Botterill - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres to introduce Ralph Krueger as head coach today

The Buffalo Sabres will introduce Ralph Krueger as the 19th head coach in franchise history today.

Sabres general manager Jason Botterill will address the media at 11 a.m. at KeyBank Center. Krueger, who’s in Europe, will speak on a conference call at 12:30 p.m.

“Throughout his career, Ralph has shown the ability to adapt to a variety of high-pressure environments while leading some of the world’s elite players,” Botterill said in a statement. “His strong ... Read the full article

Report: Sabres to name Ralph Krueger next coach

When Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill fired Phil Housley five weeks ago, he started pursuing experienced coaching candidates.

The Sabres struggled for two seasons under Housley, a first-time head coach, so not surprisingly, Botterill wanted a veteran to lead his team.

As expected, plenty of familiar names – Jacques Martin and Dave Tippett, for example – materialized as candidates.

Then in the last week, an intriguing name began popping up: Ralph Krueger, who coached ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Lawrence Pilut undergoes shoulder surgery, out five to six months

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut underwent successful shoulder surgery and will be sidelined five to six months, the team announced this morning.

Just five weeks into the offseason, two Sabres defensemen – Zach Bogosian had his hip repaired last month – have had surgery and will likely miss training camp and the start of the regular season. Like Pilut, Bogosian needs five to six months to recover.

The Sabres’ dwindling depth, of course, will ... Read the full article

Report: Sabres interview former NHL coach Dave Tippett

The Buffalo Sabres have interviewed Dave Tippett for their head coaching vacancy, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

In his weekly “31 Thoughts” column, Friedman said the talk with Tippett, who has coached the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes, “went very well.”

After firing Phil Housley, a first-time head coach, the Sabres reportedly want to hire someone more experienced. Tippett, 57, has spent 14 seasons as an NHL head coach. He finished an eight-year run ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Brandon Montour to represent Canada at World Championship

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Brandon Montour was among 22 players Hockey Canada named to its roster today for the upcoming World Championship in Slovakia.

Montour, 25, will be joining Sabres winger Sam Reinhart, 23, on Team Canada. Reinhart said earlier this month he planned to represent his country.

Sabres general manager Jason Botterill, who must hire a coach to replace Phil Housley, is running Canada’s entry with Ron Francis and Ron Hextall. Montour has never represented ... Read the full article

Report: Jacques Martin a leading candidate to coach Sabres

Jacques Martin is a leading candidate to become the Buffalo Sabres’ next head coach, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.

Martin has strong ties to Sabres general manager Jason Botterill, having served as an assistant with the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2013. They won Stanley Cups together in 2016 and 2017 when Botterill was an assistant GM in Pittsburgh.

The Sabres and Ottawa Senators have asked the Penguins permission to talk to Martin, according to Sportsnet’s John ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Jack Eichel to represent Team USA at World Championship

For the third time in his career, Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel has earned a spot on Team USA’s entry for the World Championship.

Eichel, 22, was among 17 players named to the U.S.’s preliminary roster today. Team USA opens its schedule May 10 against host country Slovakia.

The center last played in the World Championship in 2017. He won a bronze medal in 2015.

Overall, Eichel has compiled two goals and 12 points in ... Read the full article

Offering another chance to ex-head coach could benefit Sabres

BUFFALO – Coaches often evolve or reinvent themselves following their failures. Sometimes they swallow their pride to do it. They might return to junior hockey or the minors and start riding buses again. They might take an assistant or development job.

Remember that as general manager Jason Botterill searches for the Sabres’ sixth coach in barely six years after firing Phil Housley on April 7.

Sometimes the best candidates aren’t the names being bandied about. ... Read the full article

Report: Todd McLellan won’t be Sabres’ next coach

Todd McLellan won’t be the Buffalo Sabres’ next coach, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.

The Sabres identified McLellan as a candidate and talked to him this week but never made an offer, McKenzie tweeted this afternoon. McLellan was in Buffalo to watch his son, Tyson, a junior defenseman with Denver, compete in the Frozen Four.

The Los Angeles Kings could be close to hiring McLellan, according to McKenzie.... Read the full article

Sabres’ inability to find coaching stability has contributed to demise

BUFFALO – In less than five seasons with the Sabres, defenseman Zach Bogosian has already played for three coaches.

“Three coaches in this amount of years, you’ve got to really take a long, hard look (at yourself),” Bogosian said Monday, a day after the Sabres fired Phil Housley following an awful second half.

Not long ago, the Sabres were a model of coaching stability. Lindy Ruff lasted through three ownership regimes over 16 years. When ... Read the full article