Foligno - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres sign 4 new players, become top destination in free agency

BUFFALO – For two weeks, Tim Murray bristled when the media asked him about the salary floor. The rebuilding Sabres would reach it, the general manager said. He wasn’t worried. They would lure strong veteran talent when free agency opened.

“But you’re never sure until the clock hits 12,” Murray said Tuesday inside the First Niagara Center.

When the clock hit noon Tuesday and the market opened, the Sabres, a laughingstock last season, quickly became ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Matt Moulson, Cody McCormick and Marcus Foligno

BUFFALO – At this rate, the Sabres might reach the salary floor later today.

The Sabres have added two more pieces, re-signing old friends Matt Moulson, a high scoring winger, and Cody McCormick, a versatile fighter with skill. They traded both to the Minnesota Wild for draft picks in March.

Update: The Sabres have also signed defenseman Andrej Meszaros to a one-year, $4.125 million contract, according to reports.

Moulson inked a five-year, $25 million ... Read the full article

Sabres let Cory Conacher, Jamie McBain go

BUFFALO – The short Sabres careers of winger Cory Conacher and defenseman Jamie McBain are over.

The rebuilding club passed on giving them qualifying offers as restricted free agents, making them free to sign with any team.

The Sabres also didn’t qualify defensemen Nick Crawford and Matt MacKenzie, who played in Rochester, and goalie Connor Knapp, who played two NHL games last season.

Sabres general manager Tim Murray said Monday morning McBain, who struggled his ... Read the full article

Sabres’ recent drafts have yielded some strong talents and notable misses

Since most NHL Entry Drafts don’t start paying dividends for a few years, here’s a look at the Buffalo Sabres’ first-round picks from 2006-11 and some notable hits and misses. Fourteen of Buffalo’s 43 draft choices over that time have made the NHL.

The Sabres have eight picks this weekend in Philadelphia, including the No. 2 selection.

2011

First-round pick: center Joel Armia, 16^th overall

Armia endured a rough season in 2013-14, his ... Read the full article

Sabres can’t keep top pick during lottery, will draft second in June

BUFFALO – Chalk up one more loss for the Sabres this season.

The rebuilding club couldn’t retain the No. 1 overall pick during Tuesday’s NHL Draft Lottery in Toronto. Instead, the Florida Panthers moved up one spot to the top selection.

The Sabres will pick second in June. Thanks to their 30^th ranking this season, the Sabres had a 25 percent chance of keeping the top pick, more than any other team. The ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray doesn’t hold back discussing Sabres’ future

BUFFALO – In an end-of-season news conference that will likely become part of local lore, general manager Tim Murray bluntly discussed the Sabres’ future, tonight’s NHL Draft Lottery and took some not-so-veiled shots at the team’s old regime this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.

He even mentioned the Sabres getting their “pee-pee slapped” by the league recently.

Sabres want to be vocal with NHL, upset about Zac Rinaldo’s suspension

BUFFALO – Sabres general manager Tim Murray recently asked coach Ted Nolan to tell him everything that was happening.

Why?

“Because we’re going to complain about it,” Murray told Nolan.

The Sabres are angry the NHL only suspended Flyers agitator Zac Rinaldo four games for elbowing defenseman Chad Ruhwedel in the head late in Sunday’s 5-2 loss in Philadelphia.

Ruhwedel is home recovering from a concussion and out indefinitely. Rinaldo, meanwhile, can play again next ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chris Stewart pushed hard to return this season

BUFFALO – Originally, the right ankle injury Chris Stewart suffered March 6 was supposed to shelve the Sabres winger the rest of the season.

But Stewart said he “really turned the corner” a couple of weeks ago. At that point, the 26-year-old decided he would push to return this season.

Tonight, Stewart, who arrived from St. Louis on Feb. 28, will play his third game with the Sabres.

Why come back with just ... Read the full article

Sabres upset about Zac Rinaldo’s suspension, plan to be ‘vocal on this one’

BUFFALO – About three games ago, Sabres general manager Tim Murray told coach Ted Nolan to tell him everything that was happening.

“Because we’re going to complain about it,” Murray said.

The Sabres are clearly angry Flyers agitator Zac Rinaldo only received a four-game suspension for elbowing defenseman Chad Ruhwedel in the head late in Sunday’s 5-2 loss in Philadelphia.

Ruhwedel is home recovering from a concussion. Rinaldo, meanwhile, can play again next week.

Nolan ... Read the full article

Injury-plagued Sabres could get 3 players back against Red Wings

BUFFALO – There is some good news for the reeling, injury-ravaged Sabres. They could have three players back tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. Of course, 13 – yes, a stunning 13 – are hurt right now.

Incredibly, the NHL’s worst team lost three more players in the third period of Sunday’s disastrous 5-2 loss in Philadelphia.

– Goalie Nathan Lieuwen, who has a disturbing history of concussions, suffered another one, coach Ted ... Read the full article