Dudley - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres sign ECHL affiliation agreement with Cincinnati

For three seasons in the early 1970s, Buffalo Sabres prospects developed with the Cincinnati Swords. Players like Rick Dudley, Bill Hajt and Craig Ramsay graduated to the NHL from the AHL affiliate.

Now, more than 40 years later, Buffalo will again send some prospects to Cincinnati. The Sabres have signed an affiliation agreement with the city’s ECHL team, the Cyclones, the team announced today.... Read the full article

Sabres need to find new GM soon

BUFFALO – Given the speed at which the offseason moves, the Sabres must find a new general manager soon, perhaps in the next month, to replace Tim Murray, who was fired with coach Dan Bylsma on Thursday.

Of course, given owner Terry Pegula’s track record, would the Sabres even hire a GM first?

Remember, Pegula hired Pat LaFontaine as the team’s president of hockey operations in November 2013. LaFontaine lasted less than four months ... Read the full article

Ray Sheppard’s rookie season still one of Sabres’ best

BUFFALO – As Sabres rookies Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart put the finishing touches on two outstanding, high-scoring seasons, one name from the team’s past keeps popping up: Ray Sheppard.

Each week, it seems, the young forwards become the team’s first rookies to reach or approach milestones since Sheppard, who scored 38 goals and 65 points in 74 games in 1987-88 before fizzling out and re-emerging as one of the NHL’s most dangerous scorers.

Sheppard’s ... Read the full article

Rick Dudley could’ve spoken to Sabres about GM job, instead chose to stay with Canadiens

BUFFALO – The Sabres wanted to talk to Rick Dudley about their vacant general manager job. But before they could interview him, the Montreal Canadiens wanted a word with their assistant GM.

While the Habs would let Dudley talk to the Sabres, a team he played and coached with, they wanted to keep him.

To Dudley, who lives in Lewiston, the decision was a no-brainer. He signed a contract extension with, according to reports, a ... Read the full article