Costantini - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres waive eight players, including first-rounder, assign 17 to Rochester

The Buffalo Sabres on Friday placed eight players on waivers, including defenseman Ryan Johnson, a first-round pick in 2019, for the purpose of assigning them to the Rochester Americans.

The Sabres also waived goalie Matt Villalta, defenseman Dennis Gilbert and forwards Mason Geertsen, Trevor Kuntar, Aidan McDonough, Carson Meyer and Jason Polin.

Update: Everyone on waivers cleared.

In addition, the Sabres also assigned the following players to the Amerks, their AHL affiliate: goalies Talyn ... Read the full article

Radim Mrtka headlines Buffalo Sabres’ Prospects Showcase roster

Defenseman Radim Mrtka, the ninth overall pick in 2025, headlines the Buffalo Sabres’ 22-man roster for the upcoming Prospects Showcase against the Boston Bruins at LECOM Harborcenter.

The Sabres, who will hold their first practice this afternoon, host the Bruins at 5 p.m. Sunday and noon Monday.

The roster released Thursday features 11 draft picks, nine invites and three players on AHL contracts. The Sabres drafted Matteo Costantini but signed him to an AHL ... Read the full article

After career-best season, Sabres re-sign Ryan McLeod to $20 million contract

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod has parlayed a breakout season in which he set new career highs by scoring 20 goals and 53 points into a four-year, $20 million contract.

He inked the deal Tuesday shortly after becoming a restricted free agent.

McLeod, 25, fit in nicely in his first season in Buffalo, moving up and down the lineup while being utilized for faceoffs and as a penalty killer.... Read the full article

Sabres trade Sam Lafferty, re-sign two defensemen; Buffalo signs goalie Alex Lyon to two-year contract

The Buffalo Sabres today traded forward Sam Lafferty to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2026.

Lafferty, 30, struggled last season after signing a two-year, $4 million contract as a free agent, registering four goals, seven points and a minus-15 rating in 60 games.

The Sabres inked the speedy Lafferty, who had just enjoyed a career year with the Vancouver Canucks, when they overhauled their fourth line.... Read the full article

Matteo Costantini emerging as one of Sabres’ strongest forward prospects

BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Matteo Costantini sees familiarity all around him at development camp.

Costantini starred for three years in the Jr. Sabres organization, which calls LECOM Harborcenter, the site of this week’s camp, its home. The native of nearby St. Catharines, Ontario, spends the summer training at the facility or across the street at KeyBank Center.

If he looks in the stands, he’ll see Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams, who used to run the ... Read the full article

Datsyuk-style game earning Sabres prospect Matteo Costantini notice

After completing their work at the rink Oct. 7, Matteo Costantini and four of his Penticton Vees teammates gathered in his billet family’s basement to watch the final rounds of the NHL Draft.

Having starred for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and developed in the Academy of Hockey at LECOM Harborcenter, Costantini knew the Sabres were interested in him.

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams ran both organizations until last year. Matt Ellis, Buffalo’s new director of ... Read the full article

Sabres NHL Draft tracker: J-J Peterka selected 34th after trade

The Buffalo Sabres made a trade early on the second day of the NHL Draft, sending the 38th and 100th picks to the San Jose Sharks so they could move up and grab German forward J-J Peterka 34th overall.

The Sabres don’t have another pick today until the fifth round, 131st overall.

The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Peterka spent last season playing against men for Red Bull Munich in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), scoring seven goals ... Read the full article