; Seth Appert subs for ill coach in OT win

BUFFALO – Forty-five minutes prior to the Sabres’ 3-2 overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets, general manager Kevyn Adams acknowledged he understands the frustration directed toward himself, coach Don Granato and the assistants.

The Sabres have woefully underachieved this season, morphing from one of the NHL’s up-and-coming young teams into perhaps its biggest disappointment.

They’re wildly inconsistent, regularly get outworked, often fall behind early in games and have trouble scoring and preventing goals. Nearly ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Don Granato to miss game because of illness; Seth Appert to fill in

Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato is ill and won’t be available for this afternoon’s home game, the team announced this morning. Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert will assume his duties behind the bench for the day.

Granato, 56, conducted Friday’s practice and addressed the media after the Sabres prepared for their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center.

When Granato went into COVID-19 protocol in 2020-21, general manager Kevyn Adams subbed behind the ... Read the full article

Sabres create roster space by waiving Tyson Jost, making another move

BUFFALO – If center Tyson Jost clears waivers and reports to the AHL – he has two goals and a $2 million salary, so teams will likely pass – he will begin his first stint in the minors in five years.

Jost, 25, fit in nicely on and off the ice last season after the Sabres plucked him off waivers from the Minnesota Wild, and he earned a new one-year contract.

But like many of ... Read the full article

After getting waived by Sabres, Jacob Bryson seizes chance with Amerks

ROCHESTER – As the weeks dragged on and Jacob Bryson remained a healthy scratch, he told the Sabres throwing him in a game would be unfair.

No amount of practice can replicate game action, and the defenseman feared he would be susceptible to injury if they used him. When they waived him Dec. 18, he had sat out 20 consecutive contests over a 44-day stretch, his last appearance coming Nov. 4.

Bryson, 26, had morphed ... Read the full article

Reeling Sabres implode in ugly loss to Blue Jackets: ‘We got to find it’

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Kyle Okposo spoke firmly following Tuesday’s embarrassing 9-4 loss, the low point of the Kevyn Adams-Don Granato era.

The Sabres, the veteran said, did not quit during an ugly second period in which the lowly Columbus Blue Jackets scored four times and opened up a stunning 7-1 lead.

Moments later, when a question was asked about the Sabres listening to their coaches, an angry Okposo immediately shot it down.

“Listen, I’m ... Read the full article

Two Sabres prospects named to Team Canada’s World Juniors roster

Buffalo Sabres prospects Matt Savoie and Scott Ratzlaff have earned spots on Team Canada’s 22-man roster for the 2024 World Junior Championship.

General manager Kevyn Adams recently said Canada showed interest in adding rookie winger Zach Benson, 18, to the roster, but as an NHL regular, the Sabres don’t seem interested in letting him go.

Savoie, 19, played his first NHL game Nov. 10 before the Sabres sent him back to junior. The forward ... Read the full article

After battling adversity, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen becoming No. 1 goalie Sabres envisioned

BUFFALO – That miraculous save was a result of Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s experience and growing confidence, not luck.

Sure, it helped that Jimmy Vesey couldn’t lift the puck high as Luukkonen lunged across the crease during the third period of Monday’s 5-1 road win over the New York Rangers.

Still, the Finn, Sabres coach Don Granato explained, now reads plays so well he knew Vesey was lurking in the left circle, waiting for Erik ... Read the full article

Sabres believe goalie Devon Levi will embrace assignment to Rochester, develop with Amerks

BUFFALO – As the Sabres’ decision-makers examined the upcoming schedule, they saw saw limited opportunities here for rookie goalie Devon Levi.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has emerged as the Sabres’ best goalie, and they want to award him more starts. If they kept three netminders, Levi would’ve played perhaps once a week. Following tonight’s road game against the St. Louis Blues, the Sabres play 15 times in December, meaning practice time will be limited.

So on Tuesday, ... Read the full article