Murray - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres re-sign Jacob Bryson to two-year contract

The Buffalo Sabres on Sunday locked up their second restricted free agent this summer, re-signing defenseman Jacob Bryson to a two-year, $3.7 million contract.

Bryson, 24, earned regular duty last season, compiling one goal and 10 points in 73 games. The 18 minutes, 10 seconds of ice time he averaged each outing ranked seventh on the Sabres.

The Providence College product, a left-handed shot, also established himself as a versatile presence, often playing on ... Read the full article

Reports: Sabres pursued trade for Senators goalie Matt Murray

MONTREAL – The Buffalo Sabres must keep looking for another goalie.

A potential deal between the Sabres and Ottawa Senators involving Matt Murray was nixed because Buffalo is on the goalie’s 10-team no-trade list, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

The Senators would’ve retained some of Murray’s salary and given the Sabres the seventh overall pick in tonight’s NHL Draft in exchange for the 16th selection, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.

“The reality is we worked ... Read the full article

Sabres discussing new Victor Olofsson contract, to talk to Ryan Johnson’s representatives

MONTREAL – General manager Kevyn Adams said on Wednesday the Buffalo Sabres have been working on a new contract with winger Victor Olofsson, the team’s most prominent restricted free agent.

“We’re in a good spot here,” Adams said inside the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, the team’s headquarters ahead of the NHL Draft. “Mark Jakubowski, who does a lot of our lead in the negotiating side, has had some good conversations as of late with ... Read the full article

Amerks’ season ends with triple OT loss: ‘An extremely special group’

ROCHESTER – The Americans battled adversity and beat long odds for weeks, eking into the Calder Cup Playoffs on the last day of the regular season before beginning their deepest and most memorable postseason run in 18 years.

They rallied to win games, earned four overtime victories and triumphed in a do-or-die Game 5 against a top seed.

So when the Amerks dropped the first two games on the road against the Laval Rocket in ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect JJ Peterka becoming dominant presence with Amerks

ROCHESTER – JJ Peterka could be one-and-done in the AHL. The Buffalo Sabres prospect just enjoyed the greatest offensive campaign in a teenage season since 1976. Over the weekend, the German winger was the most dynamic player in the Calder Cup Playoffs, recording five points, including a hat trick, in two Americans wins.

After a 28-goal, 68-point regular season, the excitement and pressure that accompanies postseason hockey has helped Peterka transform into a dominant presence.... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Lukas Rousek growing comfortable with Amerks

ROCHESTER – Considering the Americans boast one of the AHL’s deepest forward groups, it’s easy for rookie winger Lukas Rousek to be overshadowed.

In center Peyton Krebs and wingers JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn and Arttu Ruotsalainen, they possess four of the AHL’s top young talents.

Sean Malone and Michael Mersch each cracked the 20-goal mark. Brandon Biro, Mark Jankowski and Brett Murray all spent time with the Buffalo Sabres this season.... Read the full article

Ex-Sabres coach Dan Bylsma energized by new job as Kraken’s assistant in AHL

ROCHESTER – Dan Bylsma laughed and processed the question a little longer. He started to answer it but stopped again to collect his thoughts.

After three lean years as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings, did the ex-Buffalo Sabres head coach need a new adventure?

“We were in a different spot in Detroit with the team and the players,” Bylsma told the Times Herald on Wednesday following the Charlotte Checkers’ 5-1 loss to ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt to talk to surgeon; Tage Thompson set to return

Buffalo Sabres center Casey Mittelstadt will miss tonight’s road game against the Vegas Golden Knights and plans to talk to the surgeon who repaired his upper-body injury, coach Don Granato said.

Mittelstadt left Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, just his third outing since undergoing surgery Dec. 10, with soreness in his upper body after playing just 4 minutes, 59 seconds.

“We want to make sure we’re doing the right things with that,” Granato ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Casey Mittelstadt set to return from injury; Kyle Okposo practices

BUFFALO – Sabres forwards Casey Mittelstadt and Zemgus Girgensons practiced this morning and will likely return for Tuesday’s road game against the Ottawa Senators.

“Zemgus is back, full, and so is Mittsy,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following the session.

Mittelstadt, out with an upper-body injury the last 16 games, centered Peyton Krebs and Anders Bjork during the practice inside LECOM Harborcenter. Meanwhile, Girgensons, out the last five games with a lower-body injury, skated at ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Quinn suffers lower-body injury; Craig Anderson practices

BUFFALO – If Jack Quinn hadn’t suffered a lower-body injury in Thursday’s 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars, he likely would’ve kept playing for the Sabres in the coming weeks.

The Sabres, of course, won’t simply award their prospects a spot. But given their rash of injuries and that Quinn, 20, had performed so well – he scored his first NHL goal and assisted on another Thursday – he almost certainly would’ve earned a long ... Read the full article