Pegula - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres draft centers Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich

MONTREAL – Centers are perhaps the most precious commodity in hockey, and the Buffalo Sabres had built up an impressive stockpile of them before they selected Matthew Savoie ninth overall, Noah Ostlund 16th and Jiri Kulich 28th at the NHL Draft on Thursday.

In 18-year-old youngsters, the Sabres picked three of the most talented pivots in the draft and added to perhaps the league’s deepest group.

In the NHL, the Sabres have skilled centers Dylan ... Read the full article

Sabres release 2022 preseason schedule

BUFFALO – The Sabres will play six preseason games, including three at KeyBank Center, prior to the 2022-23 regular season, the team announced Thursday.

For the second straight season, the Sabres will play every game in an NHL arena. Broadcast and ticket information will be announced at a later date.

For the second straight year, the Sabres don’t play the Toronto Maple Leafs. The rivals usually play a home-and-home series.

The schedule:

Sept. 25: Buffalo ... Read the full article

Dylan Cozens, Terry Pegula and what it means for the Sabres

BUFFALO – Dylan Cozens only remembers Terry Pegula mentioned the cross-check on Rasmus Dahlin. The rest of his interaction with the Sabres owner following his ejection from the Heritage Classic is a little fuzzy.

“I’m gonna be honest, I had a lot of adrenaline going so I don’t really remember too much,” the center said following Tuesday’s practice at LECOM Harborcenter.

The maturation of a young team is often filled with seminal moments, and the ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel wonders about reception in Buffalo, not bitter toward Sabres

BUFFALO – The scene looked downright odd. There was ex-Sabres captain Jack Eichel, clad in his Golden Knights gear with the team’s backdrop behind him and a flag in front of him, talking about his new life in Vegas.

In the same spot in KeyBank Center where he often spoke to the local media, Eichel, 25, acknowledged on Wednesday it felt a little awkward walking in as a visitor.

For six seasons after the Sabres ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect J-J Peterka thrilled to finally be in Buffalo: ‘He’s buzzing’

BUFFALO – Finally, after 10 months of waiting, Sabres prospect J-J Peterka was set to leave Germany and travel here to prepare for his first NHL training camp.

In normal times, of course, Peterka, 19, probably would’ve visited Buffalo two or three times over the last year. But the COVID-19 pandemic forced the winger to stay home.

“I was so curious about it, so excited the whole last year,” a smiling Peterka said following Wednesday’s ... Read the full article

Rene Robert holds his plaque at the Sabres’ Alumni Plaza outside KeyBank Center.

Sabres legend Rene Robert, member of famed ‘French Connection,’ dies at 72

Rene Robert, a member of the Buffalo Sabres’ legendary “French Connection” line and one of the most popular players in franchise history, passed away Tuesday, the team announced. He was 72.

Robert had been hospitalized in Florida since suffering a heart attack last week.

Throughout much of the 1970s, Robert, center Gilbert Perreault and left wing Rick Martin formed hockey’s most dynamic trio.

In 2012, the Sabres immortalized the line by erecting a statue ... Read the full article

Sabres hope special player drafted first overall will change course of franchise

Kevyn Adams said his heart was racing before Wednesday’s NHL Draft Lottery. The Buffalo Sabres general manager looked intense. At one point, Terry Pegula texted him and told him to smile.

Leading up to the announcement, Adams said all the adversity the Sabres endured during a hellish season in which they finished dead last was flashing through his mind. He was also thinking about how much the top pick would mean to owners Terry ... Read the full article

After firing Ralph Krueger, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams wants more passion

In explaining why he fired Ralph Krueger, Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams appealed to his players’ pride.

Adams wanted to keep Krueger, a coach he said his players believed in and “really, really love.” The rookie GM stood by him for weeks, allowing the Sabres to implode and their losing streak to balloon to 12 games.

But Wednesday morning, hours after the Sabres’ 3-2 road loss to the New Jersey Devils, Adams knew ... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner could be nearing return, wants to stay with Sabres

BUFFALO – A day after getting jettisoned to the taxi squad, winger Jeff Skinner practiced in his regular fourth-line spot with the Sabres’ main group Friday, a sign his three-game benching could end this afternoon.

“I just want to underline again that we are not going to reveal any lines or roster until tomorrow morning,” coach Ralph Krueger said on a Zoom call after the Sabres prepared for this afternoon’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ralph Krueger on Bills’ win, INT return: ‘The whole city just exploded’

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said he heard horns honking outside his home in the Elmwood Village into the middle of the night after the Bills advanced to AFC Championship Game on Saturday.

“Lots of sound, lots of people running around with flags in the village,” Krueger said on a Zoom call following this afternoon’s practice at KeyBank Center. “So that buzz was terrific to feel.”

Krueger and his coaching staff wanted to share ... Read the full article