Nolan - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres will make decision on Mikhail Grigorenko’s future soon

BUFFALO – In past world junior championship appearances, Sabres center Mikhail Grigorenko said he would’ve been concentrating solely on his offensive game.

“I didn’t really think about defense or penalty kills or faceoffs or winning battles,” the 19-year-old prospect said Thursday prior to sitting out the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers as a healthy scratch.

But Grigorenko feels he’s evolving. This year, while scoring five goals and eight points in seven games ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray on interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan: ‘Ted is my guy right now’

BUFFALO – Pat LaFontaine believes you put people together and let them do what they do best.

“They’re good at what they do and together they’ll be better,” the president of hockey operations said Thursday after naming Tim Murray the Sabres’ new general manager.

Murray’s now together with Ted Nolan, the interim coach LaFontaine named in November.

What’s going to happen?

“Ted is my guy right now,” Murray said inside the First Niagara ... Read the full article

New GM Tim Murray open to keeping interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan

BUFFALO – Pat LaFontaine believes you put people together and let them do what they do best.

“They’re good at what they do and together they’ll be better,” the president of hockey operations said today after naming Tim Murray the Sabres’ new general manager.

Murray’s now together with Ted Nolan, an interim coach LaFontaine named in November.

What’s going to happen?

“Ted is my guy right now,” Murray said inside the First Niagara Center.

Murray ... Read the full article

Sabres grateful for snow day; Swedish Olympian Jhonas Enroth to start in goal

BUFFALO – Steve Ott noticed he didn’t have any food for a pregame meal Tuesday. The Sabres captain figured his “pasta place” was probably closed, too.

So even with a ferocious snowstorm battering the area, Ott “took a chance” and drove to a Wegmans supermarket for some spaghetti.

“It was a miserable chance, to be honest with you,” Ott said Wednesday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Florida Panthers inside the First ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Myers wasn’t expecting three-game suspension

BUFFALO – Tyler Myers knows “it doesn’t matter what type of hit it is anymore.”

“If there’s any contact to the head, it’s going to be two to five games,” the Sabres defenseman said following practice today inside the First Niagara Center.

Myers received a three-game suspension for hitting Dainius Zubrus in the head late in Saturday’s 2-1 win against New Jersey.

“They explained that he gave me two and then they gave me one ... Read the full article

Sabres believe NHL made right move postponing game; Jhonas Enroth to start in goal Thursday

BUFFALO – Steve Ott noticed he didn’t have any food for a pregame meal Tuesday. The Sabres captain figured his “pasta place” was probably closed, too.

So even with a ferocious snowstorm battering the area, Ott “took a chance” and drove to Wegmans for some spaghetti.

“It was a miserable chance, to be honest with you,” Ott said this afternoon following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “I had to guess on a left turn, ... Read the full article

Reports: Sabres will name Tim Murray GM

BUFFALO – It appears the Sabres will name Tim Murray their new general manager.

According to reports, Pat LaFontaine, the president of hockey operations, has chosen the 50-year-old Murray, Ottawa’s assistant GM, to replace Darcy Regier after a nearly two-month search.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported Murray is the “last man standing” and a formal offer, negotiation and ownership approval still must be completed.

The Sabres also interviewed three assistant GMs – Boston’s Jim Benning, ... Read the full article

Tonight’s Sabres game against Hurricanes postponed

Tonight’s Buffalo Sabres game against the Carolina Hurricanes has been postponed.

With a blizzard hammering the Buffalo area and driving bans all over, the NHL really had no other choice.

A make-up date hasn’t been announced.

“Tonight’s game between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes at First Niagara Center, NHL Game No. 647, has been postponed due to the hazardous weather conditions in the Buffalo area. A make-up date will be announced as soon as ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko’s return to Sabres could be brief one

BUFFALO – At some point this week, prospect Mikhail Grigorenko, fresh off a five-goal, eight-point performance in seven world junior championship games, will be returning to the Sabres, interim coach Ted Nolan said.

But will the 19-year-old center be staying in the NHL?

“He’s coming here for Pat (LaFontaine) and I to discuss,” Nolan said Monday inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll make that decision when he gets here.”

Nolan, however, acknowledged he would prefer ... Read the full article

NHL suspends Sabres’ Tyler Myers three games for head hit

BUFFALO – On Monday, hours before the NHL suspended Tyler Myers three games for an illegal check to Dainius Zubrus’ head, the Sabres defenseman said his hulking stature wouldn’t make him change his aggressive style.

“I don’t want to change my game just because of how tall I am,” the 6-foot-8 Myers said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes inside the First Niagara Center. “It’s just something that comes ... Read the full article