Mittelstadt - Buffalo Hockey Beat

As he waits for another chance, Sabres’ Michael Kesselring trying to make most of time as healthy scratch

BUFFALO – Long after most of his Sabres teammates had departed the dressing room Wednesday morning, a sweaty Michael Kesselring walked in and sat down on a plastic chair.

A surplus of healthy bodies – Kesselring is one of nine defensemen – has forced the Sabres to create a new dressing area in the middle of the room.

So Kesselring, having lost his spot on the arguably the NHL’s deepest blue line, doesn’t have a ... Read the full article

Sabres grab late lead after shaky start, lose to Bruins in OT: ‘I don’t think we were very good’

BUFFALO – Since the Sabres began their torrid run up the Eastern Conference standings in early December, they’ve played 143 periods. The first two in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins rank as their worst of the memorable stretch.

“Those first two periods are probably our poorest periods of the last three months,” coach Lindy Ruff said following the Sabres’ second consecutive overtime loss.

Fresh off a four-game road trip in which they ... Read the full article

Sabres sign Bowen Byram to two-year contract, avoid salary arbitration

The Buffalo Sabres late Monday avoided salary arbitration with defenseman Bowen Byram, signing him to a two-year, $12.5 million contract.

When the contract expires, Byram, 24, can become an unrestricted free agent.

The Sabres now have two unsigned restricted free agents: goalie Devon Levi and defenseman Conor Timmins, who earlier this month filed for arbitration.

By recently electing for arbitration with Byram, the Sabres made him ineligible to sign an offer sheet.

Byram’s $6.25 million ... Read the full article

After breakout season, Bowen Byram wants to sign new contract with Sabres

BUFFALO – When the Sabres traded for Bowen Byram before the 2024 deadline, general manager Kevyn Adams acknowledged they weren’t sure how he would fit in their lineup.

In Byram, they saw a talented defenseman drafted fourth overall who had won the Stanley Cup in 2022. Players of his caliber who have sipped from hockey’s holy grail rarely become available in their early 20s.

Adams couldn’t pass up adding a high-end defenseman, so he dealt ... Read the full article

Tage Thompson scores a breakaway goal Sunday on Boston goalie Joonas Korpisalo.

Sabres’ Tage Thompson scores hat trick in win over Bruins, aims for 50 goals

BUFFALO – Just like that, a 50-goal season might be attainable for scorching Sabres winger Tage Thompson. Six games are left. After scoring three times in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins, he has 43 goals.

Is it likely he will become the first Sabres player to score 50 goals in 32 years? No, but the prestigious mark is certainly within reach.

Right now, Thompson is the NHL’s hottest scorer, having registered eight goals ... Read the full article

As trade deadline approaches, Sabres must make difficult roster decisions

BUFFALO – It’s over for this edition of Sabres. The same group of young talent that appeared to be on the precipice of something special two years ago will almost certainly be broken up in the coming days and months.

Expect some moves, possibly minor ones, to be made prior to Friday’s trade deadline. The last-place Sabres, after all, have players set to become unrestricted free agents following the season.

Significant deals, of course, usually ... Read the full article

In D Bowen Byram and Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres have unique, high-end tandem

BUFFALO – Defensemen the caliber of Sabres studs Bowen Byram and Rasmus Dahlin rarely skate together as a tandem. Coaches typically pair a puck-rusher alongside a more stay-at-home defender.

Heck, most NHL teams don’t have one defenseman that talented, let alone two. It’s unique that coach Lindy Ruff had the option to put the slick blueliners together.

In moving Byram, 23, up with Dahlin, 24, around Christmastime, Ruff put a lot of aggressiveness on his ... Read the full article

Even amid tough season, trading Dylan Cozens makes little sense for Sabres

BUFFALO – Three days later, center Dylan Cozens still felt the sting of Saturday afternoon’s embarrassing 6-2 loss, an ugly game in which he registered a ghastly minus-4 rating as the Sabres blew an early two-goal lead.

As he has matured over his five-year NHL career, Cozens, an emotional competitor, said he has learned to stop dwelling on poor games.

“Or else it will just eat at you and kind of take over,” the ... Read the full article

Avalanche’s Casey Mittelstadt grateful for trade, fond of time with Sabres

BUFFALO – Former Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt knew a trade could be coming last season.

His emergence as a consistent point producer put him in line to sign a hefty new contract following the campaign. It also transformed him into perhaps general manager Kevyn Adams’ greatest asset as he scoured the market to improve the Sabres.

“I saw the writing on the wall a little bit,” Mittelstadt said Tuesday prior to his first game against ... Read the full article

After injury, Sabres star Tage Thompson resumes what could be special season

BUFFALO – Following a five-game absence, Tage Thompson quickly resumed his role as the Sabres’ offensive catalyst, generating chance after chance during the last three contests.

The ultra-talented center has attempted 30 shots and landed 16 on goal since returning from a lower-body injury, the NHL’s third-highest total entering Monday’s schedule.

He converted zero of those opportunities.... Read the full article