Murray - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres goalie prospect Cal Petersen to turn pro

Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Cal Petersen announced this afternoon he will forego his final season of NCAA eligibility with Notre Dame and sign a pro contact this summer.

Now, does that mean Petersen, 22, will sign with the Sabres, who drafted him in the fifth round, 129th overall, in 2013? Not necessarily.... Read the full article

Report: Sabres interview Bob Boughner for coaching job

Buffalo Sabres general manager Jason Botterill interviewed San Jose Sharks assistant Bob Boughner for the team’s vacant head coaching job Tuesday, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

The Sabres haven’t had a coach since firing Dan Bylsma with GM Tim Murray on April 20.

Boughner, 46, has spent the last two seasons as an assistant in San Jose. He previously spent eight seasons coaching the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires, winning two championships. He was also ... Read the full article

Sabres fire Amerks coach Dan Lambert

The Buffalo Sabres fired Rochester Americans coach Dan Lambert today, ending his one-year run with the AHL affiliate.

Given Lambert, 47, was hired by former general manager Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma, who were fired April 20, new Sabres GM Jason Botterill was almost expected to make the move.

“I would like to thank Dan for his hard work and contributions to our organization during the last two seasons and I wish him the ... Read the full article

Sabres sign Victor Antipin to bolster defense

BUFFALO – Defenseman Victor Antipin has officially joined the Sabres.

More than two months after it was first reported Antipin would leave the KHL for the NHL, the Sabres signed the 24-year-old to a one-year, entry-level contract today.

“Victor is a well-rounded defenseman who has played in all situations at the pro level,” Sabres general manager Jason Botterill said in a statement. “His mobility and puck-moving skills make him a perfect match for what we’re ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Jason Botterill plans to make Rochester a priority

BUFFALO – Very quietly, general manager Jason Botterill played a key role in the development of the talent that once made the Sabres a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Botterill played three seasons with the Rochester Americans, piling up goals while helping prospects like Paul Gaustad, Ryan Miller, Jason Pominville, Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek acclimate to the AHL and eventually graduate to the Sabres.... Read the full article

Sabres GM Jason Botterill ready to tackle new job

BUFFALO – New general manager Jason Botterill left a darn good gig as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ associate GM to return here and run the Sabres, a reeling team that hasn’t made the playoffs in six years.

On Wednesday, just hours before he was named the eighth GM in Sabres history, Botterill was in Washington watching Pittsburgh beat the Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal. The Penguins could be weeks away from earning ... Read the full article

Sabres introduce Jason Botterill as GM

BUFFALO – New general manager Jason Botterill left a darn good gig as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ associate GM to return here and run the Sabres, one of the NHL’s perennial dregs.

On Wednesday, just hours before he was named the eighth GM in Sabres history, Botterill was in Washington watching the Penguins beat the Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal.... Read the full article

Sabres finally name Jason Botterill GM

BUFFALO – The wait is over. The Sabres this morning named Jason Botterill the eighth general manager in franchise history.

Botterill, a key figure in the construction of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Stanley Cup winners in 2009 and 2016, has been regarded as one of the NHL’s brightest young minds and a future GM for years. He most recently served as Pittsburgh’s associate GM.... Read the full article

Former teammate: Jason Botterill would give Sabres GM with ‘all the right traits’

BUFFALO – More than 20 years ago, as Jason Botterill piled up goals at the University of Michigan and helped the Wolverines win an NCAA title, Bubba Berenzweig knew his friend and teammate possessed other special qualities that would help him accomplish great things off the ice someday.

Even back in the mid-1990s, Berenzweig sensed Botterill, now the Pittsburgh Penguins’ associate general manager, might run an NHL team someday.

“He’s freaking brilliant,” Berenzweig said of ... Read the full article

Analyst: Sabres’ next GM entering ‘promising’ gig

BUFFALO – Despite inheriting a last-place club, the Sabres’ next general manager will also be entering a “promising” job, said former NHL GM Craig Button.

Why? The Sabres already possess two cornerstones at critical positions.

“When you start with (center) Jack Eichel and you’ve got a (defenseman like) Rasmus Ristolainen, you’ve got the framework for something to really move significantly ahead with,” said Button, the Calgary Flames’ GM for three years in the early ... Read the full article