Miller - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Owen Power, Sabres’ young defense turning heads: ‘Bright future’

BUFFALO – Winger Alex Tuch figures the Sabres set some sort of record in Tuesday’s 5-2 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“It’s got to be the youngest D corps to ever step on the ice tonight, I feel like,” Tuch said after defenseman Owen Power, 19, made his NHL debut in Scotiabank Arena. “The oldest guy’s Casey Fitzgerald at 25.”

Incredibly, the average age of the Sabres’ defense in Tuesday’s contest ... Read the full article

Auston Matthews’ dominant season no surprise to Sabres coach Don Granato

TORONTO – Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews has ascended to a new level of superstardom this season, scoring an NHL-high 58 goals in 68 outings.

Matthews, who was held pointless in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, recently became the first player since Mario Lemieux in 1995-96 to score 50 goals over a 50-game stretch. Matthews is on pace to score 66 times this season, a number that hasn’t been reached since Lemieux scored ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Devon Levi wants to ‘feel that pressure’ at Northeastern

BUFFALO – When goalie Devon Levi told Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams he would be returning to Northeastern, the prospect explained how another season in college could offer him what he craves.

“He’s such a mature kid the way he looks at it,” Adams said this morning inside KeyBank Center. “And one of the things he said that I found interesting is that, ‘I wanted to feel that pressure every day of people looking at ... Read the full article

Sabres can’t generate enough energy, lose to Panthers: ‘Didn’t have … jump’

BUFFALO – During Sunday afternoon’s 5-3 loss, coach Don Granato said he heard very little chatter on the bench, an indicator the Sabres, two days removed from an emotional victory, did not feel fresh.

“Entirety of the game, we just couldn’t get the emotional energy,” Granato said after a 5-3 setback to the Florida Panthers ended the Sabres’ eight-game point streak. “It was low. I give our guys some credit for trying to find it ... Read the full article

Energy from crowd on Rick Jeanneret’s night gave Sabres ‘chills’

BUFFALO – In the third period of Friday’s emotional win, as the raucous capacity crowd celebrating Rick Jeanneret and the upstart Sabres began doing the wave, winger Kyle Okposo said he saw his teammates looking around and soaking up the excitement.

“Guys got chills,” Okposo said following Saturday’s practice at KeyBank Center. “They hadn’t seen it.”

Then Okposo, a 15-year veteran, turned to center Dylan Cozens, who’s in his second season.... Read the full article

After 11 years in minors, Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski earning keep in NHL

BUFFALO – Dustin Tokarski has accomplished something unusual. Goalies in their 30s more than four seasons removed from their last NHL game rarely return to the big leagues.

Tokarski, 32, not only made it back, he has stuck with the Sabres for more than a year.

Since relieving an injured Carter Hutton on March 22, 2021, Tokarski has played 35 games, including a career-high 22 this season. In his first 11 pro seasons, he made ... Read the full article

Why didn’t the Sabres make any trades before Monday’s deadline?

BUFFALO – In winning four of their last five games, including two straight road contests in overtime, the Sabres have taken significant steps over the past two weeks.

For one of the few times in the past decade, the Sabres are clearly improving as the season progresses. So as the trade deadline approached, general manager Kevyn Adams had to decide if dealing some influential veterans on expiring contracts was worth the return.

For example, goalie ... Read the full article

After Robert Hagg deal, Sabres could make more trades before deadline

BUFFALO – Expect a quiet deadline day for the Sabres. General manager Kevyn Adams made one trade Sunday, sending defenseman Robert Hagg to the Florida Panthers. Perhaps a few more veterans on expiring contracts will be dealt before 3 p.m.

This deadline lacks the intrigue of a year ago, when Adams was trying to trade winger Taylor Hall, a free agent bust, or in 2020, when ex-GM Jason Botterill loaded up for a playoff ... Read the full article

If Sabres trade Craig Anderson, Mark Pysyk, could they return next season?

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 earning trust, big minutes from Sabres: ‘An athletic giant’

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