Jiri Kulich, one of Buffalo’s first round pick’s earlier this month, could participate in the Prospects Challenge. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres to host Prospects Challenge rookie tournament Sept. 15 to 19

The Buffalo Sabres will be hosting five teams at the Prospects Challenge rookie tournament from Sept. 15 to 19 at LECOM Harborcenter, the team announced Thursday.

This year, the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators will be joining the Sabres, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins in the round-robin tournament.

Tickets for the games cost $10 and will be available in early August. Season-ticket holders can have their processing fees waived for any ticket ... Read the full article

Arttu Ruotsalainen played 35 games for Buffalo. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Prospect Arttu Ruotsalainen leaves Sabres to play in Switzerland

When prospect Arttu Ruotsalainen examined the Sabres’ depth chart, he apparently saw limited opportunities in Buffalo.

Wingers JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn are expected to graduate to Buffalo this season, meaning there’s likely no room for the Finn in the forward corps.

So on Friday, Ruotsalainen, 24, signed a contract to play the upcoming season for EHC Kloten in the Swiss National League.

The Sabres retained Ruotsalainen’s rights last week by tendering him a qualifying ... Read the full article

Jack Quinn (left) and JJ Peterka could have spots in Buffalo this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Talented Sabres prospects JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn ready for duty in Buffalo

BUFFALO – Michael Peca sees Sabres prospect JJ Peterka as such a rare and special talent he refers to the German winger a “unicorn.” Seriously.

Peca, an assistant coach with the Rochester Americans, can’t think of a former teammate or opponent or find anyone in today’s game who resembles the type of player Peterka, 20, can become someday.

“He has no idea how good he can be yet, which is scary,” said Peca, a popular ... Read the full article

Matteo Costantini enjoyed a terrific freshman season at North Dakota. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Matteo Costantini emerging as one of Sabres’ strongest forward prospects

BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Matteo Costantini sees familiarity all around him at development camp.

Costantini starred for three years in the Jr. Sabres organization, which calls LECOM Harborcenter, the site of this week’s camp, its home. The native of nearby St. Catharines, Ontario, spends the summer training at the facility or across the street at KeyBank Center.

If he looks in the stands, he’ll see Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams, who used to run the ... Read the full article

Sabres fans can get their first glimpse of prospect Noah Ostlund this week. ©2022

Sabres’ development camp roster loaded with top prospects

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

Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could receive plenty of preseason action. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

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

Sean Malone enjoyed a terrific offensive season in Rochester. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

After breakout season, Sabres award Sean Malone new contract

The Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday rewarded Sean Malone for his breakout year with the Rochester Americans, re-signing the center to a one-year, $750,000 contract.

Malone, 27, seized an opportunity to play an offensive role, setting new career highs last season by registering 20 goals, eight power-play tallies and 37 points in just 39 games for the Sabres’ AHL affiliate. He added two goals and seven points during the Amerks’ 10-game playoff run.

Early in ... Read the full article

Rochester’s Brett Murray stands in front of Laval goalie Cayden Primeau on Wednesday. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans

Amerks’ season ends with triple OT loss: ‘An extremely special group’

ROCHESTER – The Americans battled adversity and beat long odds for weeks, eking into the Calder Cup Playoffs on the last day of the regular season before beginning their deepest and most memorable postseason run in 18 years.

They rallied to win games, earned four overtime victories and triumphed in a do-or-die Game 5 against a top seed.

So when the Amerks dropped the first two games on the road against the Laval Rocket in ... Read the full article

Buffalo drafted Olivier Nadeau in 2021. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres sign prospect Olivier Nadeau to entry-level contract

The Buffalo Sabres have signed forward Olivier Nadeau, a fourth-round pick in 2021, 97th overall, to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.

Nadeau, 19, set career highs across the board this season, recording 35 goals, 43 assists and a team-high 78 points in 65 games for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Shawinigan Cataractes. His 17 power-play goals were tied for fourth in the league.

The 6-foot-2, 204-pound Nadeau also registered two goals, ... Read the full article

JJ Peterka has been a force for Rochester in the postseason. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochster Americans

Top Sabres prospects, AHL role players contributing to Amerks’ playoff success

The Rochester Americans just won their second Calder Cup Playoff series, and winger Jack Quinn, the AHL’s top rookie, hasn’t scored a goal.

Injuries have sidelined goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and defenseman Mattias Samuelsson, two of the Buffalo Sabres’ other top prospects, the entire postseason.

On Thursday, the Amerks, who eked into the playoffs, defeated the top-seeded Utica Comets 4-2 and clinched the North Division semifinal without their injured captain, Michael Mersch, a 26-goal ... Read the full article