Summer Edition
Ilya Lyubushkin played for Arizona last season before joining Toronto. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
At 28, having played nine pro seasons, newcomer Ilya Lyubushkin is the elder statesmen of the Buffalo Sabres’ defense corps.
Buffalo’s second-oldest defenseman, Casey Fitzgerald, is just 25. The average age of the seven defenders expected to be on the opening night roster is 23.
The six defensemen the Sabres utilized down the stretch late last season – Fitzgerald, Jacob Bryson, Rasmus Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson – will all be returning ... Read the full article
Dylan Cozens just completed his second NHL season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens has been named to Team Canada’s entry at upcoming the World Championship in Finland, Hockey Canada announced today.
Cozens, 21, just completed his second NHL season, compiling 13 goals and 38 points in 79 games.
The Yukon native last represented Canada at the 2021 World Junior Championship, winning a silver medal while serving as captain.... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk played 68 games this season in his return to Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – By the end of the season, after five months of regular duty, Sabres defenseman Mark Pysyk morphed into a spare part.
Down the stretch, the Sabres utilized a blue line comprised entirely of youngsters – Casey Fitzgerald, at just 25, was the oldest defenseman – so Pysyk, Will Butcher and Colin Miller rarely played.
The Sabres scratched Pysyk 13 times over a 22-game stretch, including eight straight contests, before he returned for last ... Read the full article
Victor Olofsson has two 20-goal seasons on his resume. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Having experienced restricted free agency two years ago, Sabres winger Victor Olofsson understands he must stay patient this offseason.
Olofsson, 26, has already amassed two 20-goal seasons and has shown he possesses the talent to crack the 30-goal mark. Contracts like the one he’s expected to sign are complicated.
The Swede, who’s set to become an RFA again, expects it could take months to reach a new deal.... Read the full article
Buffalo rookie Owen Power (right) battles St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly on Thursday. ©2022, Michelline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres drew about 3,000 extra fans Thursday, and you can bet they all came to see ultra-talented defenseman Owen Power play his first home game.
The crowd of 11,565 spectators and Power’s teammates watched him closely all night, sensing something exciting could transpire every time the rookie stepped on the ice.
“Every time he was out there it put a smile on my face,” winger Rasmus Asplund said after Power recorded an ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson has enjoyed a breakout season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres center Tage Thompson acknowledged that, yes, the Stanley Cup that Ryan O’Reilly won in 2019, his first season in St. Louis, is always in the back of his mind.
“But at the same time, it doesn’t change my objective,” Thompson said prior to Thursday’s 6-2 loss to the Blues, his former team, at KeyBank Center. “My objective is to come here and help our team win and help any way I can ... Read the full article
Mattias Samuelsson blocked a shot in Tuesday’s win. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, who briefly left Tuesday’s 5-2 win after blocking a shot, is questionable for tonight’s game against the St. Louis Blues with a lower-body injury, coach Don Granato said.
“Mattias is hour to hour, day to day,” Granato said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “He could potentially still (play). We can’t rule him out for tonight, but it’s day to day if he’s not in there tonight.”
Update: Samuelsson ... Read the full article
Buffalo defensemen Henri Jokiharju (10) and Owen Power (25) battles for position Tuesday in Toronto against Auston Matthews (34) and Michael Bunting (58). ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Winger Alex Tuch figures the Sabres set some sort of record in Tuesday’s 5-2 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“It’s got to be the youngest D corps to ever step on the ice tonight, I feel like,” Tuch said after defenseman Owen Power, 19, made his NHL debut in Scotiabank Arena. “The oldest guy’s Casey Fitzgerald at 25.”
Incredibly, the average age of the Sabres’ defense in Tuesday’s contest ... Read the full article
Buffalo rookie Owen Power looked comfortable throughout his NHL debut Tuesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – Almost six minutes into his debut, Sabres rookie Owen Power faced his first stiff test as an NHL defenseman, a two-on-one with the Maple Leafs’ Mark Giordano and Auston Matthews roaring toward him.
Giordano, the puck carrier, won the Norris Trophy three years ago. Matthews is hockey’s most dynamic scorer, having potted a whopping 58 goals this season.
Power, the first overall pick in 2021, did not flinch.
During one of his first ... Read the full article
Henri Jokiharju has a plum assignment beside Owen Power. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – Prior to Owen Power’s arrival, Buffalo Sabres defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Henri Jokiharju both let it be known they’d love to play with the rookie, the first overall pick in 2021.
The problem? Well, Dahlin and Jokiharju were partners at the time.
“Owen’s not here and they’re already talking about, ‘When Owen gets here, I want to play with him! And I want to play with him!’” Sabres coach Don Granato said ... Read the full article