WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
October Edition
Brendan Warren is in his fifth season with Rochester. ©2025, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Mike Leone played at three colleges and grinded in the minors and Europe for three seasons before beginning the next phase of his hockey life. So the Americans coach has a soft spot for his depth players who have battled and waited for their opportunities.
Leone knows their buy-in and contributions are vital to a team’s success, especially in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
To wit: in Friday’s 3-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch ... Read the full article
Bowen Byram played all 82 games this season. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When the Sabres traded for Bowen Byram before the 2024 deadline, general manager Kevyn Adams acknowledged they weren’t sure how he would fit in their lineup.
In Byram, they saw a talented defenseman drafted fourth overall who had won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Players of his caliber who have sipped from hockey’s holy grail rarely become available in their early 20s.
Adams couldn’t pass up adding a high-end defenseman, so he dealt ... Read the full article
Devon Levi has established as an elite AHL goalie in Rochester. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Devon Levi considers himself fortunate. In his one career appearance against Alex Ovechkin, the greatest goal scorer in NHL history never landed his wicked one-timer on net.
“I’m one of the lucky ones,” joked Levi, who has spent most of this season starring for the Rochester Americans.
On Nov. 22, 2023, Levi made 26 saves in his 15th start for the Sabres, a 4-3 overtime road loss to Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals.... Read the full article
James Reimer has won six straight starts. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Following a one-game rest, the Sabres could turn to goalie James Reimer again tonight, awarding him his seventh start in the last nine contests.
After serving as a backup all season, Reimer, 37, has morphed into the NHL’s hottest netminder, winning six straight starts while compiling a 2.80 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
If he plays tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes at KeyBank Center, Reimer can set a career-best win ... Read the full article
Nicolas Aube-Kubek celebrates his goal in Wednesday’s win. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – For three months, winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel moved in and out of the lineup, never finding a groove while often skating short minutes for the Buffalo Sabres.
In his first days with the Sabres, Aube-Kubel, 28, looked like he would fit nicely on their revamped fourth line, offering them some much-needed grit and speed.
The newcomer enjoyed a strong training camp and stood out early in Buffalo’s season-opening loss Oct. 4 before injuring his ... Read the full article
Devon Levi has responded well after suffering back-to-back losses. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Buffalo Sabres prospect Devon Levi’s ability to embrace any adversity he experiences has enhanced his development with the Americans.
Levi, 23, has enjoyed a stellar run here over parts of two seasons, winning 66 percent of his games while emerging as one of the AHL’s elite goalies.
Still, like any second-year pro, he has felt some bumps. Last month, he lost back-to-back games in regulation for the first time.
In the second outing ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin has been piling up points. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – At his current pace, captain Rasmus Dahlin would register 72 points over a full season, one less than his career high and the second-highest total by a Sabres defenseman in the last 35 years.
Pretty good, right? Well, consider Dahlin has scored nine goals and 46 points despite battling injuries from the get-go this season and missing eight games with back spasms in December.
What kind of gaudy numbers would the ultra-talented Swede ... Read the full article
Felix Sandstrom has been on a roll in Rochester. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Goalie Felix Sandstrom was relaxing with his girlfriend poolside Tuesday at his hotel in Fort Lauderdale, enjoying some sunshine during the AHL All-Star break, when his phone rang. The Sabres, having lost Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to a minor injury, needed him to get to KeyBank Center in a hurry.
Suddenly, his vacation in Florida was over.
Sandstrom had to travel about 1,300 miles to Buffalo to back up goalie James Reimer that night against ... Read the full article
Devon Levi played Monday in Seattle. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu
Goalie Devon Levi’s latest stint with the Buffalo Sabres lasted one game.
The Sabres this afternoon sent Levi back to the Rochester Americans and recalled center prospect Tyson Kozak from their AHL affiliate.
Levi played in Monday afternoon’s 6-4 road loss to the Seattle Kraken, allowing five goals and making 28 saves.
Assigning Levi, 23, to Rochester likely means Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who has been banged up, is healthy enough to at least dress ... Read the full article
Devon Levi played for Rochester on Friday. ©2025, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
The Buffalo Sabres on Saturday recalled goalie Devon Levi from the Rochester Americans and created a roster spot by placing center Ryan McLeod on injured reserved.
McLeod, who fell awkwardly in Thursday’s practice, played in Friday’s 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He registered his first NHL hat trick in Wednesday’s 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Sabres have used McLeod, who has scored 10 goals this season, up and down the lineup. He ... Read the full article