Luukkonen - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres goalie Craig Anderson could be coveted before trade deadline

BUFFALO – At 40, an advanced age where most goaltenders have long been retired, Craig Anderson could be coveted before the upcoming NHL trade deadline.

For now, Anderson is the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie, an incredible accomplishment in his 19th season. During his limited action this season – an upper-body injury recently sidelined him 32 games – the veteran has been the Sabres’ backbone, giving the rebuilding team a calming, consistent presence in the crease.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt encouraged after returning to practice

BUFFALO – When Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt’s injury forced him to leave his last outing Jan. 30, he refused to let the thought enter his mind.

But considering what Mittelstadt has endured over the past four months – two upper-body injuries, the second of which necessitated surgery – it felt like his season could be in jeopardy.

“I would not let that enter my mind until I heard it,” Mittelstadt said Wednesday after returning to ... Read the full article

Sabres receive good news about Casey Mittelstadt’s health

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato acknowledged that, yes, he was nervous about Casey Mittelstadt’s health. After undergoing surgery to repair an upper-body injury, the center left the lineup shortly into his second game back.

But when Mittelstadt, 23, recently visited his surgeon, he received good news. Granato said Mittelstadt, who had issues in the area of his surgery, will rejoin the Sabres for today’s practice in a non-contact role. The American has been ... Read the full article

Sabres waive goalie Michael Houser, make 10 other roster moves

The Buffalo Sabres this afternoon waived goalie Michael Houser and assigned nine players to the Rochester Americans, including center Peyton Krebs and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson.

The Sabres also reassigned defensemen Oskari Laaksonen and Jimmy Schuldt and forwards Brandon Biro, Brett Murray, JJ Peterka and Arttu Ruotsalainen from the taxi squad to the Amerks.

In addition, the Sabres sent goalie Aaron Dell, who cleared waivers Sunday, to their AHL affiliate. Dell just completed his three-game ... Read the full article

Sabres’ goalie crisis worsens as Michael Houser enters COVID-19 protocol

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ goalie crisis reached a critical level Friday afternoon when the team placed Michael Houser in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.

Houser, 29, was the team’s only healthy goalie prior to entering protocol. He started practicing Friday morning inside LECOM Harborcenter before leaving the session.

Houser is the sixth goalie the Sabres have lost to injury, illness or suspension.

The Sabres flew Friday afternoon to Arizona, where they continue their road trip tonight ... Read the full article

With Sabres thin in net, goalie Michael Houser has special chance to impress

BUFFALO – For the time being, the Sabres’ net belongs to goalie Michael Houser.

When the Sabres continue their four-game road trip Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes, Houser, 29, will likely start his seventh NHL game.

A stunning run of bad luck in net this season – three injuries and an illness – forced the Sabres to sign Houser to an NHL contract Jan. 12. Over the next two weeks, Houser spelled Aaron Dell... Read the full article

Aaron Dell’s three-game suspension creates big goalie problem for Sabres

The three-game suspension the NHL handed goalie Aaron Dell on Wednesday for his illegal hit that injured winger Drake Batherson has created a major problem for the Buffalo Sabres.

Right now, the Sabres have just two healthy goalies in the organization with NHL contracts: Dell and Michael Houser, who has played just six NHL games in his 10-year career.

Goalies Craig Anderson (upper body), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body), Malcolm Subban (upper body) and Dustin ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Craig Anderson could be nearing return from upper-body injury

BUFFALO – Craig Anderson has never had a timetable for his recovery from an upper-body injury. The Sabres goalie has experienced good days and bad ones and starts and stops over the past 11 weeks.

Anderson, 40, said he’s still working through the injury, believed to be around the head or neck area, that has sidelined him the last 30 games.

But Anderson might’ve turned a corner Friday when he practiced for the first time ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Quinn suffers lower-body injury; Craig Anderson practices

BUFFALO – If Jack Quinn hadn’t suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday’s 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars, he likely would’ve kept playing for the Sabres in the coming weeks.

The Sabres, of course, won’t simply award their prospects a spot. But given their rash of injuries and that Quinn, 20, had performed so well – he scored his first NHL goal and assisted on another Thursday – he almost certainly would’ve earned a long ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Malcolm Subban likely out for season after having surgery

BUFFALO – When Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen suffered a lower-body injury Jan. 11, a career-changing opportunity materialized for Malcolm Subban.

The Sabres, having lost three goalies, would need to utilize Subban, 28, as their starter. The net, for the time being at least, appeared to be his.

Then about 16 minutes into his relief appearance that night, 6-foot-3, 238-pound Tampa Lightning winger Patrick Maroon fell on Subban.

The freak accident injured Subban. Despite being ... Read the full article