Kesselring - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres select Daxon Rudolph fourth overall in NHL Draft; Ilia Morozov taken with 20th pick

ORCHARD PARK – During the NHL Scouting Combine earlier this month in Buffalo, the Sabres never met with defenseman Daxon Rudolph, the prospect they selected fourth overall tonight in the NHL Draft at KeyBank Center.

Until a few days ago, the Sabres owned just one first-round selection, the 20th pick, which they snared as part of the trade that sent defenseman Michael Kesselring to the San Jose Sharks. They began the month with the 27th ... Read the full article

Select or trade? No. 4 pick in NHL Draft gives Sabres interesting options

ORCHARD PARK – Luckily for the Sabres, the NHL, which decentralized its draft last year much to the chagrin of, well, pretty much everyone in the hockey world except for some general managers, still has its top prospects gather in a city.

This week, the festivities are being held in Buffalo, so instead of scrambling after acquiring the fourth overall pick in Tuesday’s blockbuster trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, GM Jarmo Kekalainen and his staff ... Read the full article

Buffalo Sabres trade Bowen Byram to Chicago Blackhawks in blockbuster deal, land fourth overall pick

The Buffalo Sabres completed a blockbuster trade with the Blackhawks tonight, sending defenseman Bowen Byram and winger Jordan Greenway to Chicago in exchange for the fourth overall pick in Friday’s NHL Draft, the 45th selection and defenseman Louis Crevier.

Now, does general manager Jarmo Kekalainen have another move up his sleeve? Will the Sabres, who host the draft Friday and Saturday at KeyBank Center, make their early pick? Or could they package it with, say, ... Read the full article

Following injury-plagued year, Sabres trade Michael Kesselring to Sharks

Almost a year ago, the Buffalo Sabres made their biggest move of the offseason, acquiring right-shot defenseman Michael Kesselring as the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade with the Utah Mammoth.

Today, after playing just 34 games last season, Kesselring, 26, is a member of the San Jose Sharks.

The Sabres on Wednesday made their first move this offseason, trading Kesselring and the 27th overall pick in the NHL Draft on June 26 in Buffalo to ... Read the full article

Following injury-plagued year, Sabres express belief in Michael Kesselring: ‘We’ve seen the potential’

“Honestly, I think it’s been pretty good for me, and whenever the next opportunity comes, I’ll be probably the most ready I’ve been all year.” – Michael Kesselring on March 25 prior to sitting out his sixth straight game as a healthy scratch

BUFFALO – As he morphed into a spare part down the stretch, Sabres defenseman Michael Kesselring tried to make the most of a difficult situation.

If the arrival of defensemen Logan ... Read the full article

After trade, long stretch sitting out as scratch, Luke Schenn adds to Sabres’ playoff run: ‘Just steady Eddie’

BUFFALO – In the press box recently, Sabres defenseman Luke Schenn said he was viewing his son Kingston’s hockey game in Kelowna, British, Columbia, on an app, when rookie Konsta Helenius asked who he was watching.

When Schenn, 36, told him his son, Helenius, 20, asked his age.

“I said, ‘9.’ He goes, ‘Well, I have a 10-year-old brother who I help out with hockey,’” Schenn said on Thursday prior to Game 5 of the ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Owen Power quietly developing into special defenseman

BOSTON – Sometimes, Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff explained, a defenseman plays so well you hardly notice him.

Ruff mentioned that in response to question about Owen Power’s performance in Tuesday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Bruins, and if it ranked as perhaps his best outing this season.

Power, 23, hardly stood out in Game 5. His four-game assist streak ended. He registered just one shot on goal in 23 minutes, 21 seconds of ice ... Read the full article

If Sabres’ Logan Stanley can’t face Bruins, Michael Kesselring gets chance

BOSTON – Buffalo Sabres defenseman Logan Stanley will be a game-time decision tonight against the Bruins, coach Lindy Ruff said.

Ruff said Stanley, who has been sick, skated this morning. The rest of the Sabres stayed off the ice as they prepared for Game 6 of the best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

The Sabres lead 3-2 and can win a playoff series tonight for the first time since 2007.... Read the full article

Sabres recall prospects from Rochester; Logan Stanley questionable for Game 6

BUFFALO – The Sabres have recalled seven prospects from the Rochester Americans to serve as Black Aces – extra players during a playoff run – after their AHL affiliate’s season ended.

Goalie Devon Levi, forwards Konsta Helenius, Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Anton Wahlberg and defensemen Ryan Johnson, Vsevolod Komarov and Radim Mrtka have all joined the Sabres.

The players will practice in a separate group from the Sabres, who play Game 6 of their first-round playoff ... Read the full article

After second trade, ex-Sabres standout Casey Mittelstadt might have home with Bruins

BUFFALO – For the next two weeks or so, the lasting friendships Boston Bruins winger Casey Mittelstadt made over his six years here are on hold.

Mittelstadt, 27, said he loved his time with the Sabres and is happy they ended their NHL-record 14-year drought and cracked the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“But I’m on the other side of it now,” he said prior to Sunday’s 4-3 loss to the Sabres in Game 1 of their ... Read the full article