Dustin Tokarski has played 14 games this season.

Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski enters NHL’s COVID-19 protocol

The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon announced goalie Dustin Tokarski has been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Tokarski, 32, is the first Sabres player to enter the league’s protocol this season. To replace Tokarski, the Sabres have recalled goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, 22, from the Rochester Americans.

The Sabres, who play a road game tonight against the Florida Panthers, also acquired goalie Malcolm Subban earlier today from the Chicago Blackhawks.... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner skates in front of Seattle goalie Chris Driedger on Monday. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres fall behind early, lose to Kraken; Jeff Skinner looking like old self

BUFFALO – With the Sabres enjoying a first-period power play Monday, center Tage Thompson dug the puck out from the wall and fed defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at the left point.

During a power play earlier in the period, Dahlin fell down behind his own net, helping Carson Soucy score the first short-handed goal in the Seattle Kraken’s 22-game history.

Surely, it couldn’t happen again, right? The Sabres’ hadn’t allowed a short-handed goal all season.... Read the full article

Alex Tuch joined Buffalo on Nov. 4. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Casey Mittelstadt takes another step toward return; Alex Tuch joins Sabres

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato acknowledged that, yes, he has thought about what his lineup might look like when some of his injured players get healthy.

So Granato knows where he could put center Casey Mittelstadt and winger Alex Tuch, both of whom skated with the Sabres this morning, when they’re healthy. It was the first session with the Sabres for Tuch, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery.

Mittelstadt, who had his first contact ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt has missed the last 18 games. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Early-season upper-body injury difficult for Casey Mittelstadt

BUFFALO – After a six-week absence, center Casey Mittelstadt joined his teammates Wednesday morning, donning a gold non-contact jersey and skating with the Sabres as they prepared for their game against the Boston Bruins.

Now, when will Mittelstadt, who suffered an upper-body injury opening night, be able to play again? Wednesday’s game was the 18th straight he has missed.

The Sabres also play Friday, Saturday and Monday. Practice time is limited. They’re scheduled to have ... Read the full article

Don Granato knows he must help his current group of players grow together. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ Don Granato wants to create stability by limiting lineup changes

BUFFALO – Through the first 18 games this season, Sabres coach Don Granato has exercised patience rarely seen in these parts over the last decade, often fielding the same lineup while keeping his forward lines and defense pairs intact.

Granato, whose Sabres were 2-7-1 in their last 10 games entering Monday’s 7-4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center, said he understands the reflex is to “change everything” when a team battles adversity.... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin battles Vancouver’s Juho Lammikko on Oct. 19. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ Mark Pysyk helping Rasmus Dahlin: ‘He’s like, ‘Dude, relax’

BUFFALO – This season, Rasmus Dahlin’s fourth in the NHL, the Sabres defenseman has been trying to calm down a little.

Earlier in his career, Dahlin’s competitiveness often overwhelmed him, and any mistake he made stayed with him.

“This is probably the first year I’ve been thinking about it more and more, so it’s a learning process,” Dahlin said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Calgary Flames at KeyBank Center.

Dahlin, ... Read the full article

Zemgus Girgensons is expected to play tonight. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Zemgus Girgensons misses Sabres’ pregame skate

PITTSBURGH – Buffalo Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons missed this morning’s pregame skate but coach Don Granato expects him to play tonight against the Penguins.

Rookie Brett Murray filled in for Girgensons at left wing beside center Cody Eakin and Kyle Okposo and also on the power play.

The Sabres recalled Murray from the Rochester Americans on Monday so they could take an extra forward on the road. Murray played one game during the Sabres’ recent ... Read the full article

Anders Bjork has scored three goals this season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Gritty goal shows Anders Bjork starting to find game

BUFFALO – For a few weeks, Sabres winger Anders Bjork often looked invisible. The American couldn’t score. He dropped down the lineup, losing ice time.

“Bjork was searching for his game and he lost a feel of what he did,” Sabres coach Don Granato said.

So Granato said the Sabres let Bjork, 25, experience that rough phase before he and his staff started working with him more often and pinpointing things in his game.

“(We) ... Read the full article

Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl is a lethal scorer. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Leon Draisaitl as dynamic as Connor McDavid; Sabres to make one change

BUFFALO – Forget about Connor McDavid for a moment. The Edmonton Oilers have a player with more points than the superstar. Through 12 games, Leon Draisaitl has amassed a whopping 12 goals and 26 points, both NHL highs.

So far, McDavid, 24, has scored nine goals and 24 points.

Draisaitl, of course, is usually overshadowed by McDavid, a center widely considered hockey’s most dynamic talent.

But coach Don Granato, whose Sabres face the Oilers tonight ... Read the full article

Mark Pysyk has played all 12 games this season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Veteran Mark Pysyk playing prominent role again for Sabres: ‘He wants more’

BUFFALO – Mark Pysyk hasn’t enjoyed a prominent role like this in years. For two seasons, the Sabres defenseman moved around and out of the lineup, often moonlighting as a winger when he wasn’t scratched.

Pysyk, 29, signed a one-year, $900,000 contract to return to the Sabres, in part because he wanted to play defense regularly again. So far, he has played all 12 games this season on the blue line, averaging 18 minutes, 20 ... Read the full article