Development Camp - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Alexander Nylander one of many Sabres prospects to watch

BUFFALO – Watching a top prospect skate in a Sabres jersey for the first time, even in a development camp setting, is a special experience for fans always eager to welcome new talent.

For the next six days, starting with today’s session inside HarborCenter, the Sabres’ rabid fan base will receive its first glimpses of Swedish winger Alexander Nylander, the eighth overall pick June 24 at the First Niagara Center, sporting blue and gold ... Read the full article

Sabres development camp slated for July 6-12 at HarborCenter

BUFFALO – The Sabres will hold their annual summer development camp July 6-12 at HarborCenter, the team announced this afternoon.

Approximately 40 prospects, including this year’s draft picks, will participate. On-ice sessions will be open to the public. The intrasquad Blue and Gold Scrimmage will be July 9. Ticket information and other camp details will be released later.

The Sabres nearly sold out the FNC last year when center Jack Eichel, the second overall pick, ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie prospect Cal Petersen thriving at Notre Dame

BUFFALO – As the game ticked toward a record length and the shot count grew higher and higher, Cal Petersen’s Notre Dame teammates joked they wanted the goalie to shatter the NCAA single-game saves mark.

“They wanted me to hit the century mark,” the Sabres prospect recalled earlier this month about his record-setting 87-save performance in the Fighting Irish’s 4-3, five-overtime loss March 6. “But they didn’t know if the scoreboard went that high.”

Petersen, ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Devante Stephens comfortable in Buffalo

BUFFALO – Familiarity and comfort surrounded Sabres defense prospect Devante Stephens throughout development camp last week.

New Sabres assistant Dan Lambert, Stephens’ junior coach with the Kelowna Rockets, was on the ice putting the youngsters through drills. Meanwhile, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma, who had just hired Lambert, his friend, was up in the stands watching.

Bylsma already knew Stephens well, having spent almost a week last season helping out Lambert, a former teammate. During ... Read the full article

Jason Kasdorf could be Sabres’ best goalie prospect

BUFFALO – Some of hockey’s biggest young names switched teams in the Sabres’ blockbuster seven-player trade with the Winnipeg Jets in February.

The Sabres paid a hefty price for 30-goal winger Evander Kane and workhorse defenseman Zach Bogosian, giving up slick defenseman Tyler Myers, forward prospects Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux, veteran winger Drew Stafford and a 2015 first-round pick.

Lost in the hubbub was a college goalie the Jets quietly sent the Sabres in ... Read the full article

Josh Chapman unlikely standout at Sabres development camp

BUFFALO – The nifty winning goal in today’s three-on-three development camp tournament wasn’t scored by Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart or one of the Sabres’ other high-end forward prospects.

Try 6-foot-3, 210-pound Josh Chapman, an undrafted defenseman the Sabres invited.

“Someone asked him how many goals he scored this year,” said winger Evan Rodrigues, Chapman’s teammate in the eight-team tournament. “He said none.”

That’s right, Chapman scored zero goals in 44 games last season with ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel and Sabres prospects wowed by support from Buffalo fans

BUFFALO – The 17,115 Sabres fans who chose a hockey scrimmage – or, more appropriately, an opportunity to watch center Jack Eichel – over spending a beautiful Friday night in July outdoors probably don’t regret their decision.

For $10, they watched their newest star up close, saw center Sam Reinhart score twice and were treated to a five-on-five development camp exhibition with some unusual intensity.

“That was probably one of the most fun games of ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jack Eichel chooses No. 15; Andrew Allen hired as goalie coach

BUFFALO – Jack Eichel’s not thinking too far ahead. But “if the opportunity presented itself to make the team” next season, he plans to wear No. 15.

Of course, minutes after he mentioned his first NHL number Friday morning, the Sabres tweeted they would be a selling a limited number of Eichel jerseys hours later at the First Niagara Center prior to the development camp scrimmage.

Before the gates even opened, the line stretched from ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel will wear No. 15 for Sabres

BUFFALO – Your long wait is over, Sabres fans. Jack Eichel said this morning that “if the opportunity presented itself to make the team” next season, he would wear No. 15.

Of course, minutes after he mentioned the number, the Sabres tweeted a limited number of Eichel No. 15 jerseys will be available tonight at the First Niagara Center prior to the development camp scrimmage.

Eichel has been wearing No. 41 this week, a number ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Nick Baptiste knows Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid well

BUFFALO – OK, it’s time for a quick development camp quiz, Sabres fans.

Name the only youngster in hockey who has already played alongside slick centers Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, the top two picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.

It’s Sabres prospect Nick Baptiste, the 69^th overall selection in 2013.

“I’m a lucky guy,” Baptiste said Thursday. “They’re both so fantastically good.”

Now, name the most prolific career scorer among the 46 players ... Read the full article