Scott Wilson broke his right ankle last season. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Scott Wilson rewarded for strong start with Amerks

BUFFALO – After winger Scott Wilson broke his right ankle in training camp last season and missed the first three months, he spent five weeks in the minors.

While Wilson, 27, made it back to the NHL – he played 15 late-season games with the Sabres – his recovery was far from over.

“Really dealing with that ankle was a full-year thing for me,” said Wilson, who was injured Sept. 30, 2018.

So when the ... Read the full article

Victor Olofsson (68) was injured Thursday. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

Replacing rookie Victor Olofsson will be tough for Sabres

BUFFALO – Winger Victor Olofsson’s absence for the next five to six weeks could extinguish the Sabres’ playoff hopes. From the get-go, they’ve relied on the Swedish rookie to score goals.

Now, the lower-body injury he suffered in Thursday’s 3-2 overtime win against the Edmonton Oilers could sideline him until mid-February, the Sabres announced Friday.

Having scored 16 goals and 35 points in 42 games, including six power-play goals in the first seven contests, Olofsson ... Read the full article

Victor Olofsson (68) hobbles off the ice Thursday. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres rookie Victor Olofsson out five to six weeks with lower-body injury

BUFFALO – A lower-body injury will sideline rookie winger Victor Olofsson, the Sabres’ second-leading scorer, five to six weeks, the team announced today.

His loss is a massive blow to a team fighting for a playoff spot. He ranks second in goals and points on the Sabres, trailing only captain Jack Eichel, his center.

Olofsson has scored 14 goals and 35 points in 42 games this season. He has been a threat from the ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel beats Edmonton goalie Mike Smith on a penalty shot in overtime Thursday. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

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

Marco Scandella spent two and a half seasons with the Sabres. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

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

Jake McCabe (19) and Marcus Johansson (90) were dejected Tuesday. ©2020, Micheline Veluvolu

Stunner: Sabres blow three-goal lead, fall to Lightning

BUFFALO – Halfway through Tuesday’s shocking 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Sabres captain Jack Eichel showcased why he might be underutilized as a penalty killer.

With the Sabres up 3-1, Eichel pounced on a loose puck in his own zone and zoomed down the ice. When the slick center hit the right circle, he undressed defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk before skating through the slot and backhanding a shot by goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for his ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel has played at an MVP level this season. ©2019, Micheline Veluvolu

NHL All-Star Jack Eichel enjoying one of greatest seasons in Sabres history

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Jack Eichel’s selection to the NHL All-Star Game, of course, was a no-brainer.

Eichel’s fifth NHL season has quickly become his best. Right now, he ranks among the game’s elite stars.

The slick center has already scored 24 goals, just four off his career high, and 52 points in 39 games. He’s tied for third in NHL goal scoring and is seventh in points entering tonight’s game against the Tampa ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel has already scored 24 goals. ©2019, Hickling Images

MVP-type season earns Sabres captain Jack Eichel spot in NHL All-Star Game

BUFFALO – A stellar season in which he has scored 24 goals and 52 points in 39 games and generated MVP talk has helped Sabres captain Jack Eichel earn a spot in the NHL All-Star Game for the third straight season, the league announced today.

Eichel, who will play for the Atlantic Division, was one of 37 players selected by the NHL’s Hockey Operations Department. The league previously announced the captains of the four divisions.... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner could be sidelined around a month. ©2019, Hickling Images

With Jeff Skinner injured, Sabres revamp lines to generate offense

BUFFALO – Forget that Jeff Skinner hadn’t scored in 11 games before suffering an upper-body injury Friday. Forget that after enjoying his first 40-goal campaign, the Sabres winger has only produced 11 goals in 39 contests this season.

Skinner, who will be sidelined three to four weeks, the Sabres announced Saturday, can be a lethal scorer. In his last few outings, he channeled his 2018-19 form, showcasing the tenacious style that helped make him ... Read the full article

Victor Olofsson has been piling up points. ©2019, Hickling Images

Victor Olofsson could enjoy one of Sabres’ greatest rookie seasons

BUFFALO – With the Sabres up one goal late Saturday afternoon, winger Victor Olofsson grabbed a pass at his own blue line, skated through the neutral zone and backhanded the puck into an empty net.

After the Los Angeles Kings scored in the final minute, Olofsson’s 16th goal this season became the winner in the Sabres’ 3-2 victory. It was also his 24th point in the last 22 games entering tonight’s road contest against ... Read the full article