Miller - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Ted Nolan ready to make Sabres compete; players sad to see Darcy Regier and Ron Rolston fired

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan said he’s a straightforward type of guy. So after taking over as the Sabres’ interim coach today, the 55-year-old requested one thing from his new players, whose work ethic has been lacking during their awful 4-15-1 start.

“The only thing I asked is you compete,” Nolan, the Sabres’ coach from 1995-97, said following practice this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center. “Some guys play 25 minutes. Some guys play three ... Read the full article

Goalie Ryan Miller dazzles again in shootout victory over Kings

BUFFALO – Seconds after Tyler Ennis’ shootout goal secured the Sabres’ first home win this season, the slick center found franchise goalie Ryan Miller in the wild celebration scrum.

Miller had just finished another dynamic performance Tuesday, making 43 saves and two shootout stops in the Sabres’ 3-2 triumph against the Los Angeles Kings inside the First Niagara Center.

Ennis has been Miller’s friend and teammate five seasons, including the end of his scintillating 2009-10 ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ville Leino set to return, not sure why he was scratched

BUFFALO – So, does Sabres winger Ville Leino know why coach Ron Rolston scratched him for Friday’s 6-2 loss in Anaheim?

“Not really,” Leino, who will return tonight against the Los Angeles Kings, said after skating this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

Can Leino, who has one point and one shot in seven games, guess why he sat?

“There’s no point guessing,” he said. “I don’t know if it really matters at this ... Read the full article

Struggling Drew Stafford sad to see teammates leave, wants to stay with Sabres: ‘I’m not going to quit’

BUFFALO – Drew Stafford started shaking his head. The veteran winger paused before answering a question about seeing so many teammates and friends depart the hapless Sabres recently.

With Thomas Vanek gone, only goalie Ryan Miller’s tenure outranks Stafford, who joined the Sabres early in 2006-07. When the 28-year-old looks around the dressing room these days, he mostly sees young, unfamiliar faces.

“It’s just times have changed, you know?” Stafford said last week inside ... Read the full article

Sabres retained money in Thomas Vanek trade with Islanders

BUFFALO – Some interesting new details have emerged about Sunday’s big swap, which sent Sabres co-captain and top scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders.

The Sabres retained 19.5 percent of Vanek’s $6.5 million salary in the trade, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston. They also kept the same portion of his salary cap hit.

Perhaps that’s why the Isles, who sent high-scoring winger Matt Moulson to the Sabres, also parted with a ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Moulson can’t spoil Lindy Ruff’s special night in Buffalo with Stars

BUFFALO – Eight hours before his Sabres debut, high-scoring winger Matt Moulson joked he wanted Lindy Ruff’s return to the First Niagara Center as the Dallas Stars’ coach to overshadow his night.

Moulson wasn’t letting on Monday morning, but the 29-year-old, having just been acquired Sunday with draft picks from the New York Islanders for star co-captain Thomas Vanek, was incredibly nervous.

“I’m not going to lie, that was probably the most nervous I’ve been ... Read the full article

Matt Moulson endures long day to debut for Sabres

BUFFALO – Having grown up in nearby Mississauga, Ont., about a 90-minute drive, Sabres winger Matt Moulson said he’s well-acquainted with his new city.

“I used to love coming to Bills games,” Moulson said Monday inside the First Niagara Center prior to scoring twice in his Buffalo debut, a 4-3 loss to former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff and the Dallas Stars. “So it’s a great city. Who knows, it could be for a long time. ... Read the full article

Matt Moulson surprised to leave Isles, upbeat about joining Sabres

BUFFALO – Having grown up in nearby Mississauga, Ont., about a 90-minute drive, Sabres winger Matt Moulson said he’s well-acquainted with his new city.

“I used to love coming to Bills games,” Moulson said this morning inside the First Niagara Center, less than a day after being acquired with two high draft picks from the New York Islanders for co-captain Thomas Vanek. “So it’s a great city. Who knows, it could be for a long ... Read the full article

Stars coach Lindy Ruff enjoying Dallas, ready to face Sabres for first time

BUFFALO – Lindy Ruff still catches himself.

At times, the Dallas Stars’ coach still refers to the Sabres, the team he coached for 15 seasons, as “we.”

“I’ve slipped up the odd time with that one,” Ruff, whose Stars face the Sabres tonight, said this afternoon inside the First Niagara, his first visit back since his Feb. 20 dismissal.

Other times, Ruff will thumb to the Sabres’ statistics page instead of Dallas’.

Breaking old ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Thomas Vanek to Islanders for Matt Moulson and picks

BUFFALO – In the short-term, the hapless Sabres are no better after dealing co-captain and top scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders late Sunday for 30-goal winger Matt Moulson and a first-round pick in 2014 and second-round selection in 2015, general manager Darcy Regier said.

But the shocking trade, which Regier worked on with counterpart Garth Snow “off and on for a while,” wasn’t about improving the 2-10-1 club immediately.

“This is more ... Read the full article