WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Offseason Edition
Craig Anderson is in his first season in Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – When the Sabres signed a slew of cheap free agents to one-year contracts last summer, it appeared their tenures here would be short.
After a season or less, they might become expendable. Some of organization’s prospects would mature and the rebuilding Sabres might also acquire better talent.
Well, so far, some prospects – defenseman Casey Fitzgerald and Mattias Samuelsson, for example – have graduated from the minors and earned regular duty. Others like ... Read the full article
Mattias Samuelsson enjoyed Sunday afternoon’s Heritage Classic. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The poise Mattias Samuelsson possesses belies his experience. Barely 30 games into his NHL career, the Sabres consistently utilize the rookie against the opposition’s top talent.
On Thursday, Samuelsson faced Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid. In Sunday afternoon’s 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the defenseman was often tasked with shutting down Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, one of the NHL’s elite duos.
At one point Sunday, with Marner roaring toward him, ... Read the full article
Colin Miller has missed the last 23 games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Defenseman Colin Miller, out the last 23 games after undergoing surgery, will play during the Sabres’ upcoming road trip, coach Don Granato said.
Miller, who was trying to play through an upper-body injury earlier this season, has missed the last 23 games.
The Sabres play the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday and the Calgary Flames on Friday before closing the trip against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.... Read the full article
Zemgus Girgensons hasn’t played since Jan. 25. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The uncertainty Sabres winger Zemgus Girgensons experienced after he left the lineup in late January wore on him. The Latvian’s lower-body injury was related to the hamstring problem that forced him to miss all of last season.
“It was definitely mentally tough at the start where I kept going back and forth with how long I would be out,” Girgensons said following Tuesday’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter. “It brought back flashbacks from last ... Read the full article
Casey Fitzgerald has played 21 NHL games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, five of the six defensemen the Sabres utilized were 25 or younger.
The graybeard of the group, Robert Hagg, 27, has played all of 282 NHL games.
The rest of the blue line consisted of neophytes. Only one other defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, 21, has played more than 200 big league contests.
The Sabres dressed two rookies – Casey Fitzgerald, 25, and Mattias Samuelsson, who turns ... Read the full article
Mark Pysyk sat out one game last month. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju will return tonight from a lower-body injury that has sidelined him the last six games, coach Don Granato said.
To make room, Granato said the Sabres will scratch defenseman Mark Pysyk against the Vegas Golden Knights.
When the Sabres had a surfeit of defensemen last month, they began rotating one in and out each game. Right now, however, Granato wants the team’s young defenders keep playing.
Henri Jokiharju has missed the last six games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Defenseman Henri Jokiharju and some other injured Sabres could return for tonight’s home game against Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights, coach Don Granato said.
Jokiharju, out the last six games with a lower-body injury, practiced Wednesday in his regular spot beside defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Meanwhile, winger Zemgus Girgensons, out the last 16 games with a lower-body injury, skated on a line of extras with center Mark Jankowski and Anders Bjork inside ... Read the full article
Jacob Bryson just moved up to the top defense pair. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Three weeks ago, as the Sabres began rotating defensemen, coach Don Granato told general manager Kevyn Adams he believed watching a game would help Jacob Bryson.
Getting scratched wasn’t a punishment for poor play. Granato simply wanted to utilize his entire blue line, so for a seven-game stretch, four defensemen – Bryson, Robert Hagg, Mark Pysyk and Mattias Samuelsson – moved in an out.
When Bryson, 24, sat out Feb. 10, he ... Read the full article
Casey Mittelstadt has scored just one goal this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – Casey Mittelstadt admittedly isn’t the most patient guy. Coach Don Granato has often spoken about how the Sabres forward has high expectations for himself.
“Yeah, I’m hard on myself,” Mittelstadt said prior to recording an assist in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. “But at the same time, I think that helps me.”
Four and a half months into what was expected to be a breakout season, two significant ... Read the full article
Craig Anderson has faced Toronto often over his long career. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
TORONTO – Having scored 18 goals during their three-game winning streak, including a whopping 10 in one contest, the Maple Leafs are perhaps the NHL’s hottest team.
Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres, losers of six straight games, are arguably the league’s coldest club.
For the first time since Dec. 11, the Leafs will have a full house of nearly 19,000 fans tonight in Scotiabank Arena. COVID-19 restrictions forced them to play in a near-empty or half-full ... Read the full article
