WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Craig Anderson is beginning his 20th NHL season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In Craig Anderson, Sabres coach Don Granato sees a passionate veteran goalie who understands the end is nearing.
“Craig is a guy that’s very connected to his love of the game, and he sees, hey, my career’s coming to an end, I’m clear and definitively going to miss this, so I’m going to love what I’m going to miss,” Granato said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Ottawa Senators ... Read the full article
Lawrence Pilut is one of several defensemen Buffalo signed during the summer. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres have likely known for months which seven defensemen will comprise their opening night roster.
Jacob Bryson, Rasmus Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, Casey Fitzgerald, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson entrenched themselves on the blue line last season. In signing Ilya Lyubushkin in free agency, the Sabres added a gritty veteran presence they lacked.
But what about the rest of the defense corps? Given the rugged nature of the position, defensemen are always at ... Read the full article
JJ Peterka has registered one assist in three preseason games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Coach Don Granato said it’s only natural that Sabres rookie JJ Peterka might be pressing as he battles to earn a roster spot out of training camp.
So far, Peterka, 20, has had an underwhelming preseason, registering just one assist in three outings.
“I would love to score a little bit more right now,” Peterka said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “But for me, it’s just trying to find my game and getting ... Read the full article
JJ Peterka could start the season in Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – After reassigning 23 players over the weekend, the Sabres nearly have their regular-season roster set.
On Monday, 28 players – 15 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goalies – practiced inside KeyBank Center. The Sabres held one session for the first time in training camp.
They must finalize their 23-man roster by 5 p.m. next Monday.
The Sabres, who have two preseason games left, starting with tonight’s home contest against the Carolina Hurricanes, have ... Read the full article
Lawrence Pilut has played 46 games with Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut chose his words carefully, refusing to dwell on the past.
In 2020, Pilut bolted overseas, leaving the Sabres to join Chelyabinsk Traktor, a Kontinental Hockey League team in Russia. His decision stunned the Sabres’ old regime, which believed the Swede was on the cusp of securing regular NHL duty.
“I don’t want to talk about that too much,” Pilut, who reportedly wanted a one-way contract as a restricted ... Read the full article
Matt Savoie also played in Sunday afternoon’s preseason opener. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Matt Savoie has integrated so quickly that coach Don Granato feels comfortable playing the rookie between veterans.
So tonight, less than a week into his first NHL training camp, Savoie, 18, will center Casey Mittelstadt and Kyle Okposo against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Savoie, the ninth overall pick this year, also played in Sunday afternoon’s preseason opener, a 4-3 overtime road win against the Washington Capitals.... Read the full article
Ilya Lyubushkin played for Arizona last season before joining Toronto. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
At 28, having played nine pro seasons, newcomer Ilya Lyubushkin is the elder statesmen of the Buffalo Sabres’ defense corps.
Buffalo’s second-oldest defenseman, Casey Fitzgerald, is just 25. The average age of the seven defenders expected to be on the opening night roster is 23.
The six defensemen the Sabres utilized down the stretch late last season – Fitzgerald, Jacob Bryson, Rasmus Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson – will all be returning ... Read the full article
Eric Comrie has played just 28 NHL games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – As free agency approached and the Sabres ramped up their search for a goalie, they did their due diligence on Eric Comrie, a seldom-used but intriguing talent.
Comrie, 27, became a Group 6 unrestricted free agent because he fell 90 minutes short of the minutes threshold. So if he had played another two games, the Winnipeg Jets could’ve retained his rights.
General manager Kevyn Adams said the scouting and analytics staffs and goalie ... Read the full article
Ilya Lyubushkin spent last season with Arizona and Toronto. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres have landed their first free agents of the day, signing goalie Eric Comrie and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to two-year contracts.
Comrie’s deal is worth $3.6 million. Lyubushkin’s is worth $5.5 million.
The Sabres, of course, needed to find another goalie with NHL experience. They had just two – Craig Anderson and Malcolm Subban – under contract for the upcoming season.
