WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Training Camp Edition
Rochester’s Tyson Kozak (left) fights Utica’s Tyce Thompson on April 1. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – In the moment, Buffalo Sabres prospect Tyson Kozak had no idea he was fighting Tage Thompson’s brother.
“I just stood up and then we just went,” Kozak, a rookie forward with the Americans, said of his scrap with Utica Comets forward Tyce Thompson.
Kozak, 20, pummeled Thompson after getting knocked to the ice April 1, landing several uppercuts. Not surprisingly, the bout went viral because he trounced the brother of the Sabres’ ... Read the full article
Buffalo prospect Filip Cederqvist is learning to utilize his big body in Rochester. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Earlier in his career, Buffalo Sabres prospect Filip Cederqvist never paid much of a price if he skated to the net.
In his native Sweden, Cederqvist said, you’re not allowed to box out.
“You can just almost stand in front of the net and nothing’s going to happen,” he told the Times Herald on Tuesday following the Americans’ off-ice workout in Blue Cross Arena.
Cederqvist has learned when he tries to park his ... Read the full article
Matt Savoie played three preseason games for Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres on Saturday assigned center Matt Savoie to his junior team and loaned 21 players to the Rochester Americans, their AHL affiliate.
They have 31 healthy players left in training camp. They must finalize their 23-man regular-season roster by 5 p.m. on Oct. 10.
The Sabres gave Savoie, the ninth overall pick this year, a long look during camp, awarding him three preseason games before sending to the Winnipeg Ice. Savoie, 18, was ... Read the full article
Eric Comrie signed with Buffalo during the summer. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – After watching the first two preseason games, Sabres goalie Eric Comrie will likely be making his debut in tonight’s road contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Sabres, of course, expect Comrie, 27, to play a significant number of games this season or earn the starting job. He signed a two-year, $3.6 million contract during the offseason.
The rest of tonight’s game roster features mostly prospects and players ticketed for the Rochester Americans.... Read the full article
Filip Cederqvist skates in Monday afternoon’s Prospects Challenge game. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – Given his rookie status last season, Djurgardens’ former general manager figured Sabres prospect Filip Cederqvist would play a supporting role for the Swedish Hockey League team, perhaps on the third or fourth line.
But coach Barry Smith found wherever he put the 6-foot-3 Cederqvist in the lineup during the preseason, the youngster “was empowering” his teammates.
“He plays a power forward game, and because he plays a power forward game, he can really ... Read the full article
Tyson Kozak scored two goals Thursday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – As the Sabres killed a penalty early in the third period of Thursday’s Prospects Challenge opener, center Tyson Kozak grabbed the puck at the far blue line and zoomed down the left wing on a two-on-one.
When Kozak hit the circle, instead of passing to winger Linus Weissbach, he cut to slot before deftly backhanding the puck the into the net for the short-handed score.
The skill Kozak displayed in scoring his ... Read the full article
Buffalo drafted Tyson Kozak in 2021. ©2022, Megan Connelly, Portland Winterhawks
The Buffalo Sabres on Friday signed forward Tyson Kozak, a seventh-round pick in 2021, 193rd overall, to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Kozak, 19, spent all of last season with the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks, setting career highs with 32 goals, 37 assists and 69 points in 66 contests while serving as captain. He also registered a team-high seven game-winning goals.
The 5-foot-11, 173-pound Kozak has compiled 48 goals and 109 points in 152 career ... Read the full article
Jerry Forton ran his first NHL Draft as Buffalo’s director of amateur scouting. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – You had to go back five years and 34 picks to find the last time the Sabres drafted a Russian.
Before they selected winger Prokhor Poltapov 33rd overall Saturday, they hadn’t drafted a Russian since winger Vasily Glotov in the seventh round in 2016.
Poltapov’s selection was harbinger. The Sabres used three straight picks on Russians and took four overall Saturday.
Later in the second round, the Sabres drafted winger Aleksandr Kisakov with ... Read the full article
The Sabres have nine picks today. ©2021, NHL
BUFFALO – The Sabres drafted Russian winger Prokhor Poltapov with the first pick of the second round, 33rd overall, this morning at the NHL Draft.
The 5-foot-11, 174-pound Poltapov, 18, recorded 25 goals and 52 points in 61 games last season with Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, a junior team in the MHL. Poltapov also registered two goals and seven points in seven contests for Team Russia at the World Under-18 Hockey Championship.
He also played one ... Read the full article
