Summer Edition
Victor Olofsson scored 20 goals last season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – The Sabres today locked up their most significant restricted free agent, agreeing to terms with winger Victor Olofsson on a two-year, $9.5 million contract.
Olofsson, who turns 27 next Monday, finished last season on a tear, compiling 15 goals and 28 points over his final 34 games. He also enjoyed a hot start, scoring five goals and nine points in the first seven games.
If Olofsson hadn’t suffered a wrist injury in early ... Read the full article
Sabres fans can get their first glimpse of prospect Noah Ostlund this week. ©2022
Eight first-round picks, including all three the Buffalo Sabres selected last week – centers Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich – are on the 43-man development camp roster the team released Monday.
The most anticipated camp in a long time – the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Sabres to cancel it the last two years – begins Wednesday at LECOM Harborcenter.
The roster is loaded with top prospects. Forwards Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn, Isak Rosen ... Read the full article
Jacob Bryson played 73 games last season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
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
Victor Olofsson has two 20-goal seasons on his resume. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Having experienced restricted free agency two years ago, Sabres winger Victor Olofsson understands he must stay patient this offseason.
Olofsson, 26, has already amassed two 20-goal seasons and has shown he possesses the talent to crack the 30-goal mark. Contracts like the one he’s expected to sign are complicated.
The Swede, who’s set to become an RFA again, expects it could take months to reach a new deal.... Read the full article
Jeff Skinner has scored 33 goals this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Opponents detest Jeff Skinner, one of the NHL’s foremost pests. The Sabres winger has a knack for getting under their skin, whether it be by running his mouth, relentlessly hounding the puck or scoring goals.
“He’s one of my best friends and I’m pretty sure I would hate his guts on the other side,” Sabres winger Casey Mittelstadt said after Skinner agitated the New York Islanders and scored late in Saturday afternoon’s ... Read the full article
Rasmus Dahlin has been on a tear for Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – You have to go back 11 years to find the last time the Sabres showcased an offense this exciting and prolific.
The Sabres’ next goal will be their 222nd of the season, their highest total since they scored 240 times in 2010-11, the last year they made the playoffs. They also scored 221 goals in 2018-19.
Overall, the Sabres rank 22nd in goals scored this season entering Saturday afternoon’s home game against the ... Read the full article
Owen Power has turned heads in his first four NHL games. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres coach Don Granato doesn’t consider rookie Owen Power a young player.
Sure, the defenseman left college earlier this month and has played just four NHL games. And, yes, he doesn’t turn 20 for another seven months.
Still, Granato said “it’s a little bit disrespectful sometimes” when young guys get thrown in a category.
“This is a guy that’s studied the game of hockey at an extremely young age and developed himself like ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo hadn’t scored 20 goals since 2015-16. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Sabres center Tage Thompson had time and space, so he leaned into his shot, and when the puck hit teammate Kyle Okposo inside his right knee, he went down in a hurry.
As Okposo hobbled off the ice in pain late in Saturday’s first period, it felt like his night might’ve been finished. At that point, the Sabres trailed the Philadelphia Flyers 2-0, and Okposo, who turned 34 on Saturday, said he was ... Read the full article
Mattias Samuelsson missed Thursday’s game. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In Friday’s practice, Sabres coach Don Granato changed every forward line, tinkering with trios that have recently developed chemistry and enjoyed success.
Granato often explains how he wants his lineup to become interchangeable. While he showcases more patience than most coaches – lines and defense pairs sometimes stay intact for weeks – he’s not afraid to experiment within games or try new things.
So for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers at KeyBank ... Read the full article
Victor Olofsson has scored 13 goals since Feb. 15. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Since he arrived in the NHL three years ago, the knock on Sabres winger Victor Olofsson has been he’s too one-dimensional, just a shooter who mostly scores power-play goals.
Olofsson, 26, possesses a lethal shot, and he has often utilized his ultra-quick release to pile up power-play goals from the circle.
Over his first 106 NHL games entering this season, Olofsson scored 20 of his 35 goals (57 percent) on the man advantage. ... Read the full article