WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Free Agency Edition
Johan Larsson has played one NHL game. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Johan Larsson isn’t just another prospect. Having been acquired in April’s huge Jason Pominville trade with Minnesota, the 21-year-old center’s one of the Sabres’ most hyped youngsters.
Not many players get traded for a captain and franchise cornerstone.
“They really wanted me, I think,” Larsson, who will make his Sabres debut in tonight’s home opener, said this morning inside the First Niagara Center. “I’m just going like they told me, go out and ... Read the full article
Ville Leino (left) will be replaced by Johan Larsson. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres winger Ville Leino just can’t stay healthy.
Leino, who played only eight games last season while battling a hip and lung injury, cracked a rib early in Wednesday’s season-opening 2-1 loss in Detroit and is out indefinitely.
The Finn should only miss a couple of weeks, Sabres coach Ron Rolston said Thursday inside the First Niagara Center.
Leino stayed in the game, skating 12:38. But Rolston said the rib “seized up” overnight.... Read the full article
Steve Ott (9) and Thomas Vanek were named co-captains Tuesday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Shortly before noon Tuesday, the Sabres quickly streamed off the First Niagara Center ice following practice and walked to their dressing room. The metal door closed after all the players had entered.
Inside, coach Ron Rolston began addressing his team’s captaincy, which had remained vacant since the Sabres traded Jason Pominville in April.
Cheers emanated from the room a few minutes later. More applause could be heard shortly after that.
Instead of ... Read the full article
Johan Larsson scored twice in his third preseason game Thursday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Right now, the Sabres’ depth down the middle is, well, a bit thin beyond Cody Hodgson.
Consider this: the five other centers coach Ron Rolston has played in the team’s three exhibition contests – Matt Ellis, Mikhail Grigorenko, Johan Larsson, Cody McCormick and Kevin Porter – have combined for 64 goals and 154 points in 816 NHL games.
That’s it.
So what will the Sabres do?
“We’re going to continue ... Read the full article
Joel Armia skates this morning. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The hype has been building since slick Finnish winger Joel Armia was selected 16th overall in 2011. In the 20-year-old, the Sabres possess a prospect so talented many believe he could crack the NHL right away.
Yet few have seen Armia, who spent the last three seasons playing at home in SM-liiga, up close.
Who exactly is this guy?
Fans will find out tonight, when Armia makes his Buffalo debut in the ... Read the full article
Cody Hodgson is the team’s top center. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – In awarding Cody Hodgson, a youngster with only 77 points in 139 career NHL games, a six-year, $25.5 million contract, the Sabres are betting on more than the center’s abundant talent. The team’s banking that Hodgson will keep dedicating himself to becoming an elite player.
“He wants to be a No. 1 guy from the standpoint he wants to be counted on, and he wants to be recognized in a leadership position,” ... Read the full article
Cody Hodgson earned a huge contract despite only 34 points last season. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – On Wednesday morning, an optimistic-sounding Darcy Regier said the Sabres would “make every attempt” to have unsigned restricted free agent Cody Hodgson on the ice today for the first session of training camp.
“The efforts that are being made by both sides would indicate that we want to get something done as quickly as possible,” the general manager said inside the First Niagara Center as the Sabres reported for camp and underwent their ... Read the full article
Ron Rolston took over as coach on Feb. 20. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres convene for training camp physicals today inside the First Niagara Center, for better or worse, almost the same team that ended a disappointing, 11th-place season 137 days ago.
Other than a busy draft day and reacquiring 34-year-old defenseman Henrik Tallinder, the rebuilding club remained quiet throughout the summer.
Starting goalie Ryan Miller and leading scorer Thomas Vanek, two veteran stars rumored to be on the trading block, ... Read the full article
Matt Hackett could be Rochester’s No. 1 goalie next season. ©2013, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed restricted free agent goalie Matt Hackett to a one-year, two-way contract, according to RDS’s Renaud Lavoie.
The 23-year-old Hackett, a key piece in April’s Jason Pominville trade with Minnesota, gets $715,000 in the NHL, Lavoie reported.
If the Sabres keep starting goalie Ryan Miller, Hackett’s expected to be Rochester’s No. 1 netminder in 2013-14. The prospect played three regular-season games and one postseason contest with the ... Read the full article
Lindy Ruff’s Dallas Stars visit the Sabres on Oct. 28. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Sabres fans won’t have to wait long to see some familiar faces back at the First Niagara Center in different colors next season.
An Oct. 14 game against former Sabres captain Jason Pominville and the Minnesota Wild and an Oct. 28 contest versus ex-coach Lindy Ruff and the Dallas Stars are among the highlights of the 82-game schedule the NHL released Friday.
The Sabres open their 43rd season Oct. 2 in ... Read the full article