Edmonton Oilers - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Erik Burgdoerfer waited for NHL opportunity

BUFFALO – Less than three years ago, Sabres defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer was an unknown ECHL journeyman stuck two rungs below the NHL.

Four seasons into his career, Burgdoerfer, 27, had barely even sniffed the AHL.

His NHL dream was dying.

“When you play in the ECHL for four straight years, you’re turning 25, you definitely have some times when you’re doubting yourself,” Burgdoerfer said Tuesday prior to his second NHL game, a 4-3 overtime win ... Read the full article

Less hype surrounds second meeting of Sabres’ Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid

BUFFALO – The hype has died down a bit for the second meeting between Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid, the two dynamic centers drafted first and second in 2015.

When McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers visited Buffalo on March 1, it felt like the Sabres were hosting a playoff game. KeyBank Center had a buzz not felt around these parts in years.

Of course, plenty of hype still surrounds tonight’s meeting. A game featuring the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Eichel OK after ankle tweak

BUFFALO – Relax, Sabres fans. Center Jack Eichel, who tweaked his left ankle in Monday’s 3-2 overtime loss in Washington, will play tonight against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

“Going through an injury like this, you know it’s going to come back,” Eichel told a crowd of reporters this morning inside KeyBank Center.

High ankle sprains are notoriously tough injuries to overcome. Eichel dazzled early in his return, scoring three goals and ... Read the full article

Sabres believe they can rely on entire defense

BUFFALO – Technically, the Sabres’ defense pairs are numbered.

Rasmus Ristolainen and his partner, Josh Gorges or Dmitry Kulikov, form the top tandem. Zach Bogosian and Jake McCabe are No. 2. Cody Franson and Casey Nelson skated as the third opening night.

On paper, the defense (average age: 27) has the makings of a solid group. Still, the Sabres don’t have an elite pair. Sure, Ristolainen is the undisputed No. 1. But on a ... Read the full article

Connor McDavid steals show in Oilers’ overtime win against Sabres

BUFFALO – As much as Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid tried to downplay the hype, say that Tuesday’s first-ever meeting between the top two picks was really about their teams, in the end, the rookies ended up being the talk of the Edmonton Oilers’ 2-1 overtime triumph against the Sabres.

The game almost played out like it had been scripted, with McDavid, the phenom Sabres fans coveted before the Oilers won the NHL Draft ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid won’t buy into hype

BUFFALO – Dan Bylsma, as he loves to do, kept accompanying his words with a sly grin. The so-called rivalry between phenoms Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid is a “made-up” scenario, the Sabres coach said Tuesday.

The Sabres’ 2-1 overtime loss to McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers was the first-ever NHL meeting between the “generational talents” drafted first and second overall last year. The rookies barely know each other.

How could they truly be rivals?

“The hype ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel, Connor McDavid downplay first NHL meeting

BUFFALO – The so-called rivalry between top draft picks Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid, well, that’s simply a “made-up scenario,” Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said.

Bylsma, as he’s known to do, said that with a sly grin. Like just about everyone else, he wants to see the youngsters dubbed generational talents face each other for the first time tonight when the Sabres host the Edmonton Oilers.

“The hype is produced,” Bylsma told a packed ... Read the full article

Sabres knew they had to trade Jamie McGinn

BUFFALO – When free agency opens July 1, if Jamie McGinn is available, the Sabres would be interested in re-signing the popular winger they dealt to the Anaheim Ducks prior to the trade deadline, general manager Tim Murray said Monday.

In his 63-game run here, the versatile McGinn fit in well, scoring 14 goals and 27 points while skating on a slew of lines. Off the ice, McGinn, 27, grew close to rookie Jack Eichel.... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson could return as backup

BUFFALO – Just days ago, it appeared Sabres goalie Chad Johnson’s days here were numbered.

In fact, after the backup’s strong 24-save performance in Friday’s 3-1 win in San Jose, the joke became the Sabres should’ve left him there because the Sharks needed a new No. 2 goalie badly.

But the Sharks acquired James Reimer from Toronto on Saturday, the same day St. Louis received Anders Nilsson from Edmonton.

In a matter of hours, the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Evander Kane finally scoring

BUFFALO – Realistically, having scored six times in 16 games this season, Sabres winger Evander Kane likely won’t hit his lofty preseason target of 40 or 50 goals.

Scoring once in his first 11 appearances and missing 10 contests with an MCL injury certainly didn’t help.

But that disappointing start has recently become an afterthought, as Kane’s one of the NHL’s hottest scorers as the Sabres start a three-game Canadian road trip tonight against the ... Read the full article