Oglevie - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres notes: Don Granato overworks players; Buffalo plans to add prospects

BUFFALO – Instead of letting the Sabres rest and recover in the midst of their grueling schedule, interim coach Don Granato said he has “overworked” his players.

“We’re trying to push them harder to develop harder,” Granato said on a Zoom call prior to Wednesday’s 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at KeyBank Center. “We know we have to get better. The focus has to be on that. And we have to trust that wins ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Will Borgen looks impressive in first game action in nearly year

BUFFALO – In his first shifts in nearly a year, Sabres defenseman Will Borgen said he was breathing heavy.

Nothing, of course, can replicate game action, and Borgen, 24, hadn’t experienced any since March 11 as a member of the Rochester Americans.

“Just not used to the speed, controlling my energy,” Borgen said of the early moments of Monday’s 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center.

But Borgen, who had spent the ... Read the full article

Sabres send two players to taxi squad, four others to Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres this morning assigned forward Rasmus Asplund and defenseman Will Borgen to the taxi squad and also sent three players from the taxi squad to the AHL.

Defenseman Jacob Bryson and forwards Steven Fogarty, Andrew Oglevie and C.J. Smith moved from the practice group to the Rochester Americans.

Asplund and Borgen both played in Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center.... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Tobias Rieder returns to lineup, Buffalo adds new players

BUFFALO – When Sabres winger Tobias Rieder learned earlier this month he had tested positive for COVID-19, the news shocked him.

The German felt fine. He figured the result couldn’t be correct.

“But sure enough, a couple hours after I could feel the symptoms,” Rieder said prior to Monday’s 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center, the Sabres’ first outing since Jan. 31.

Rieder, 28, said he experienced “a rough couple days.” ... Read the full article

Three Sabres return from COVID-19 absences, say they tested positive

BUFFALO – Three Sabres on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol-related absences list – winger Tobias Rieder and defensemen Jake McCabe and Brandon Montour all acknowledged they tested positive – skated with their teammates again this morning.

Now, will they play tonight against the New York Islanders at KeyBank Center?

“They remain day-to-day candidates and we’d like to consume, digest what happened here this morning,” said coach Ralph Krueger, whose Sabres haven’t played since Jan. 31.

Krueger ... Read the full article

Making of a coach: How Amerks’ Seth Appert went from college goalie to AHL

Seth Appert remembers feeling scared walking up the stairs that day almost 26 years ago inside Ferris State’s hotel.

A night earlier, as Miami was annihilating his school in a CCHA playoff game in Oxford, Ohio, Appert had approached his coach, Bob Daniels, during the second intermission.

Appert, a junior backup goalie, suggested to Daniels that Jeff Blashill, who had been pulled early from the blowout, should replace him. If Blashill re-entered the game, Appert ... Read the full article

Sabres send four players to Amerks

The Sabres sent four players to the Rochester Americans this morning, including defenseman Jacob Bryson and forward Arttu Ruotsalainen.

They also assigned defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and forward Andrew Oglevie to the AHL affiliate.

The Sabres sent eight players to the Amerks on Monday.

The Amerks open training camp Friday.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ralph Krueger not surprised COVID-19 stymieing NHL teams

So far, 10 days into training camp, the Sabres haven’t experienced any setbacks because of COVID-19.

But on Friday, the NHL announced six Dallas Stars players and two staff members had tested positive for the virus. The outbreak forced the team to close its facility and three games to be postponed.

The Columbus Blue Jackets, meanwhile, held out 17 players from Friday’s practice because of what they called “an abundance of caution and in accordance ... Read the full article

Sabres release training camp roster, schedule; 37 players to participate

On Friday, the Buffalo Sabres will touch the KeyBank Center ice for the first time in 296 days and begin preparing for the most unusual of seasons.

The NHL will be attempting to play during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will likely experience problems – positive tests, postponements or even cancellations – as the schedule unfolds.

But those potential roadblocks can be examined another day. The Sabres’ 10-month break is nearly over. Training camp officially ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Andrew Oglevie to two-year contract

The Buffalo Sabres have re-signed winger Andrew Oglevie to a two-year, $1.5 million contract, the team announced today.

The Notre Dame product was a restricted free agent. He has spent the last two seasons with the Rochester Americans.

Oglevie scored 15 times in 55 games last season, tying him with Jean-Sebastien Dea for the Amerks’ goal-scoring lead. Oglevie’s 29 points ranked fourth on the team.

A string of concussions limited stymied Oglevie as ... Read the full article