Paetsch - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius shows confidence by scoring hat trick, nifty goal for Rochester

ROCHESTER – Buffalo Sabres prospect Konsta Helenius has bounced back from a 13-game goal drought in emphatic fashion, recording his first hat trick for the Americans before scoring arguably the most dynamic goal of his rookie season.

To wit: in Friday’s 4-2 loss, the slick center unleashed a hard backhander after cutting to the slot from the right circle – “Made a little dangle,” he said – with Laval Rocket defenseman William Trudeau hectoring him ... Read the full article

After trade to Sabres organization, Erik Brannstrom thriving in Rochester

ROCHESTER – Returning to the AHL, where he’s utilized much differently than in the big leagues, allows Americans newcomer Erik Brannstrom to transform into a star.

Instead of serving as the sixth or seventh defenseman – “If you make a mistake, you’re out of the lineup,” Amerks assistant coach Nathan Paetsch said of the role in the NHL – he can showcase the slick skill set that made him the 15th overall pick in 2017.... Read the full article

In Rochester rookie Vsevolod Komarov, Sabres might have special prospect

ROCHESTER – One night earlier this season in Utica, when defenseman Vsevolod Komarov was still looking for his first pro goal, Americans coach Mike Leone figured the rookie deserved a chance to score on the power play.

“The bench was, ‘Let’s get Komy his goal,’” Leone recently told the Times Herald following a practice in Blue Cross Arena.

The excitement from his coach and teammates illustrates how badly the Amerks wanted to see the Buffalo ... Read the full article

As Sabres prospect Ryan Johnson waits for next chance in Buffalo, he continues to develop in Rochester

ROCHESTER – Right now, Ryan Johnson, the defenseman who played 41 games for the Buffalo Sabres as a rookie last season, ranks eighth or ninth on their depth chart.

Last month, Johnson, 23, returned to Rochester, where he has quietly been gobbling up minutes alongside Jack Rathbone on the Americans’ top defense tandem.

If the Sabres lose another defenseman to injury – after beginning the season with eight, Mattias Samuelsson recently went down – ... Read the full article

Sabres newcomer Sam Lafferty enjoyed career season after trade

BUFFALO – Sabres center Sam Lafferty’s first three NHL teams utilized him in a checking role, deploying him for faceoffs in enemy territory for a whopping 73.7 percent of his zone starts.

Then last year, after the Vancouver Canucks acquired Lafferty, 29, from the Toronto Maple Leafs days before the season, they gave him a dual role.

For the first time in his five-year career, he had more offensive zone starts than defensive starts (51.3 ... Read the full article

Seth Appert happy to join Sabres, work with Lindy Ruff; Rochester roster could look different next season

In his 27-year career, Seth Appert coached at just four places prior to his promotion to the Buffalo Sabres as an assistant. Instead of jumping at the next opportunity, he always chose to stay and build a program.

“I take a lot of pride in trying to create a culture, trying to build things the right way,” Appert, who on Monday was named to Lindy Ruff’s staff, said on a Zoom call Tuesday. “And I’m ... Read the full article

Rochester rookie Nikita Novikov looks like special Sabres defense prospect

ROCHESTER – Buffalo Sabres defense prospect Nikita Novikov displayed special offensive instincts throughout his first regular season in North America.

“Borderline high-end,” said coach Seth Appert, whose Americans open the Calder Cup Playoffs tonight at Blue Cross Arena in a best-of-five series against the Syracuse Crunch.

Without the benefit of power-play time, the 6-foot-4, 209-pound Novikov compiled 20 assists, a high total for a rookie acclimating to a different brand of hockey.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Don Granato to miss game because of illness; Seth Appert to fill in

Buffalo Sabres coach Don Granato is ill and won’t be available for this afternoon’s home game, the team announced this morning. Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert will assume his duties behind the bench for the day.

Granato, 56, conducted Friday’s practice and addressed the media after the Sabres prepared for their game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center.

When Granato went into COVID-19 protocol in 2020-21, general manager Kevyn Adams subbed behind the ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Nikita Novikov turns heads in first games in Buffalo

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ leading scorer in the Prospects Challenge wasn’t Zach Benson, Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen, Matt Savoie or another talented young forward.

No, try defenseman Nikita Novikov, who registered five assists, including three in Friday’s 6-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens in LECOM Harborcenter.

The Russian, 20, compiled three assists and five points in 62 games with the Kontinental Hockey League’s Moscow Dynamo all of last season.

The 6-foot-4, ... Read the full article

Sabres hire former Rochester star Zach Redmond as development coach

The Buffalo Sabres have hired former NHL defenseman Zach Redmond, who starred for the Rochester Americans for three seasons, as a player development coach and Brad Dexter as a scout, the team announced Wednesday.

Redmond, 35, recently retired as a player following three seasons with Red Bull Munich, a team in Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

The Sabres needed to find a new development coach after former NHL defenseman Nathan Paetsch moved behind the bench to become ... Read the full article