Krueger - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen mum on if he requested trade

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen walked into the media room this morning inside KeyBank Center and couldn’t help himself.

“You’ve been waiting for this, eh?” Ristolainen said to a room full of reporters and cameras.

Just about all of Buffalo has been waiting to hear from Ristolainen, whose future here has been in question all summer.

“I’m happy to be back,” Ristolainen said after veterans reported today for their training camp physicals.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Ristolainen back in Buffalo, but for how long?

BUFFALO – Rasmus Ristolainen rarely says much. On a good day, if you see the Sabres defenseman, he might answer a question by offering a couple vanilla sentences.

So if Ristolainen talks to the media today after training camp opens, we probably won’t learn much about his conversations with the Sabres over the summer or how he spent the last five months.

Does Ristolainen, 24, feel like he needs a change of scenery? Did he ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ralph Krueger expects to begin training camp with Rasmus Ristolainen

BUFFALO – In the lockout-shortened season Ralph Krueger spent as an NHL coach in 2012-13, teams held abbreviated training camps in January.

So the Sabres coach has never ran a regular big league camp. Almost seven years ago, his Edmonton Oilers quickly convened for a camp that lasted less than a week.

Still, having spent most of his coaching career in international hockey, Krueger, 60, has ran plenty of camps.

“I have a big national ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Sam Reinhart excited to play for new coach Ralph Krueger

BUFFALO – Since the Sabres drafted high-scoring winger Sam Reinhart second overall in 2014, the team has employed four coaches, a ridiculous number.

Not surprisingly, Reinhart, who has played 331 regular-season NHL games, has never sniffed the postseason.

But last spring, Reinhart, 23, played some meaningful contests as Team Canada captured a silver medal at the World Championship in Slovakia. In 2016, fresh off his rookie season, he won a gold medal at the tournament.... Read the full article

Sabres to open training camp Sept. 12

BUFFALO – The Sabres will open their main training camp Sept. 12, when veterans report for physicals and testing, then hold their first on-ice sessions a day later at KeyBank Center, the team announced today.

The Sabres’ first camp under new coach Ralph Krueger will be a little different than past years. Most of camp will be held at KeyBank Center instead of Harborcenter, the team’s practice facility. Only three sessions – Sept. 15, 16 ... Read the full article

Henri Jokiharju impressed Sabres GM Jason Botterill before up-close look

BUFFALO – Sabres general manager Jason Botterill knew of Henri Jokiharju’s talents before he watched the defenseman up close during Team Finland’s run to a gold medal at the World Championship in the spring.

So even if Botterill hadn’t run Team Canada’s entry in Slovakia, the Sabres still might’ve dished winger Alexander Nylander to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Jokiharju on July 9.

“It certainly helps things out to see a player play on ... Read the full article

Sabres want to put Rasmus Ristolainen in ‘positions to have success’

BUFFALO – General manager Jason Botterill said he wasn’t surprised or disappointed defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen indicated in a Finnish interview last week he has asked the Sabres to be traded.

“There’s always stories coming out when players go back and … there’s stories from other organizations coming out of Finland and stuff, too,” Botterill said during Saturday’s Sabres Fan Fest inside KeyBank Center, an event that celebrated the team’s 50th anniversary season. “So those are ... Read the full article

Marcus Johansson excited about Sabres’ future: ‘It’s going to go well’

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Marcus Johansson began his NHL career playing center. When the Washington Capitals needed help there three years ago, he briefly moved back.

So, yes, Johansson, 28, certainly has experience at the position. But the Swede has spent the bulk of his nine-year career skating at left wing.

The Sabres, who signed Johansson to a two-year, $9 million contract on Saturday, need more depth down the middle.

So what role might he ... Read the full article

Marcus Johansson open to any forward role with Sabres

BUFFALO – Sabres winger Marcus Johansson began his NHL career playing center. When the Washington Capitals needed help there three years ago, he briefly moved back.

So, yes, Johansson, 28, certainly has experience at the position. But the Swede has spent the bulk of his nine-year career skating at left wing.

The Sabres, who signed Johansson to a two-year, $9 million contract on Saturday, need more depth down the middle.

So what role might he ... Read the full article

Trades, not free agents, likely Sabres’ best option for improving roster

BUFFALO – The Sabres must examine every option to improve their weak roster, so, yes, general manager Jason Botterill acknowledged, they’ve discussed some of the top free agents on the market.

It’s no secret center Matt Duchene would fill a glaring need as the No. 2 pivot behind Jack Eichel.

For a few years, even as the Sabres kept struggling, their greatest strength was up the middle.

Most teams are lucky to have one top ... Read the full article