Minnesota Wild - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres showcase growing confidence, maturity, beat Wild in shootout

In the not-so-recent past, the Buffalo Sabres might’ve lost a game like Thursday’s 3-2 shootout win over the first-place Minnesota Wild.

The Sabres trailed 2-1 after two periods because Kirill Kaprizov scored a late, potentially deflating goal. They outshot the Wild 21-6 in the first yet ended the period down 1-0. And then there was the noisy crowd of 18,022 fans inside Xcel Energy Center. The Sabres, of course, have often fared poorly in hostile ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Alex Tuch practices in contact role, close to playing again

Buffalo Sabres winger Alex Tuch went through his first full-contact practice Wednesday in Minnesota and is nearing a return to game action, coach Don Granato told The Buffalo News.

Tuch, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery while a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, started practicing in a non-contact role Nov. 29.

“He is close,” Granato said following Wednesday’s practice. “He’s going to go through a couple days of contact and we’ll get a ... Read the full article

Eric Staal shocked by trade to Sabres, excited to play for GM Kevyn Adams

The friendship between Buffalo Sabres newcomer Eric Staal and general manager Kevyn Adams dates back 17 years, to their days as teammates on the Carolina Hurricanes.

Back then, Adams, a veteran, often invited the budding superstar to his family’s house for dinner.

“He was very good to me as a young player in Carolina,” Staal said on a Zoom call Friday “I was at his house numerous times as a young guy. We just got ... Read the full article

Trading for Eric Staal should be morale boost for Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres endured a rough summer before Wednesday’s acquisition of center Eric Staal from the Minnesota Wild. Gutting the front office three months ago lowered expectations for what has become perhaps the NHL’s most dysfunctional franchise.

So sending forward Marcus Johansson to the Wild for Staal, 35, should ignite a little optimism within the team and its beleaguered fan base.

In his first trade as general manager, Kevyn Adams addressed a major hole – ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Marcus Johansson to Wild for Eric Staal

Kevyn Adams made his first trade as Buffalo Sabres general manager today, sending forward Marcus Johansson to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for center Eric Staal.

Staal will likely be utilized as the No. 2 center, a position the Sabres have struggled to fill since dealing Ryan O’Reilly to the St. Louis Blues in 2018.

Johansson, a winger most of his NHL career, centered the second line much of the 2019-20 season, his first in ... Read the full article

Trade could be coming for hapless Sabres following ugly loss to Wild

BUFFALO – A week before Thanksgiving, the same team that started the season 8-1-1 has already fallen apart. Right now, having lost eight of their last nine games, the Sabres are reeling.

The Sabres can deny it all they want, but it feels eerily similar to last season, when they won 10 straight games in November before imploding and missing the playoffs.

“Listen, we’re not talking about last year,” captain Jack Eichel said following the ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Jason Botterill wants to add forward to struggling team

BUFFALO – General manager Jason Botterill said before tonight’s game he’s “actively looking” to find a forward to help the injury-depleted Sabres.

“But we also are very happy with how our players have come up from Rochester and played so far,” said Botterill, whose team played without five forwards against the Minnesota Wild.

The Sabres had lost a forward to injury in five straight games entering Tuesday. The organization is so depleted – three Rochester ... Read the full article

Sabres to use John Gilmour up front, scratch Marco Scandella

BUFFALO – In the end, instead of recalling a forward or trading for one, the Sabres will simply utilize defenseman John Gilmour as a winger.

So for the first time since he was 15 or 16, Gilmour will skate up front tonight against the Minnesota Wild. He could also move back to the blue line, Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said.

Krueger, who has five injured forwards, said Monday the Sabres could dress seven defensemen and ... Read the full article

Reeling, injury-plagued Sabres need to replenish lineup

BUFFALO – Having lost five forwards in the last five games, a stunning run of injuries, the reeling Sabres have two options for tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

The Sabres can either dress seven defensemen and only 11 forwards, coach Ralph Krueger said, or they can recall a forward from the Rochester Americans.

They stayed remarkably healthy over the first month of the season, utilizing the same lineup most games. But the injuries have ... Read the full article

Goalie Linus Ullmark helps Sabres secure shootout win over Wild

BUFFALO – Amid all the chaos that materialized around him, Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark calmly moved around his crease, making save after save in Tuesday’s thrilling 5-4 shootout victory.

Right now, having allowed 39 goals over the last nine contests, the Sabres are a mess defensively. So Ullmark can be forgiven for allowing four goals.

Ullmark still stopped 41 shots and all three shootout attempts against the Minnesota Wild, securing just the Sabres’ third win ... Read the full article