WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Thanksgiving Edition
Teppo Numminen represented Finland in four Olympics. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Former Sabres defenseman and current assistant coach Teppo Numminen, who won three Olympic medals representing his native Finland, will be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in May.
His father, Kalevi, was inducted as a builder 2011. The two will become the first father-son duo in the Hall of Fame.
Numminen played in four Olympics, winning silver in 1988 Calgary, bronze in 1998 in Nagano and silver in 2006 ... Read the full article
Mark Mancari re-signed with the Sabres in July. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – You can’t turn down a one-way contract, Mark Mancari said. No way. Not when you’ve been making around $50,000 most of your career in the minors.
So when the Vancouver Canucks guaranteed him $525,000 as free agency opened in 2011, the high-scoring winger left the Sabres organization after six seasons.
“You go. You don’t think too much about it,” Mancari said Tuesday inside the First Niagara Center prior to the Rochester Americans’ 3-1 ... Read the full article
The Sabres acquired Christian Ehrhoff’s rights before free agency started last year. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In this new era, nothing may be off limits for the Sabres during free agency. A year ago, owner Terry Pegula spent $67 million on two players in his first foray into the market, showcasing an aggressiveness never seen in these parts.
The Sabres wheeled and dealed, jumping the gun, acquiring Christian Ehrhoff’s rights and awarding the coveted defenseman a 10-year, $40 million contract. Then they gave winger Ville Leino a six-year, $27 ... Read the full article
The Sabres selected Tyler Myers 12th overall in 2008, the last time they had two first-round picks. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
PITTSBURGH – A year and zero playoff games later, Darcy Regier still has the keys, full reign to aggressively pursue elite talent and make the Buffalo Sabres a contender again.
If you believe the general manager, then he’s in the mix and will be active on the Consol Energy Center floor this weekend during the NHL Entry Draft, which starts tonight when the Sabres pick twice – 12th and 21st, compliments of ... Read the full article
Paul Gaustad’s failure to go after Milan Lucic helped dramatically alter the season. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
“The main thing is start talking about it and just put it out there that we want to win a championship. We want to do it the right way, and we just have to hit a few checkpoints along the way and set ourselves up for it.” – Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, September 16, 2011
BUFFALO – Nearly seven months after his upbeat chat as training camp opened, Miller and the Sabres will clean out ... Read the full article
Brad Boyes’ acquisition at last year’s trade deadline was significant. ©2012, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – With the NHL trade deadline hitting at 3 p.m. today, here’s the Sabres’ Eastern Conference standing and their activity post-lockout:
2006, third place, 83 points
General manager Darcy Regier made no additions, only trading No. 3 goalie Mika Noronen to Vancouver for a second-round pick. Some argued the inactivity bit the surprising Sabres, who lost four defensemen to injury during their run to the Eastern Conference final. They lost Game 7 with just ... Read the full article
BUFFALO – Throughout their dizzying two-month run of injuries, as the Sabres plummeted down the Eastern Conference standings, they kept using the missing regulars as a crutch.
Coach Lindy Ruff said he didn’t want to make excuses, yet repeated how he wanted his team back. Then owner Terry Pegula took it a step further, saying they had to “get Humpty back together.”
Well, the Sabres essentially fielded their normal team for the 10th straight ... Read the full article