WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Stretch Run Edition
Aaron Dell played two preseason games for Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon waived struggling goalie Aaron Dell, meaning they could begin the season with veterans Craig Anderson and Dustin Tokarski in net.
Dell, 32, compiled a 0-0-1 record with a 5.57 goals-against average and an .838 save percentage in 65 minutes played over two preseason games.
In Tuesday’s 5-4 road loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, Dell relieved Tokarski, allowing three goals in 35 minutes of game action and four goals in ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen played two preseason games. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – On the surface, goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s preseason looks disappointing. Instead of forcing the Sabres to keep him, they demoted the Finn to the minors 10 days before opening night.
Luukkonen, 22, compiled a 0-2-0 record in two starts, allowing five goals in each game.
Still, coach Don Granato said Luukkonen, one of seven players the Sabres sent to the Rochester Americans on Tuesday, enjoyed “a great camp.”
“In a progressive way,” Granato ... Read the full article
Dustin Tokarski played 13 games for Buffalo last season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Very quietly, Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski has enjoyed a stellar training camp, allowing just one goal in nearly 53 minutes of preseason action.
Tokarski, 32, has outplayed newcomer Aaron Dell in the competition for the backup job behind Craig Anderson.
Tokarski will start tonight’s road exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Penguins before Dell relieves him. Another strong outing by Tokarski could cement a roster spot.
Earlier today, the Sabres sent top goalie ... Read the full article
Vinnie Hinostroza scored a career-high 16 goals in 2018-19. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When Don Granato hung up the phone that day in July, he believed Vinnie Hinostroza wouldn’t be excited about the opportunities the Sabres could offer him.
Granato refuses to oversell players. He was blunt with Hinostroza, a winger he coached with the Chicago Blackhawks, and challenged him. He told him he couldn’t make any promises and earning ice time wouldn’t be easy.
But Granato’s transparency turned out to be a big selling point. ... Read the full article
Victor Olofsson might be a first-liner for Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Ten Sabres – much of their established talent – will be making their preseason debut tonight at KeyBank Center.
So some of the line combinations and defense pairings the Sabres will be showcasing against the Pittsburgh Penguins could be utilized in the regular season.
Top center Casey Mittelstadt pivoted Jeff Skinner and Victor Olofsson this morning. On defense, Rasmus Dahlin skated beside Henri Jokiharju, his partner late last season.
Coach Don Granato said ... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk spent his first four NHL seasons in Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sometimes, Mark Pysyk said, it seems like he only left the Sabres a week ago. Other times, however, he acknowledged it feels like it has been a long time.
The Sabres, who signed a one-year, $900,000 contract to return, left in 2016. Only one teammate from the affable defenseman’s first run here, center Zemgus Girgensons, is still with the team.
“I see him walking around, the way he plays, his body takes a ... Read the full article
Aaron Dell signed a one-year contract with Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Aaron Dell smiled as he recalled his unlikely journey. Having started at the bottom in the now-defunct Central Hockey League, the Sabres newcomer beat long odds to play just one game in the big leagues.
Today, Dell, 32, is a five-year NHL veteran who has made 114 appearances. Early in his career, he was one of the league’s best No. 2 goalies with the San Jose Sharks, compiling a 26-11-5 record over his ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel’s status for the season is uncertain. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
When Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams addresses the media this morning, questions about injured captain Jack Eichel’s uncertain status will dominate the season-opening news conference.
Did Eichel pass his training camp physical Wednesday? Will the ultra-talented center have surgery to repair his herniated disc? Does he have a future in Buffalo?
Throughout the offseason, the Sabres remained tight-lipped about Eichel’s neck injury and any plans they have to grant his wish and trade him. But ... Read the full article
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen played his first four NHL games last season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen displayed it often last season, especially toward the end. The Sabres goalie prospect would become locked in and perform so well he developed some swagger.
Luukkonen, 22, wasn’t boisterous, mind you. The Finn simply possessed what Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert called an “incredible presence.”
“It’s just like something you feel during the games,” Luukkonen said of his swagger. “But I think it’s more you build up that confidence. And once ... Read the full article
New Buffalo goalie Craig Anderson spent 10 seasons in Ottawa. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Fifteen days during the 2005-06 season altered the path of Craig Anderson’s career.
During that uncertain stretch, Anderson pinballed around the NHL, getting plucked off waivers three times. He bounced from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues before returning to Chicago.
The experience taught Anderson, who signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres on July 28, the fleeting nature of an NHL goalie’s career. He learned he was too ... Read the full article
