Jones - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Captain Rasmus Dahlin rejoins Sabres after temporary leave of absence

Captain Rasmus Dahlin rejoined the Buffalo Sabres today in Detroit after taking a temporary leave of absence to return to his native Sweden for a personal matter.

Dahlin, who left the Sabres last Friday, skated with his teammates this morning and will play against the Red Wings tonight.

The defenseman missed the first three games of Buffalo’s road trip.... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Devon Levi pulled from game during career-worst slump with Rochester: ‘He’s got to be better’

ROCHESTER – The fifth puck past Americans goalie Devon Levi, a shot from the far bottom of the right circle, forced coach Mike Leone to make a late goaltending change.

For the just the second time in his 76-game AHL career, Levi, the Buffalo Sabres’ top goalie prospect, got yanked from a game.

In Wednesday’s 6-4 loss in Blue Cross Arena, the Amerks roared back late, scoring three straight goals after the Belleville Senators ... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin taking temporary leave of absence from Sabres

BUFFALO – Captain Rasmus Dahlin is taking a temporary leave of absence from the Sabres to deal with a personal matter in Sweden, coach Lindy Ruff said Friday.

In September, Dahlin revealed his fiancée, Carolina Matovac, was rehabbing in Sweden after experiencing major heart failure and undergoing a heart transplant in the summer.

Matovac, who underwent life-saving CPR and spent weeks on life support before the transplant, is doing well.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen starts important season with conditioning assignment in Rochester: ‘I feel great’

ROCHESTER – On Tuesday, Buffalo Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen walked into Blue Cross Arena, donned a gray Americans practice jersey and touched the ice in the 70-year-old rink for the first time since early in the 2022-23 season.

“It’s a weird but cool feeling,” a smiling Luukkonen, who will begin an AHL conditioning assignment tonight, told the Times Herald following Tuesday’s practice. “I have so many good memories here. It’s kind of like you haven’t ... Read the full article

Sabres recall two players from Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres on Sunday recalled defenseman Zac Jones and center Noah Ostlund from the Rochester Americans.

In Saturday afternoon’s 3-0 win, defenseman Jacob Bryson entered concussion protocol after Florida Panthers winger Jonah Gadjovich hit him into the boards in the first period, knocking him out of the game.

The Sabres, who play a road game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens, did not practice Sunday. They had one extra forward, Josh Dunne, scratched against ... Read the full article

Sabres lose Owen Power to injury; Jiri Kulich ready to play

BUFFALO – Make that three injured defensemen for the Sabres.

Coach Lindy Ruff said Owen Power missed Tuesday’s practice with a strain and is day to day. He joins defensemen Bowen Byram and Mattias Samuelsson on the sideline.

Ruff said Byram, who suffered an undisclosed injury in Saturday afternoon’s exhibition game, skated on his own Tuesday. Samuelsson is week to week with an upper-body injury.... Read the full article

Sabres send two players to Rochester, make recall

BUFFALO – The Sabres today assigned defenseman Zac Jones and forward Jake Leschyshyn to the Rochester Americans and recalled defenseman Vsevolod Komarov from their AHL affiliate.

Jones, 24, and Leschyshyn, 26, must clear waivers.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said some defensemen “probably outplayed” Jones, who has 115 games of NHL experience.

“I think we know what he is,” Ruff said following today’s practice in KeyBank Center. “I think he’s really good with the puck, he’s ... Read the full article

In newcomer Zac Jones, Sabres possess intriguing talent with ‘offensive flair’

BUFFALO – Over the last two seasons with the New York Rangers, as he often sat out for weeks at a time as a healthy scratch, Sabres newcomer Zac Jones said his thoughts would occasionally go to a bad place.

“There’s definitely things that pop into your mind,” the defenseman told the Times Herald following Friday’s practice in KeyBank Center, where the Sabres host a preseason game this afternoon against the Detroit Red Wings.

Still, ... Read the full article

Sabres preseason: goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen practices; Jiri Kulich injured

BUFFALO – Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen knows if the Sabres hope to end their embarrassing 14-year playoff drought, he must bounce back following a disappointing season in which he often struggled and briefly lost his starting job.

It can be argued no player is more integral to the Sabres’ success than Luukkonen, who failed to build on his breakout 2023-24 campaign and sat out late-season games when journeyman James Reimer took over the net.

So it ... Read the full article

Sabres preseason: Konsta Helenius has grit to complement skill, scores early

BUFFALO – With less than a minute remaining in Monday’s 4-0 road win in Columbus, Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius grabbed a pass at the blue line and skated down the right wing toward Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves.

A scoring opportunity in the waning seconds of the preseason opener hardly seems important, especially when you’re up 3-0.

Still, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wanted Helenius, 19, to convert his prime chance.... Read the full article