Edmonton Oilers - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen helps Sabres beat Oilers, end winless skid

BUFFALO – Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has followed up a breakout season in which he established himself as the Sabres’ backbone and undisputed No. 1 with a pretty underwhelming campaign.

At times, he has briefly recaptured the dynamic form he showcased down the stretch last season that made him one of the NHL’s elite netminders.

Overall, however, Luukkonen has performed inconsistently, often failing to come up with the game-changing saves he did a year ago.... Read the full article

Strong belief in Sabres helped Jason Zucker sign contract extension

BUFFALO – Having shown few signs of graying at 33, an advanced age in the NHL, Sabres winger Jason Zucker would’ve had plenty of suitors on the open market.

Still, the veteran chose to eschew free agency and sign a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension with the last-place Sabres hours before Friday’s trade deadline Why?

Well, for starters, Zucker has enjoyed what he called the “fun challenge” of being the team’s oldest and most experienced ... Read the full article

Trades show Terry Pegula believes in Kevyn Adams’ vision for Sabres

BUFFALO – In the weeks ahead of the trade deadline, Sabres general manger Kevyn Adams said owner Terry Pegula gave him the same message: What do we need to do to make this team better?

“Everything we should be thinking about is we need to improve, and what are those decisions?” Adams said Pegula told him. “And, Kevyn, come up with answers.”

That last part, of course, is important. While the Sabres rank last in ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan McLeod practices, ready to return from injury

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod, who has missed the last three games with an upper-body injury, is expected to return for this afternoon’s contest against the Oilers, coach Lindy Ruff told reporters in Edmonton.

“I’m confident he’ll play,” Ruff told reporters after McLeod participated in Friday’s practice.

McLeod, 25, played four seasons for the Oilers before they traded him to Buffalo during the offseason. He was injured in practice Jan. 16, a day ... Read the full article

Sabres receive immediate help in Ryan McLeod by trading Matt Savoie to Oilers

After the Buffalo Sabres recently made a minor deal and signed some free agents, it appeared the significant trade that was expected this summer might never materialize.

Maybe, just maybe, general manager Kevyn Adams felt that adding some grit to augment a talented lineup and having a new coach in Lindy Ruff would be enough to help the Sabres end their NHL-record 13-year playoff drought.

But on Friday, Adams, who has expressed his willingness to ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Matt Savoie to Oilers, get Ryan McLeod, Tyler Tullio in return

The Buffalo Sabres have made that significant offseason trade everyone seemed to be waiting for.

This afternoon they acquired center Ryan McLeod and forward Tyler Tullio from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for center Matt Savoie.

To acquire McLeod, an NHL talent, they had to part with Savoie, the ninth overall pick in 2022 and one of their top prospects.... Read the full article

Sabres respond after trades, beat Oilers in overtime and shootout

BUFFALO – The game ended dramatically, with Sabres defenseman Owen Power scoring with 2.0 seconds left in overtime as the capacity crowd implored him to shoot.

The giddy Sabres jumped over the boards to celebrate Saturday afternoon’s much-needed 3-2 triumph over the heavyweight Edmonton Oilers, saluted the fans in KeyBank Center and left the ice.

In the dressing room, players began taking off their equipment. Oilers general manager Ken Holland and some Sabres coaches left ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt’s status made trading for coveted Bowen Byram possible

BUFFALO – Kevyn Adams said he never shopped Casey Mittelstadt around the NHL. No, the Sabres general manager said, the center’s emergence made him a sought-after asset.

When other GMs called him to ask about Mittelstadt, his leading scorer, he made it clear he was willing to listen and think about possible scenarios.

Adams said he had been working for a couple of years to find a young, top-pair defenseman. Those type of defenders, of ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Kevyn Adams emotional after trading Kyle Okposo to Panthers: ‘An unbelievable person’

BUFFALO – Kevyn Adams processed the question, cleared his throat and stepped back from the podium for a moment to compose himself. When the Sabres general manager began talking about trading his captain, Kyle Okposo, he fought back tears.

“An unbelievable person,” an emotional Adams said Friday in KeyBank Center after dealing the veteran winger to the Florida Panthers hours before the 3 p.m. trade deadline. “I have a lot of respect for people that ... Read the full article

Connor McDavid burns Sabres for two goals in Oilers’ win

BUFFALO – Connor McDavid and the high-octane Edmonton Oilers rolled into town Monday, and as expected, fans got their money’s worth.

The superstar continued perhaps the most dynamic NHL season this century, scoring two goals, including the third-period winner, in the Oilers’ entertaining 3-2 win over the Sabres before a crowd of 17,634 at KeyBank Center.

McDavid’s wraparound goal opened the scoring 7:21 into the contest, then he put the Oilers up 3-2 3:23 into ... Read the full article