Kozak - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After career-best season, Sabres re-sign Ryan McLeod to $20 million contract

Buffalo Sabres center Ryan McLeod has parlayed a breakout season in which he set new career highs by scoring 20 goals and 53 points into a four-year, $20 million contract.

He inked the deal Tuesday shortly after becoming a restricted free agent.

McLeod, 25, fit in nicely in his first season in Buffalo, moving up and down the lineup while being utilized for faceoffs and as a penalty killer.... Read the full article

Sabres don’t extend qualifying offers to Jacob Bernard-Docker, three others

BUFFALO – The Sabres on Monday did not extend an $866,250 qualifying offer to defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, making him a free agent.

They extended qualifying offers to goalie Devon Levi, defensemen Bowen Byram, Ryan Johnson and Conor Timmins and forwards Tyson Kozak and Ryan McLeod.

Byram, Johnson, McLeod and Timmins all have arbitration rights. Bernard-Docker had them before the Sabres did not qualify him.

Forwards Aleksandr Kisakov, Bennett MacArthur and Tyler Tullio – ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Jack Quinn to two-year contract

ORCHARD PARK – The Buffalo Sabres on Friday re-signed winger Jack Quinn to a two-year, $6.75 million contract.

The contract’s $3.375 million average annual value is the ninth highest on the Sabres.

Quinn, who could’ve become a restricted free agent Tuesday, is coming off an inconsistent season in which he often struggled but set career highs by scoring 15 goals and 39 points in 74 games.... Read the full article

As time in Sabres organization possibly nears end, Lukas Rousek starring for Rochester Amerks

ROCHESTER – In what could be his final game here, Americans winger Lukas Rousek displayed the talent and smarts that helped him play 17 contests for the Buffalo Sabres and earn a one-way NHL contract.

To wit: in Friday’s 5-3 come-from-behind win in Game 2 of the AHL North Division final, Rousek, 26, scored the tying goal late in the second period before his slick pass created center Jiri Kulich’s go-ahead power-play goal in the ... Read the full article

After run with Sabres, ‘Mr. Responsible’ Tyson Kozak hopes to impact Rochester

ROCHESTER – Center Tyson Kozak’s latest stint with the Americans could be his last one. Having recently impressed the Sabres during a 21-game look, he appears ready to graduate to Buffalo next season and earn full-time duty.

His gritty, mature style might entrench him on the Sabres’ third or fourth line for years.

Of course, the oft-injured Kozak, who on Friday played in Game 1 of the AHL North Division semifinal against the Syracuse Crunch, ... Read the full article

Sabres send four prospects back to Rochester Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres on Friday sent four of their top forward prospects – Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund, Isak Rosen and Tyson Kozak – back the Rochester Americans.

Kulich, Ostlund, Rosen all played for the Sabres in Thursday’s season-ending 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at KeyBank Center. They sat out Rochester’s home game Friday against the Toronto Marlies. Kozak has been out injured with a hip strain.

The Amerks have one regular-season game left ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Peyton Krebs becomes trusted, versatile asset for Lindy Ruff

BUFFALO – Six and a half months ago, Peyton Krebs sat out the Sabres’ season opener as a healthy scratch. In Thursday’s finale, his 81st consecutive appearance, he centered Alex Tuch and Jason Zucker on a scoring line.

Krebs’ consistent effort and willingness to embrace any task quickly earned him coach Lindy Ruff’s trust. It can be argued Krebs, 24, grew more than any player during Ruff’s first season back behind Buffalo’s bench.

His short-handed ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Connor Clifton adds first goal to stat line featuring more than 200 hits

BUFFALO – By his 71st appearance, Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton couldn’t get that goose egg attached to his name out of his head.

As a defender the Sabres value for his gritty play, they don’t expect him to produce much offense. Still, he wanted to score at least one goal this season.

“I was thinking about it, trying to get that zero to one,” he said prior to Tuesday’s 4-0 loss to the Toronto Maple ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Jiri Kulich never expected to be centering Tage Thompson

BUFFALO – If someone had told Jiri Kulich a few months ago he would be centering Tage Thompson on the Sabres’ top line later in his rookie season, he said he probably would’ve laughed at them.

“I didn’t even expect that,” Kulich told the Times Herald prior to Tuesday’s 3-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at KeyBank Center.

Few expected Kulich, 20, would ascend so quickly up the lineup.

The Czech began the season moving ... Read the full article

Tage Thompson scores a breakaway goal Sunday on Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo.

Sabres’ Tage Thompson scores hat trick in win over Bruins, aims for 50 goals

BUFFALO – Just like that, a 50-goal season might be attainable for scorching Sabres winger Tage Thompson. Six games are left. After scoring three times in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins, he has 43 goals.

Is it likely he will become the first Sabres player to score 50 goals in 32 years? No, but the prestigious mark is certainly within reach.

Right now, Thompson is the NHL’s hottest scorer, having registered eight goals ... Read the full article