Adams - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres could re-sign Dominik Kahun after passing on qualifying offer

For weeks, there was speculation the Buffalo Sabres would pass on tendering defenseman Brandon Montour a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent.

Considering former general manager Jason Botterill traded a top prospect and a first round pick for Montour in 2019, the thought of letting him go seemed outrageous. But the belief was the Sabres, who have tightened their belts during the COVID-19 pandemic, did not want to pay Montour big money.

Well, Wednesday’s ... Read the full article

Prospect J-J Peterka thrilled Sabres traded up to draft him

As the NHL Draft progressed Tuesday night, J-J Peterka started getting a little upset. The German forward many had pegged as a first-round selection kept waiting to be picked.

Two of his fellow countrymen – forwards Tim Stutzle (third overall, Ottawa Senators) and Lukas Reichel (17th, Chicago Blackhawks) – went off the board early.

When the first round ended, Peterka, 18, was still available. Meanwhile, rookie general manager Kevyn Adams was trying to move up ... Read the full article

Sabres NHL Draft tracker: J-J Peterka selected 34th after trade

The Buffalo Sabres made a trade early on the second day of the NHL Draft, sending the 38th and 100th picks to the San Jose Sharks so they could move up and grab German forward J-J Peterka 34th overall.

The Sabres don’t have another pick today until the fifth round, 131st overall.

The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Peterka spent last season playing against men for Red Bull Munich in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), scoring seven goals ... Read the full article

Top Sabres pick Jack Quinn developed rapidly during 52-goal draft season

Growing up, Jack Quinn liked to think of himself as a multi-sport athlete. The high-scoring winger the Buffalo Sabres drafted eighth overall Tuesday did not simply focus on hockey. He also enjoyed playing baseball and golf.

“I didn’t really train for hockey, really, I just played it,” said Quinn, who scored 52 goals in 62 games last season for the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s.

Not surprisingly, Quinn struggled to make any progress in hockey. ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Virtual NHL Draft forces changes; Buffalo will pick best player

Instead mingling with his counterparts on the arena floor, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams stayed in Buffalo on Tuesday and ran his first NHL Draft from KeyBank Center with his cellphone close by.

In regular times, the eyes of media members and spectators are often fixated on the floor, the hub of activity during the NHL Draft. The site of two GMs chatting can ignite intense speculation and sometimes means a trade is brewing.

When ... Read the full article

Sabres draft high-scoring winger Jack Quinn with No. 8 pick

The Buffalo Sabres have selected winger Jack Quinn, who scored 52 goals with the Ottawa 67’s last season, eighth overall at the NHL tonight.

The 6-foot, 167-pound Quinn is the first pick under new Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams.

Quinn, who often draws comparisons to Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak, ranked seventh among draft-eligible North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting.

Quinn, 19, is a bit of a late bloomer. He scored only ... Read the full article

NHL Draft, free agency will be critical tests for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams

The smile on Kevyn Adams’ face said everything. What promises to be the oddest offseason in NHL history is about to kick into high gear, and the Buffalo Sabres’ rookie general manager couldn’t hide his excitement.

During a 30-minute Zoom call Monday, Adams, 45, rarely stopped grinning. After preparing nearly four months throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to reshape the Sabres, Adams and his staff will be busy this week.

Following the NHL Draft – the ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has no plans to trade Jack Eichel

The Buffalo Sabres have no intention of trading captain Jack Eichel, general manager Kevyn Adams said Monday.

Eichel’s comment following last season he was “fed up” with losing ignited speculation he could want out. Last week, after Eichel’s name surfaced in rumors, TSN’s Bob Mackenzie reported Eichel hadn’t requested a trade and the Sabres had no intention of dealing their top center.

“People call every day,” Adams said on a Zoom call in advance ... Read the full article

Johan Larsson’s long career with Sabres could be over

Johan Larsson looked looser early last season. The Sabres center, affectionately nicknamed “Angry Larry,” even occasionally smiled, a rarity throughout his turbulent seven-year career in Buffalo.

Naturally, as the season progressed, the Sabres’ annual implosion sapped some of his happiness.

Still, Larsson, 28, enjoyed perhaps his best NHL campaign. The tenacious Swede entrenched himself between Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo early in 2019-20, helping the trio morph into one of the league’s best checking ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Eric Staal’s acquisition helps Kevyn Adams establish credibility

Barely an hour after Kevyn Adams acquired center Eric Staal last week, he hadn’t given much thought to having completed his first trade as Buffalo Sabres general manager.

“I’ve been so focused on this process and the work that goes into it,” Adams said Sept. 16 after dishing forward Marcus Johansson to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Staal.

Adams, 45, experienced a whirlwind summer as he began tackling the daunting task of trying to ... Read the full article