Houser - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres goalie prospect Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen excited for first taste of NHL

If injured Buffalo Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark keeps progressing, he could play this week, perhaps as soon as tonight. So Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s first taste of the NHL might be brief.

Still, spending just a day or two with the Sabres, even on the taxi squad as their third goalie, should be a significant step for Luukkonen’s development.

“The more time a prospect can get around (the NHL), the easier it becomes for them to associate, ... Read the full article

Linus Ullmark returns to practice; Sabres have more injuries

Having been sidelined the last 13 games, Linus Ullmark must keep testing his lower-body injury in practice. So as badly as the Buffalo Sabres need their No. 1 goalie back, he needs more than one session before he can play again.

“For now, there’s no set timetable for me; it’s more of a day-to-day basis,” Ullmark said on a Zoom call Tuesday after practicing for the first time since getting injured Feb. 23.

So on ... Read the full article

Goalie Dustin Tokarski shines in relief of injured Carter Hutton, Sabres still lose

After playing his first NHL game in more than four years, Buffalo Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski allowed himself a moment to reflect on his journey back to the big leagues.

Tokarski, who played five playoff games for the Montreal Canadiens in 2014, hadn’t experienced any NHL action since Oct. 26, 2016.

Over the past few seasons, Tokarski, 31, quietly rebuilt his career, morphing into one of the AHL’s premier netminders.

So Tokarski’s strong 33-save effort ... Read the full article

Goalie Linus Ullmark to join Sabres on road trip, start practicing

BUFFALO – The Sabres plan for injured goalie Linus Ullmark to join them on their four-game road trip later this week, interim coach Don Granato said.

The Sabres have imploded without Ullmark, their No. 1 goalie. Their 13-game losing streak began Feb. 25, the game he suffered a lower-body injury.

“We need to integrate him into practice,” interim Sabres coach Don Granato said on a Zoom call this afternoon. “At some point, that’s the next ... Read the full article

Sabres trade goalie Jonas Johansson to Avalanche

The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon traded goalie Jonas Johansson to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a sixth-round pick in 2021.

The Sabres held Johansson, 25, out of Friday’s practice as they attempted to deal him.

With Johansson gone, Carter Hutton and Dustin Tokarski are the Sabres’ top two goalies. Hutton, 35, has a 1-10-1 record this season. Meanwhile, Tokarski, 31, hasn’t played in the NHL since a 10-minute stint in 2016-17.

A lower-body injury ... Read the full article

Sabres make goalie move, sign Michael Houser to one-year contract

BUFFALO – The Sabres have signed goalie Michael Houser to a one-year, $700,000 contract, the team announced today.

The Sabres placed Houser, 28, on waivers this afternoon, a standard procedure when a player who had an AHL contract inks an NHL deal. Houser has served as Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s backup this season, playing zero games.

Houser spent the previous three seasons with the Cincinnati Cyclones, the Sabres’ ECHL affiliate.

Why did the Sabres suddenly signed Houser? ... Read the full article