Dustin Tokarski played 13 games for Buffalo last season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ Dustin Tokarski to start; J-J Peterka, Jack Quinn earn another look

BUFFALO – Very quietly, Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski has enjoyed a stellar training camp, allowing just one goal in nearly 53 minutes of preseason action.

Tokarski, 32, has outplayed newcomer Aaron Dell in the competition for the backup job behind Craig Anderson.

Tokarski will start tonight’s road exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Penguins before Dell relieves him. Another strong outing by Tokarski could cement a roster spot.

Earlier today, the Sabres sent top goalie ... Read the full article

Vinnie Hinostroza scored a career-high 16 goals in 2018-19. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Don Granato’s honesty helped Vinnie Hinostroza choose Sabres

BUFFALO – When Don Granato hung up the phone that day in July, he believed Vinnie Hinostroza wouldn’t be excited about the opportunities the Sabres could offer him.

Granato refuses to oversell players. He was blunt with Hinostroza, a winger he coached with the Chicago Blackhawks, and challenged him. He told him he couldn’t make any promises and earning ice time wouldn’t be easy.

But Granato’s transparency turned out to be a big selling point. ... Read the full article

Victor Olofsson might be a first-liner for Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres to dress lineup with established talent against Penguins

BUFFALO – Ten Sabres – much of their established talent – will be making their preseason debut tonight at KeyBank Center.

So some of the line combinations and defense pairings the Sabres will be showcasing against the Pittsburgh Penguins could be utilized in the regular season.

Top center Casey Mittelstadt pivoted Jeff Skinner and Victor Olofsson this morning. On defense, Rasmus Dahlin skated beside Henri Jokiharju, his partner late last season.

Coach Don Granato said ... Read the full article

©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Why did Victor Olofsson change his number again?

BUFFALO – Three years into his NHL career, Sabres winger Victor Olofsson is already sporting his third number.

The Swede recently switched to No. 71 after having No. 68 for two seasons. He also briefly wore No. 41 for his first six NHL games late in the 2018-19 season.

Why did Olofsson pick new digits? When he broke into the NHL, No. 71, one of his favorite numbers, was worn by Evan Rodrigues, a forward ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt is ready for more opportunities. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Confident Casey Mittelstadt sets big goals for himself, Sabres

BUFFALO – When center Casey Mittelstadt returned home in the spring following the Sabres’ last-place finish, he forced himself to tune into the Stanley Cup playoffs every night.

Mittelstadt, of course, enjoys watching hockey. But some nights, he acknowledged, it “can be painful,” especially in the early rounds when lower seeds upset heavy favorites.

The Montreal Canadiens earned just 59 points last season, the lowest of any playoff team. So as Mittelstadt watched them stun ... Read the full article

Buffalo drafted Will Borgen in 2015. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres notes: Kraken take Will Borgen in NHL Expansion Draft

If the Seattle Kraken hadn’t selected Will Borgen from the Sabres in Wednesday’s NHL Expansion Draft, he likely would’ve competed for a spot among Buffalo’s top-six defensemen next season.

Borgen, 24, was close to enjoying regular duty last season before breaking his forearm.

So after six years of development – the Sabres drafted Borgen in the fourth round in 2015, 92nd overall – he departed just as he was maturing into an NHL talent.... Read the full article

There had been speculation Buffalo would expose Rasmus Ristolainen to Seattle. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

NHL releases Sabres’ protected list for Expansion Draft

Sorry, Ron Francis, you won’t get a chance to snatch Rasmus Ristolainen for your Seattle Kraken defense corps. The Buffalo Sabres protected the Finn for Wednesday’s NHL Expansion Draft.

But if Francis, Seattle’s general manager, wants to grab a defenseman from the Sabres, he can take Will Borgen or Colin Miller, both of whom were left unprotected.

The Sabres’ 11-man protected list the NHL released Sunday morning features zero surprises. There had been speculation the ... Read the full article

Will Borgen played 10 games for Buffalo last season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres could lose valuable young player to Kraken in NHL Expansion Draft

Since the Buffalo Sabres drafted Will Borgen 92nd overall in 2015, he has morphed from a relatively unknown prospect into a defenseman on the cusp of regular NHL duty.

The Sabres have guided Borgen’s development from his college career at St. Cloud State through his early pro days with the Rochester Americans to the big leagues.

Prior to breaking his forearm last season, Borgen, 24, appeared to be close to securing a spot on Buffalo’s ... Read the full article

Injuries limited Kyle Okposo to 35 games this season. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo found game under Don Granato after career-worst start

Given his scary history battling concussions, Sabres winger Kyle Okposo thought the worst after teammate Matt Irwin’s shoot-in hit him in the head April 15 in Washington.

Okposo, 33, suffered four concussions over his first four years in Buffalo, including one late in the 2016-17 season that left him hospitalized in intensive care.

“That was obviously a worry when I got hit in the face, you know, like, ‘Oh jeez, I got another concussion,’” Okposo ... Read the full article

Anders Bjork has played 13 games with Buffalo. ©2021, Micheline Veluvolu

Anders Bjork feeling comfortable with Sabres, earns promotion to top line

BUFFALO – In a 14-minute stretch Tuesday, Sabres newcomer Anders Bjork erased the New York Islanders’ lead, scoring two goals.

First, Bjork redirected defenseman Colin Miller’s point shot past Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin late in the second period. Then Bjork scored from the right circle 10:56 into the third period, tying a game the Sabres would win 4-3 in a shootout.

What do both goals have in common? Bjork, 24, created them by tenaciously ... Read the full article