Carolina Hurricanes - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres ready for hectic schedule following Olympic break, know changes are coming

BUFFALO – Trade rumors have dogged Matt Moulson since the Sabres acquired the winger almost four months ago. But with rosters frozen for 16 days during the NHL’s Olympic break, Moulson briefly got away from the noise, rehabbed his rib injury and relaxed a bit.

“It was good to just go home and train and get healthy again and spend some family time,” Moulson said Monday inside the First Niagara Center.

Moulson and the Sabres ... Read the full article

Phil Varone, family emotional over NHL debut; Sabres fall to Hurricanes

BUFFALO – The voice on the other end of the phone was excited. For a moment, Tony Varone thought his son, Sabres center Phil Varone, had been in a car accident.

“I said, ‘Is everything OK?’” the elder Varone recalled a day later inside the First Niagara Center.

Phil Varone, who nearly shunned the Sabres to play hockey for the University of New Brunswick in 2011, was calling with good news, though.

“He ... Read the full article

Former Sabres Nathan Gerbe, Andrej Sekera thriving with Hurricanes

BUFFALO – At first, Nathan Gerbe said, he didn’t understand why the Sabres waived and bought him out in early July. The diminutive winger had no inkling they had given up on him after five seasons.

“I didn’t know it was coming, that’s for sure,” Gerbe said Thursday prior to the Carolina Hurricanes’ 5-3 win inside the First Niagara Center. “No one spoke to me about it. So I think you get a little shocked. ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Phil Varone set for NHL debut, emotional over first recall

BUFFALO – Phil Varone had no clue why Chadd Cassidy pulled him off the ice Wednesday. The center thought perhaps he had been traded or the Rochester coach just wanted to discuss this weekend’s games.

Nope. Cassidy informed the 23-year-old the Sabres had recalled him.

“When he told me the news, it brought some tears to my eyes,” Varone said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I called my parents right away. It’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Drew Stafford feeling good about surging game

BUFFALO – To Sabres winger Drew Stafford, these past two months, highlighted by his current stretch of five goals in his last 10 games, have pulled him “out the abyss.”

Stafford was mired in an awful, career-worst slump when interim coach Ted Nolan replaced Ron Rolston on Nov. 13. The 28-year-old had eight goals in his last 66 games. He had lost his alternate captaincy. His ice time was dwindling.

Emotionally, everything was taking a ... Read the full article

Sabres recall from Amerks Phil Varone for first time

BUFFALO – The thinking was the Sabres, with eight defensemen at their disposal, would likely send one to Rochester.

Sure enough, they assigned rookie Brayden McNabb to the AHL with forward Kevin Porter, who’s finally healthy after getting hit into the boards Dec. 21.

But in a surprising move, the Sabres also recalled a youngster Wednesday afternoon, center Phil Varone, the Americans’ leading scorer. The 23-year-old prospect will likely play tonight against the Carolina ... Read the full article

Tonight’s Sabres game against Hurricanes postponed

Tonight’s Buffalo Sabres game against the Carolina Hurricanes has been postponed.

With a blizzard hammering the Buffalo area and driving bans all over, the NHL really had no other choice.

A make-up date hasn’t been announced.

“Tonight’s game between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes at First Niagara Center, NHL Game No. 647, has been postponed due to the hazardous weather conditions in the Buffalo area. A make-up date will be announced as soon as ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko’s return to Sabres could be brief one

BUFFALO – At some point this week, prospect Mikhail Grigorenko, fresh off a five-goal, eight-point performance in seven world junior championship games, will be returning to the Sabres, interim coach Ted Nolan said.

But will the 19-year-old center be staying in the NHL?

“He’s coming here for Pat (LaFontaine) and I to discuss,” Nolan said Monday inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll make that decision when he gets here.”

Nolan, however, acknowledged he would prefer ... Read the full article

NHL suspends Sabres’ Tyler Myers three games for head hit

BUFFALO – On Monday, hours before the NHL suspended Tyler Myers three games for an illegal check to Dainius Zubrus’ head, the Sabres defenseman said his hulking stature wouldn’t make him change his aggressive style.

“I don’t want to change my game just because of how tall I am,” the 6-foot-8 Myers said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes inside the First Niagara Center. “It’s just something that comes ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Drew Stafford optimistic and refreshed after ‘nightmare’ season

BUFFALO – When the worst season of Drew Stafford’s career mercifully ended five months ago – he describes the six-goal, 18-point campaign as hitting “rock bottom” – the Sabres winger stopped dwelling on it.

“You got to get over it,” Stafford said Thursday inside the First Niagara Center after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s preseason finale in Carolina. “It was an absolute nightmare. It’s one of those things where you can’t change the past, what’s ... Read the full article