Edmonton Oilers - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Tage Thompson starting to realize potential: ‘Grown tremendously’

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato could see Tage Thompson possessed confidence. It was just that the talented center believed he would eventually reach his potential.

Granato wanted Thompson, 24, to understand the opportunity he had right now.

“I talked to him a lot in the last year about I know you are confident about success, but that confidence is somewhere off in the future, I’m going to be able to become the player ... Read the full article

Sabres coach Don Granato wowed by Connor McDavid’s talents

BUFFALO – The most scintillating goal of superstar Connor McDavid’s career, the one in which he split four New York Rangers on Saturday, reminded Sabres coach Don Granato of a psychology study he once read.

“Fifty people see an incident, no one calls 9-1-1 because they think the other person’s going to call 9-1-1,” Granato said following Thursday’s practice. “That’s what it made me think of when I saw that.”

For the first time since ... Read the full article

Report: Oilers sign former Sabre Dominik Kahun to one-year contract

Former Buffalo Sabres winger Dominik Kahun has signed a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers, according to eichockeynews.com.

The deal is worth $975,000, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Kahun had a salary cap hit of $925,000 last year.

The Sabres did not give Kahun, 25, a qualifying offer last month, making him a free agent. That decision, of course, raised some eyebrows.

Kahun looked impressive in six late-season games with the Sabres, scoring ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel scores on penalty shot in OT after Sabres lose Victor Olofsson

BUFFALO – For 10 seconds during the first minute of Thursday’s overtime, Sabres captain Jack Eichel stood behind his own net to recharge as his teammates changed.

Possession is critical in three-on-three overtime, especially with Edmonton Oilers superstars Conor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl lurking nearby.

So Eichel wasn’t about to give the puck up. The center waited and waited and waited before the capacity crowd of 19,070 inside KeyBank Center.

At that point, Eichel had ... Read the full article

To acquire Michael Frolik from Flames, Sabres had to trade Marco Scandella

BUFFALO – When the Sabres traded defenseman Marco Scandella to the Montreal Canadiens shortly before Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers, it felt like another deal could be imminent.

The Sabres need help at forward. Why would they dish Scandella, 29, for or a fourth-round pick in 2020? They’re trying to win now, right?

Well, shortly after the Sabres announced the deal, they traded the pick they received from the Canadiens to the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Conor Sheary finally starting to showcase more offense

BUFFALO – In his five-year NHL career, Sabres winger Conor Sheary said he had never experienced being a healthy scratch until last month.

“That was something different for me,” said Sheary, who sat out three times over a six-game stretch.

But in his first half season as Sabres coach, Ralph Krueger has established he’s willing to scratch anyone.

Krueger benched forward Evan Rodrigues on opening night and has kept sitting him out for months. In ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Marco Scandella to Canadiens for draft pick

BUFFALO – The Sabres traded defenseman Marco Scandella to the Montreal Canadiens tonight for a fourth-round pick in 2020.

Update: The Sabres have traded the selection they received from Montreal to the Calgary Flames for forward Michael Frolik.

Scandella, a Montreal native, will be an unrestricted free agent following the season.

The Sabres and Canadiens, of course, rarely make trades. Right now, the sixth-place Sabres trail their Atlantic Division rival by one point.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Victor Olofsson named NHL’s Rookie of Month for December

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Victor Olofsson, who led all first-year players with six goals and 14 points in 14 games in December, has earned NHL Rookie of the Month honors for the second time this season, the league announced today.

Olofsson, 24, was also named the top rookie for October.

The Swede quickly morphed into a top Calder Trophy candidate this season, scoring six goals in the first seven games. He also set an ... Read the full article

Sabres place Dalton Smith on waivers

BUFFALO – The Sabres placed winger Dalton Smith on waivers this afternoon, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Smith, 27, made his NHL debut in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, skating just one minute, 26 seconds.

The Sabres, who had been pushed around by the Lightning earlier this season, signed Smith to a one-year, two-way contract Monday.

The tough guy had played on an AHL deal with the Rochester Americans the last three ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evan Rodrigues on trade request: ‘I just want to play hockey’

“I have all the confidence in my ability, I have all the confidence in my defensive ability, I have all the confidence in my speed and my skill to play with everyone in this league.”

– Evan Rodrigues, Sept. 23, 2019

BUFFALO – Barely three months ago, Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues was brimming with confidence.

Fresh off a season in which he set career highs and showcased his versatility by playing 11 of the 12 ... Read the full article