Dahlin - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres scratched Michael Kesselring to ‘just take a breath’

BUFFALO – Instead of dressing defenseman Michael Kesselring for Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff gave the newcomer a chance to reset.

Having battled injuries all year, Kesselring hasn’t found much of a groove. Since training camp, he has dealt with a knee injury and a high ankle sprain he re-injured.

In his first 23 outings, he showcased glimpses of what made him a coveted return in the ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has battled injuries throughout this season. BUFFALO, NEW YORK – JANUARY 17 :: Buffalo Sabres v Minnesota Wild :: January 17, 2026 in KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY, USA (Photo by Micheline Veluvolu) ©2026, Micheline Veluvolu

Injury will force Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to miss Olympics

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s lower-body injury will force him to miss the upcoming Olympics.

Team Finland on Tuesday named Boston Bruins goalie Joonas Korpisalo as Luukkonen’s replacement for the Milano Cortina Games.

Luukkonen hasn’t played since getting injured early in last Tuesday’s 7-4 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.... Read the full article

Sabres blow late lead, lose tight game to Canadiens: ‘A matter of inches’

BUFFALO – A high-stakes late-January game in a packed, noisy building. The Sabres have waited for what feels like forever for nights like Saturday.

“We love playing these games,” captain Rasmus Dahlin said after the Sabres’ entertaining 4-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens ended their five-game win streak. “These are the type of games we want to be in.”

They’re also games the Sabres, who have registered an NHL-best 20-4-1 record since Dec. 9, must ... Read the full article

In trying season, Rasmus Dahlin enjoys dynamic night in win over Maple Leafs; Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen injured

TORONTO – Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin processed the question following his dynamic three-goal, five-point performance in Tuesday’s 7-4 win over the Maple Leafs and searched for the right words.

The defenseman never quite found them.

Over the last seven months, Dahlin has been through, for lack of a better word, hell.

In September, he revealed his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, has been rehabbing after experiencing major heart failure and undergoing a heart transplant in the ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Zach Metsa feeling more comfortable in NHL; Michael Kesselring happy to record first point

TORONTO – Zach Metsa’s first tour around the NHL has given him a special opportunity to visit come of hockey’s most hallowed rinks and soak in each unique experience.

“I’ve been fired up for it,” the Buffalo Sabres rookie told the Times Herald prior to Tuesday’s game against the Maple Leafs. “I’m lucky.”

Metsa, 27, made his big league debut in Montreal’s Bell Centre and earlier this month played his first game at New York’s ... Read the full article

After Jacob Bryson injury, Sabres recall high-scoring defenseman from Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres on Friday recalled Zac Jones, whose 31 assists rank first among AHL defensemen, from the Rochester Americans.

Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson, who suffered an upper-body in the second period of Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens, has been placed on injured reserve.

Coach Lindy Ruff said following Thursday’s game that Bryson “will miss some time.”... Read the full article

In beating Canadiens, Sabres showcase maturity; Buffalo loses players to injury

MONTREAL – This torrid 17-3-1 stretch can no longer be classified as simply a hot streak. No, having consistently showcased an identity for 45 days and more than one-quarter of the schedule, it’s safe to say the Buffalo Sabres can be called a pretty darn good hockey team.

As hard as it might be to believe, the rapidly maturing team has finally arrived following nearly a decade and a half of futility.

Thursday’s 4-2 win ... Read the full article

Sabres roar back against Wild, lose in OT; Josh Norris misses second game

BUFFALO – It was about to be one heck of a penalty kill for the Sabres. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson cleared the puck down down the ice, seemingly extinguishing the power play the Minnesota Wild carried into Saturday afternoon’s overtime.

But Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson skated out to the left circle and quickly flung the puck up to Kirill Kaprizov at the Buffalo blue line as the Sabres changed. Kaprizov skated in and fed Mats Zuccarello, ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin stars in Sabres’ win over Flyers; Josh Norris leaves game injured

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin has always been his own worst critic, holding himself to the highest of standards.

Dahlin, one of the NHL’s most talented defensemen, has enjoyed a season that for just about anyone else would be considered pretty darn good.

But the Swede, 25, knows he can reach a much higher level.

Perhaps his two-goal outing in Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers signals he’s ready to take off in ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jacob Bryson scores rare goal; Buffalo makes roster move

BUFFALO – From his spot on the bench, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said he could see the puck would hit the top right corner of the net past the screened goalie as soon as it left defenseman Jacob Bryson’s stick.

“Basically, he had eyes up, he saw his mark and hit it,” Ruff said of Bryson’s wrist shot from the left point early in Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers.

Bryson’s goal, just his ... Read the full article