Johnson - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ furious comeback against Rangers falls short

BUFFALO – Robin Lehner spoke calmly and passionately. Of course, the goalie said, he wanted to stay in the Sabres’ 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers instead of getting yanked.

Despite allowing three goals in barely 26 minutes of action Tuesday, the fiery Lehner believes he was playing well enough “to keep fighting to the end and be a part of a turnaround.”

“I’m a competitor,” Lehner said. “I want to stay in there ... Read the full article

Top talent rallies Sabres past Leafs

TORONTO – Call it whatever you want – a tank, a deep rebuild – the Maple Leafs gutted their roster recently, leaving coach Mike Babcock a team filled with unknown neophytes to mold into NHL talent.

The Buffalo Sabres, meanwhile, have already endured what the Leafs are just beginning: a total overhaul. The Sabres are, theoretically, two years ahead of Toronto.

At this stage, they should exploit a reeling club dressing six rookies. The Sabres ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dan Catenacci has chance to stick, excited for Toronto debut

TORONTO – Dan Catenacci’s welcome-to-the NHL-moment came Feb. 9, when during his second game, the Buffalo Sabres rookie spotted Florida Panthers star Jaromir Jagr, a 44-year-old legend.

“I was kind of in awe,” Catenacci, a native of nearby Newmarket, said this afternoon inside the Air Canada Centre.

Before Catenacci’s father, Maurice, ended his European career in the 1990s, he also played against Jagr.

“It’s pretty cool for me and my dad to both play ... Read the full article

Rough season taking its toll on Sabres coach Dan Bylsma

TORONTO – This is all a new experience for Buffalo Sabres coach Dan Bylsma, you know – the losing, the expectation the Stanley Cup will be won in the near future, not immediately.

Bylsma stormed into the NHL seven years ago, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a championship just months later. While Bylsma endured a string of playoff failures in the ensuing five seasons, he kept winning, reaching 200 victories faster than any coach ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson to start Monday

BUFFALO – For the last few weeks, the starts have come less frequently for Chad Johnson. After playing 32 of the first 56 games, the Sabres goalie has played one of the last 10 contests with No. 1 Robin Lehner healthy and finding a groove.

Johnson, who will start Monday’s tilt in Toronto, hasn’t played since stopping 24 shots in the Sabres’ 3-1 win Feb. 26 in San Jose.

Of course, Johnson understands his ... 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 open to bringing Jamie McGinn back in summer

BUFFALO – Come July 1, if Jamie McGinn is available in free agency, the Sabres would be interested in re-signing the winger, general manager Tim Murray said today after trading the veteran to the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional third-round pick in 2016.

Murray had talked a bit with McGinn’s camp about an extension. McGinn, his top asset on an expiring contract, meshed quickly in his first season with the Sabres, scoring 13 goals.

“It ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jamie McGinn could be coveted before trade deadline

BUFFALO – After 12 seasons as the face of the Carolina Hurricanes, Eric Staal waived his no-trade clause to join his brother, Marc, in New York for the Rangers’ Stanley Cup-or-bust run. Former Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd is back in Chicago, where he won a championship with the Blackhawks in 2010.

Thanks to a few days of heavy action, the crop of notable rental forwards available before the 3 p.m. trade deadline – the ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Chad Johnson knows his time in Buffalo could be ending

BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Chad Johnson learned years ago he needed to embrace the nomadic lifestyle that often accompanies a career as a backup.

So at each of his five NHL stops, Johnson, 29, has tried to make the best of what can be a difficult situation by exploring his new city, meeting its people and finding the best local eateries.

“That’s the only way you can really deal with getting traded all the time, ... Read the full article