McNabb - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Mikhail Grigorenko, Brayden McNabb to sit against Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – These aren’t regular healthy scratches. Interim coach Ted Nolan, who’s been charged with evaluating and developing the Sabres’ young lineup, wants some of his prospects to sit occasionally.

So center Mikhail Grigorenko and defenseman Brayden McNabb will be scratched tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs inside the First Niagara Center.

Both should play Saturday against the New Jersey Devils, however.

“I’m not unhappy,” Nolan said this morning about Grigorenko’s play. “It’s just when ... Read the full article

Sabres reward Luke Adam and Brayden McNabb for strong starts with Amerks

BUFFALO – Luke Adam figured he had fallen out of the Sabres’ plans. The 23-year-old winger, a strong Calder Trophy candidate two years ago at this time, barely received a look during the exhibition season.

The struggling, goal-starved team then refused to summon Adam from Rochester as he began piling up scores and recapturing his old form.

“I think they kind of had their mind made up,” Adam said Wednesday inside the First Niagara Center ... Read the full article

Sabres going ‘back to the drawing board’ after NHL rejects Mikhail Grigorenko’s conditioning assignment

BUFFALO – Mikhail Grigorenko figured he’d be starting a two-week AHL conditioning assignment today. The 19-year-old Sabres prospect had already dropped his equipment off at the rink and checked into a Rochester hotel when a team front office member contacted him at 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The NHL had rejected the assignment.

Grigorenko drove back to Buffalo and practiced with the Sabres today.

What happened?

“You read the rules and see how they work,” interim Sabres ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko with Sabres after NHL rejects conditioning assignment

BUFFALO – The NHL has rejected Mikhail Grigorenko’s AHL conditioning assignment, so the 19-year-old center’s back practicing with the Sabres this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres sent the Russian, a healthy scratch recently, to Rochester on Tuesday. Stay tuned for more details. The Sabres said they respect the decision.

Meanwhile, winger Luke Adam and defenseman Brayden McNabb have been recalled from the Americans and are on the ice.

Tyler Ennis isn’t practicing. ... Read the full article

Sabres’ John Scott defends role in brawl: ‘I wasn’t going to try to hurt him’

BUFFALO – Naturally, hulking Sabres tough guy John Scott was a little surprised to see Phil Kessel, one of the NHL’s most talented stars, lining up for a faceoff beside him Sunday in Toronto after the Maple Leafs’ Jamie Devane had just pummeled Corey Tropp in a gruesome scrap.

Watching Devane knockout and bloody Tropp, who gave up five inches to the 6-foot-5 fighter, infuriated the Sabres. Scott, who was already on the ice, figured ... Read the full article

Sabres’ John Scott on going after Phil Kessel: ‘Just trying to send a message’

Watching Devane knockout and bloody Tropp, who gave up five inches in the bout, infuriated the Sabres. Scott figured Leafs coach Randy Carlyle would send out some muscle.

Instead, skill ... Read the full article

Center prospect Johan Larsson making strong bid to crack Sabres

BUFFALO – Right now, the Sabres’ depth down the middle is, well, a bit thin beyond Cody Hodgson.

Consider this: the five other centers coach Ron Rolston has played in the team’s three exhibition contests – Matt Ellis, Mikhail Grigorenko, Johan Larsson, Cody McCormick and Kevin Porter – have combined for 64 goals and 154 points in 816 NHL games.

That’s it.

So what will the Sabres do?

“We’re going to continue ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Joel Armia makes home debut memorable

BUFFALO – This wasn’t a three-minute YouTube package of European highlights or a summer development camp scrimmage. This was slick Sabres prospect Joel Armia finally skating in some NHL action.

The hype surrounding Armia has been building since the Sabres selected the Finnish winger 16^th overall in 2011. Yet few fans had seen the 20-year-old, who spent the last three seasons playing at home in SM-liiga, up close prior to Thursday’s exhibition home opener, ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Joel Armia set for home debut tonight

BUFFALO – The hype has been building since slick Finnish winger Joel Armia was selected 16^th overall in 2011. In the 20-year-old, the Sabres possess a prospect so talented many believe he could crack the NHL right away.

Yet few have seen Armia, who spent the last three seasons playing at home in SM-liiga, up close.

Who exactly is this guy?

Fans will find out tonight, when Armia makes his Buffalo debut in the ... Read the full article

Tonight’s game more than meaningless exhibition for Sabres’ Corey Tropp

BUFFALO – Seventeen months after Corey Tropp played his last NHL game, the 24-year-old Sabres winger will return to the lineup tonight in Columbus.

Yes, it’s just an exhibition contest. But for Tropp, who suffered ligament damage in his right knee playing for Rochester opening night last season, it’s more than a preseason tilt.

Tropp’s back in the NHL.

“I’d be lying to you if I told you when I finished the season two ... Read the full article