McLeod - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After signing contract, Sabres’ Peyton Krebs might have to battle for spot

BUFFALO – When the Sabres overhauled their third and fourth lines during the offseason by trading for Ryan McLeod and Beck Malenstyn and signing two free agents, center Peyton Krebs’ future here became uncertain.

Krebs, the Sabres’ last restricted free agent, is officially back for his fourth season, having signed a two-year, $2.9 million contract on Tuesday. But as training camp opens today with the first on-ice sessions in KeyBank Center, it’s unclear where he ... Read the full article

After signings and trades, where does Peyton Krebs fit with Sabres?

BUFFALO – During their exit meeting in April, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams noticed a bit of a shift in center Peyton Krebs’ mentality.

When Adams asked him about his season, Krebs, 23, told him he believes he can be a 200-foot, two-way center in the NHL.

“When he first got here, there was so much emphasis on offense and he’d always been an offensive player,” Adams said June 20 in KeyBank Center.

Krebs, ... Read the full article

Nomadic Nicolas Aube-Kubel excited to give Sabres’ fourth line grit, speed

As free agency approached and winger Nicolas Aube-Kubel began looking for his fifth NHL team in the last three and a half years, he told his agent he wanted to join a younger group.

Having started last season in the AHL – he played 11 games for the Hershey Bears before earning regular duty with the Washington Capitals – Aube-Kubel knew he likely wouldn’t receive a multi-year deal.

But the idea of growing with a ... Read the full article

Excited Ryan McLeod ready for ‘great opportunity’ after trade to Sabres

Eleven days after his marathon nine-month, 105-game season ended, Ryan McLeod was posing for pictures at his friend’s wedding when he learned the Edmonton Oilers had traded him to the Buffalo Sabres.

Naturally, McLeod, 24, wanted to enjoy some down time following an emotional and grueling campaign, so the timing struck him as “a little funny.”

“A little whirlwind,” the center said on a Zoom call Wednesday of getting traded for the first time. “You ... Read the full article

Sabres newcomer Sam Lafferty enjoyed career season after trade

BUFFALO – Sabres center Sam Lafferty’s first three NHL teams utilized him in a checking role, deploying him for faceoffs in enemy territory for a whopping 73.7 percent of his zone starts.

Then last year, after the Vancouver Canucks acquired Lafferty, 29, from the Toronto Maple Leafs days before the season, they gave him a dual role.

For the first time in his five-year career, he had more offensive zone starts than defensive starts (51.3 ... Read the full article

Sabres receive immediate help in Ryan McLeod by trading Matt Savoie to Oilers

After the Buffalo Sabres recently made a minor deal and signed some free agents, it appeared the significant trade that was expected this summer might never materialize.

Maybe, just maybe, general manager Kevyn Adams felt that adding some grit to augment a talented lineup and having a new coach in Lindy Ruff would be enough to help the Sabres end their NHL-record 13-year playoff drought.

But on Friday, Adams, who has expressed his willingness to ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Matt Savoie to Oilers, get Ryan McLeod, Tyler Tullio in return

The Buffalo Sabres have made that significant offseason trade everyone seemed to be waiting for.

This afternoon they acquired center Ryan McLeod and forward Tyler Tullio from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for center Matt Savoie.

To acquire McLeod, an NHL talent, they had to part with Savoie, the ninth overall pick in 2022 and one of their top prospects.... Read the full article