Larsson - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Josh Gorges OK after minor surgery

BUFFALO – Josh Gorges almost revealed what had sidelined him for a week of training camp.

Almost.

“Just a quick cleanup in my,” the Sabres defenseman said this morning before pausing briefly, “lower body.”

Yes, Gorges, who underwent microfracture surgery in February, has already undergone a minor procedure this season. He said he was injured nine days ago going into the corner against the Ottawa Senators.

While Gorges skated this morning and feels good, he ... Read the full article

Sabres suddenly possess impressive center depth

BUFFALO – Dan Bylsma wanted to count them all first. So before the coach talked about the impressive center depth the Sabres have quickly assembled, he rattled off each one on the roster.

When Bylsma stopped, he had named eight: Ryan O’Reilly, No. 2 overall pick Jack Eichel, Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson, David Legwand, Sam Reinhart and Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno, two wingers with experience down the middle.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno searching for consistency

TORONTO – Like the coaches before him, Dan Bylsma catches glimpes of Marcus Foligno’s potential watching the 6-foot-3, 226-pound Buffalo Sabres winger on tape. But, Bylsma noted, “How often do you have to watch him?”

Coaches could examine weeks of video before finding a single Foligno highlight.

“You watch him skate and you see his size and you see what he can do on the ice,” Bylsma said Thursday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s ... Read the full article

Even with roster mostly set, Sabres training camp has intriguing storylines

BUFFALO – For a team that just endured a brutal 54-point season and might have nine new faces in the lineup opening night, the Sabres should enjoy a remarkably quiet training camp, their first under new coach Dan Bylsma.

There are, of course, still some intriguing storylines to follow. Second overall pick Jack Eichel’s first days in the NHL promise to be exciting. Sam Reinhart, the franchise’s other top prospect, will be fighting for a ... Read the full article

Report: Sabres re-sign Johan Larsson to one-year deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed center Johan Larsson to a one-year, $800,000 contract, according to a Swedish newspaper report.

The Sabres now only have one unsigned restricted free agent, winger Jerry D’Amigo.

Larsson finished last season as the Sabres’ No. 1 center, scoring four goals and 14 points in his final 20 games. The 22-year-old Swede, however, struggled earlier when he played on checking lines. He scored six goals and 16 points ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign RFAs ticketed for Amerks

BUFFALO – Forward Tim Schaller, defenseman Jerome Leduc and goalie Nathan Lieuwen all signed their qualifying offers from the Sabres today.

The three are likely ticketed for the AHL Rochester Americans again.

Schaller, 24, had one goal and two points in 18 games with the Sabres last season and 15 goals and 43 points in 65 contests with the Amerks.

Leduc, 22, had six goals and 25 points in 76 games with the Amerks ... Read the full article

Awful season costs Cody Hodgson job with Sabres

BUFFALO – Cody Hodgson’s Sabres career is over.

The team put the struggling winger on unconditional waivers Monday, meaning the final four seasons of his six-year, $25.5 million contract will be bought out for one-third the remaining value since he’s under 26 years old.

The Sabres owe him $6.333 million over the next eight years, money that will count against the salary cap until 2022-23, according to generalfanager.com. They must absorb a $1,041,666 hit ... Read the full article

Sabres want Mikhail Grigorenko to spend more time in minors

BUFFALO – General manager Tim Murray knows 21-year-old center Mikhail Grigorenko is frustrated the Sabres are offering a two-way contract. The restricted free agent dislikes the deal so much he’s reportedly fielding offers from the KHL, a league in his native Russia.

“I hear rumors,” Murray said Thursday during a news conference inside the First Niagara Center to discuss next week’s NHL Draft.

Clearly, the Sabres and Grigorenko’s camp have vastly different opinions of the ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart hopes for NHL success with new style

ROCHESTER – It wasn’t easy for Sam Reinhart to change his style. After all, the slick Buffalo Sabres prospect spent three seasons dominating junior hockey as an elite scorer.

“It’s hard in junior to force yourself to play the way you’re going to need to in the AHL and NHL,” Reinhart said Friday following his AHL debut with the Rochester Americans.

But Reinhart’s nine-game NHL trial in October taught the 19-year-old center some valuable lessons ... Read the full article

Patrick Kaleta wants to return to Sabres: ‘I would do anything to be back here’

BUFFALO – Following the end of another injury-filled season in which he played only 42 games, Sabres winger Patrick Kaleta received some good news.

“I passed my physical for the first time in five years, so that was a positive this morning,” Kaleta said Sunday as the Sabres cleaned out their lockers inside the First Niagara Center.

That’s how banged up the passionate Kaleta has been over the years.

This season, a year after tearing ... Read the full article