Jeanneret - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Legendary Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret to return Saturday

BUFFALO – Legendary Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret will call the first period of Saturday’s home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team announced this morning.

Jeanneret said last week he’s cancer-free. The Sabres announced in July the local icon was battling throat cancer.

“The time seems right to slowly begin transitioning back to work,” Jeanneret said in a statement. “My doctors have told me I’m cancer-free and I’m feeling well enough to ... Read the full article

Legendary Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret says he’s cancer-free

BUFFALO – Legendary Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret told the team’s pregame show Friday he’s cancer-free.

The Sabres announced in July that Jeanneret was battling throat cancer.

The NHL’s longest-tenured broadcaster underwent a CAT scan Tuesday and received a call Wednesday saying everything was OK, he said.

“That means for the moment I’m cancer-free,” Jeanneret said.

Jeanneret, who described the last five months as “tough,” thanked his family and the medical staff that treated him.... Read the full article

Sabres release statement on Rick Jeanneret

The Buffalo Sabres have released the following statement on legendary play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret, who will call games next season despite a recent throat cancer diagnosis:

“The Buffalo Sabres are deeply saddened to learn of Rick Jeanneret’s cancer diagnosis. RJ has been a vital part of the Sabres family and the Buffalo community for 43 years and this news undoubtedly weighs heavily on everyone who has had the privilege of listening to his broadcasts ... Read the full article

Robyn Regehr thriving with Kings, grateful for time with Sabres

BUFFALO – Robyn Regehr and the rest of the Kings had a team function at the Los Angeles Zoo last week, at a time when the city’s infamous traffic was awful.

The players all got there, albeit two and a half hours late.

“Very different living,” Regehr said Tuesday prior to the Kings’ 3-2 shootout loss inside the First Niagara Center, the defenseman’s first game here since the Sabres traded him for two second-round draft ... Read the full article

Rick Jeanneret to call three more seasons; Dan Dunleavy tapped as replacement

BUFFALO – Rick Jeanneret, the iconic play-by-play voice of the Sabres since 1971, has agreed to a new three-year contract and will call an increasingly reduced number of games over the deal before retiring, the club announced today.

Dan Dunleavy, a veteran Toronto-area broadcaster, will be Jeanneret’s substitute before assuming the primary play-by-play job in 2016-17.

Today’s news will almost certainly delight and sadden Sabres fans. In the end, they have three more seasons of ... Read the full article

Sabres analyst Harry Neale humbled by Hall of Fame honor

BUFFALO – Harry Neale said he couldn’t believe the news, so when Chuck Kaiton informed the longtime NHL color analyst the Hockey Hall of Fame would be honoring him with the 2013 Foster Hewitt Memorial Award, Neale told the Carolina Hurricanes’ play-by-play announcer to ring him again.

“It had never even crossed my mind that it was a possibility, and so I said, ‘Call me back in five minutes and reconfirm this, would you?’” an ... Read the full article

Sabres analyst Harry Neale calls Hall of Fame honor ‘glorious moment’

“It had never even crossed my mind that it was a possibility, and so I said, ‘Call me back in five minutes and reconfirm this, would you?’” Neale ... Read the full article

Lockout helped Grigorenko develop into NHL talent

BUFFALO – If the Sabres had to decide Mikhail Grigorenko’s NHL fate back in September, then the team would’ve returned the 18-year-old rookie to junior, general manager Darcy Regier said.

But the lockout gave Grigorenko a unique opportunity to keep developing before the 48-game NHL season started.

The center dominated the QMJHL. His strong play with Team Russia during the recent world junior championship elevated his confidence to another level, Regier said.

The top prospect ... Read the full article

Former Sabres prospect Kostka finally living NHL dream with Leafs

TORONTO – Mike Kostka was one day away from ditching his NHL dream, all set to take a gig playing overseas.

The 27-year-old Maple Leafs rookie couldn’t find any good work in North America. Despite two solid seasons with the Buffalo Sabres’ top affiliate in Portland, the team hadn’t tendered the defenseman a contract in 2010, making him a free agent.

Then Kostka’s friend, an AHL player named Marco Rosa, stopped over Kostka’s home a ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko, Steve Ott impress in Sabres debuts

BUFFALO – Ten minutes after the Sabres’ 5-2 opening-day win over the Philadelphia Flyers had ended, Steve Ott was still thinking about that nifty chance beside the net slick rookie center Mikhail Grigorenko had created for him.

Sure, Ott was excited about his power-play goal that opened the scoring just 11:07 into his Sabres debut. But the opportunity that had gotten away was still playing inside his head at bit.

“I kind of feel bad. ... Read the full article