Kaleta - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta ‘cool’ with Matt Cooke’s offer to help reform style

BUFFALO – Sabres agitator Patrick Kaleta never expected Minnesota’s Matt Cooke, whose history of dirty hits once threatened to end his career, would reach out following his 10-game suspension for hitting Columbus’ Jack Johnson in the head last week.

But the reformed Cooke has offered to help Kaleta refine his game after his second ban in 21 games and fourth in four seasons.

“It’s cool, because as you know, I don’t really expect to ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Hodgson doesn’t want to revisit past; Zemgus Girgensons out

BUFFALO – About 16 media members, most of them from Vancouver, surrounded Sabres center Cody Hodgson this morning.

The Canucks, of course, traded Hodgson on Feb. 27, 2012 amid speculation his relationship with the team had soured, he wanted more playing time and his father had become too involved in his hockey affairs.

Naturally, Hodgson didn’t want to talk about any of that.

“I’m happy to be here for the next six years,” Hodgson, who ... Read the full article

Ex-Sabres prospect Zack Kassian trying to establish himself with Canucks

BUFFALO – Twenty months later, there’s no decisive winner in the Cody Hodgson-Zack Kassian deal, the shocker the Sabres and Vancouver Canucks pulled off before the 2012 NHL trade deadline.

Teams rarely swap high first-round picks during their rookie seasons. So the debate might go on for years in the two hockey-mad cities.

“That’s hockey,” Kassian, who will play his first game back in Buffalo tonight at the First Niagara Center, told the Vancouver ... Read the full article

Report: Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta appealing 10-game suspension

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Patrick Kaleta will be appealing his 10-game suspension, TSN’s Bob McKenzie tweeted this afternoon.

Kaleta consulted with his agent and the NHL Players’ Association following Tuesday’s suspension, according to McKenzie.

The 27-year-old agitator has already served three games for his illegal check to Jack Johnson’s head in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Columbus.

Kaleta has been suspended four times since 2009-10 and twice in his last 21 games.

The appeal ... Read the full article

NHL levels 10-game suspension on Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta for hit to head

BUFFALO – The NHL slapped a 10-game suspension on Sabres agitator Patrick Kaleta on Tuesday for an illegal check to Jack Johnson’s head last week.

In banning Kaleta, NHL discipline czar Brendan Shanahan cited three previous suspensions and three fines, including a five-game ban for cross-checking the New York Rangers’ Brad Richards head-first into the boards just 21 games ago.

Kaleta will forfeit $153,439.00 during the suspension. The 27-year-old has already served three games and ... Read the full article

NHL suspends Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta 10 games for hit to head

BUFFALO – The NHL slammed Sabres agitator Patrick Kaleta with a 10-game suspension today for an illegal check to Jack Johnson’s head in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Columbus.

Kaleta will forfeit $153,439.00 during the suspension. The 27-year-old has already served ... Read the full article

Former Sabres captain Jason Pominville happy about new chapter with Wild

BUFFALO – Once the initial shock of getting traded to the Minnesota Wild in April started wearing off, former Sabres captain Jason Pominville said he “really took a step back” and began examining his new gig.

Pominville was leaving a team beginning a rebuilding process for the upstart Wild, a club constructed to win the Stanley Cup immediately.

The Wild had just signed stars Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to huge twin contracts. Many believed ... Read the full article

Slumping Mike Weber could sit for winless Sabres

BUFFALO – His coaches and the media have nothing on struggling Sabres defenseman Mike Weber, who calls himself his hardest critic.

Right now, the 25-year-old’s reeling, enduring arguably the roughest stretch of his 179-game career. His wretched minus-8 rating ranks dead last – 599^th, to be exact – in the NHL. He was an ugly minus-4 in Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Columbus.

Following the game, a bearded Weber was visibly agitated, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta suspended for illegal hit, has in-person hearing scheduled

BUFFALO – Sabres agitator Patrick Kaleta has been suspended pending an in-person hearing Tuesday for an illegal check to Jack Johnson’s head, the NHL announced late Friday.

The Sabres play twice – tonight in Chicago and Monday at home against Minnesota – before Kaleta meets with the NHL Department of Player Safety. In-person hearings carry a minimum five-game suspension.

The 27-year-old Kaleta wasn’t penalized after zooming into the Buffalo zone and hitting Johnson high ... Read the full article

Sabres could scratch struggling Mike Weber

BUFFALO – Not surprisingly, Sabres defenseman Mike Weber, an NHL-worst minus-8, could be benched for Saturday’s game in Chicago against the Blackhawks, the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Weber, a minus-4 in Thursday’s listless 4-1 loss to Columbus, skated with 18-year-old rookie Nikita Zadorov during this morning’s practice inside the First Niagara Center. Zadorov working his way back from a finger injury.

Meanwhile, defenseman Alexander Sulzer, a healthy scratch all season, skated beside Tyler Myers ... Read the full article