WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Casey Fitzgerald has played 21 NHL games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, five of the six defensemen the Sabres utilized were 25 or younger.
The graybeard of the group, Robert Hagg, 27, has played all of 282 NHL games.
The rest of the blue line consisted of neophytes. Only one other defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, 21, has played more than 200 big league contests.
The Sabres dressed two rookies – Casey Fitzgerald, 25, and Mattias Samuelsson, who turns ... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk sat out one game last month. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju will return tonight from a lower-body injury that has sidelined him the last six games, coach Don Granato said.
To make room, Granato said the Sabres will scratch defenseman Mark Pysyk against the Vegas Golden Knights.
When the Sabres had a surfeit of defensemen last month, they began rotating one in and out each game. Right now, however, Granato wants the team’s young defenders keep playing.
Henri Jokiharju has missed the last six games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Defenseman Henri Jokiharju and some other injured Sabres could return for tonight’s home game against Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights, coach Don Granato said.
Jokiharju, out the last six games with a lower-body injury, practiced Wednesday in his regular spot beside defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Meanwhile, winger Zemgus Girgensons, out the last 16 games with a lower-body injury, skated on a line of extras with center Mark Jankowski and Anders Bjork inside ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin missed Sunday’s game. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In his fourth season, Rasmus Dahlin has emerged as the Sabres’ most valuable player and one of the NHL’s premier young defensemen.
At 21, Dahlin, who will likely return from upper-body injury tonight, is a budding star.
“He has clearly, definitively established himself as our top defenseman,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Tuesday’s practice inside KeyBank Center.
Dahlin’s absence in Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets was glaring. With the ... Read the full article
Victor Olofsson will miss Wednesday’s game. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin performed so well during his rehab skate this morning he left the ice early and joined his teammates for practice.
Now, will Dahlin, who missed Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets with a lower-body injury, be able to play in Wednesday’s road game against the Montreal Canadiens?
“They’re worried about strength in the area of the injury and potential vulnerability due to any of lack of strength,” ... Read the full article
Drake Caggiula hasn’t played since Nov. 22. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres winger Drake Caggiula will undergo season-ending fusion surgery today in Los Angeles to repair a herniated disc in his neck, general manager Kevyn Adams said this morning.
Caggiula, 27, has a six to eight month recovery, according to Adams.
“He’s been seeing some different specialists and gathered all the information and then made the decision a few days ago that he was moving forward with the surgery,” Adams said inside KeyBank Center.... Read the full article
Casey Fitzgerald has played eight NHL games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – By the end of that night in Vegas, every member of the Golden Knights knew when Sabres rookie Casey Fitzgerald, the undersized defenseman playing just his seventh NHL game, was on the ice.
“And they didn’t like it,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Saturday’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter. “It was the better players, that was the beauty of it. We can play him against better players and they’re looking over their ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt could be nearing a return to game action. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato acknowledged that, yes, he was nervous about Casey Mittelstadt’s health. After undergoing surgery to repair an upper-body injury, the center left the lineup shortly into his second game back.
But when Mittelstadt, 23, recently visited his surgeon, he received good news. Granato said Mittelstadt, who had issues in the area of his surgery, will rejoin the Sabres for today’s practice in a non-contact role. The American has been ... Read the full article
Michael Houser played two games last month after the Sabres signed him. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon waived goalie Michael Houser and assigned nine players to the Rochester Americans, including center Peyton Krebs and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson.
The Sabres also reassigned defensemen Oskari Laaksonen and Jimmy Schuldt and forwards Brandon Biro, Brett Murray, JJ Peterka and Arttu Ruotsalainen from the taxi squad to the Amerks.
In addition, the Sabres sent goalie Aaron Dell, who cleared waivers Sunday, to their AHL affiliate. Dell just completed his three-game ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo was injured last Tuesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Zemgus Girgensons practiced this morning and will likely return for Tuesday’s road game against the Ottawa Senators.
“Zemgus is back, full, and so is Mittsy,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following the session.
Mittelstadt, out with an upper-body injury the last 16 games, centered Peyton Krebs and Anders Bjork during the practice inside LECOM Harborcenter. Meanwhile, Girgensons, out the last five games with a lower-body injury, skated at ... Read the full article
