WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
December Edition
Dustin Tokarski has a 1.87 goals-against average in his last three outings. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato needed to wait to make a decision. If goalie Dustin Tokarski experienced a heavy workload Friday, then he likely couldn’t have utilized him back-to-back nights.
But Tokarski faced just 11 shots over the final 40 minutes of the Sabres’ 4-1 home win. So Granato felt comfortable starting him again Saturday in Detroit.
“The workload late in that game was not too extensive for Dustin, and that factored in,” ... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk battles Ryan O’Reilly during his days with Florida. ©2021, Dan Hickling
The Buffalo Sabres late this afternoon brought back old friend Mark Pysyk, signing the defenseman to a one-year, $900,000 contract.
Pysyk, 29, played his first 125 NHL games with the Sabres, who drafted him in 23rd overall in 2010.
The Sabres traded Pysyk to the Florida Panthers in 2016 in the deal that netted them defenseman Dmitry Kulikov.
The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Pysyk spent four years in Florida before playing last season with the Dallas ... Read the full article
Buffalo drafted Jake McCabe in 2012. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Jake McCabe’s seven-year career with the Buffalo Sabres is over.
The defenseman this afternoon agreed to terms with the Chicago Blackhawks on a four-year, $16 million contract in free agency.
McCabe makes his offseason home in suburban Chicago.
General manager Kevyn Adams said on Saturday the Sabres were still interested in re-signing McCabe, 27, but he expected him to hit the open market.
Update: On a virtual news conference, McCabe said joining Chicago is ... Read the full article
Linus Ullmark enjoyed a stellar season on a bad team in 2020-21. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
The days of the Sabres trying to lure big-name free agents to Buffalo are over. When the market opens today, they’ll likely be bit players, focusing on filling some of their many holes and adding depth while attempting to re-sign goalie Linus Ullmark.
Ullmark’s departure would be a massive blow to the Sabres. The Swede, their backbone and MVP, earned nine of the team’s 15 wins last season in only 20 outings.
They don’t ... Read the full article
Linus Ullmark was Buffalo’s backbone last season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Throughout the offseason, the Sabres have stayed in regular contact with Linus Ullmark’s agent and stressed they want the Swede to be their No. 1 goalie.
The Sabres sorely need Ullmark, their backbone and team MVP. While prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen looked impressive in limited NHL action late last season, he’s ticketed to return to the minors for more seasoning.
They don’t have another netminder in the pipeline ready to assume the starting job.... Read the full article
Ramsus Ristolainen has never played an NHL playoff game. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen’s first eight seasons, the Sabres morphed into the NHL’s laughingstock, finishing dead last four times and winning barely one-third of their games.
The constant losing and turmoil – Ristolainen played for a whopping six coaches and four general mangers, stunning numbers that illustrate the Sabres’ futility – wore on him. The straight-shooting Finn often voiced his frustration.
On Friday afternoon, hours before the Sabres picked Michigan defenseman Owen Power... Read the full article
Rasmus Ristolainen played eight years in Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
Rasmus Ristolainen’s eight-year career with the Buffalo Sabres is over.
The Sabres this afternoon traded the Finnish defenseman to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for the 14th overall pick in tonight’s NHL Draft, a 2023 second-round selection and defenseman Robert Hagg.
Ristolainen, 26, has just one year left on his contract. He often voiced his frustration with the constant losing he has endured over his NHL career. Following last season, he said he was open ... Read the full article
Buffalo opens its 2021-22 schedule Oct. 14. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
A season-opening four-game home stand, two contests against the expansion Seattle Kraken and four meetings with the Toronto Maple Leafs are among the highlights of the 82-game 2021-22 Buffalo Sabres schedule the NHL released Thursday.
The Sabres open the campaign Oct. 14 against the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center and also host the Arizona Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins before playing their first road game Oct. 23 versus the New Jersey Devils.
The Sabres ... Read the full article
Buffalo drafted Will Borgen in 2015. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
If the Seattle Kraken hadn’t selected Will Borgen from the Sabres in Wednesday’s NHL Expansion Draft, he likely would’ve competed for a spot among Buffalo’s top-six defensemen next season.
Borgen, 24, was close to enjoying regular duty last season before breaking his forearm.
So after six years of development – the Sabres drafted Borgen in the fourth round in 2015, 92nd overall – he departed just as he was maturing into an NHL talent.... Read the full article
Will Borgen played for Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres have lost defenseman Will Borgen to the Seattle Kraken in the NHL Expansion Draft.
Borgen, 24, played 10 NHL games last season and likely would’ve enjoyed regular duty if he hadn’t broken his forearm. The Sabres drafted the American in the fourth round in 2015, 92nd overall.
After leaving St. Cloud State following his junior season in 2018, Borgen compiled four goals, 25 points and 132 penalty minutes in 130 AHL games ... Read the full article
