Quinn - Buffalo Hockey Beat

In locking up Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres put two ‘pillars in place’

BUFFALO – Scan through each NHL roster and try to pick out every so-called franchise defenseman. Most teams don’t have one.

In Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres possess two.

This week, Power and Dahlin each signed long-term contract extensions, ensuring two foundational pieces can remain teammates through the 2030-31 season.... Read the full article

Three players clear waivers; Amerks have roster Sabres envisioned

With very few spots available in Buffalo, the Sabres waived some intriguing players during training camp. Considering the dearth of talent on a few NHL teams, it felt like one or two might be claimed.

But on Sunday, defensemen Riley Stillman and Kale Clague and forward Brandon Biro cleared and joined the Rochester Americans.

Every player Buffalo waived during the preseason made it the AHL, giving the Amerks, fresh off a run to the Eastern ... Read the full article

Sabres waive three more players, close to finalizing 23-man roster

The Buffalo Sabres on Saturday moved closer to finalizing their regular-season roster, waiving defensemen Riley Stillman and Kale Clague and forward Brandon Biro for the purpose of assigning them to the Rochester Americans.

The Sabres also sent defenseman Ryan Johnson, 22, and winger Lukas Rousek, 24, to Rochester.

They have 25 players – 15 forwards, seven defensemen and three goalies – left on their training camp roster. They must finalize their 23-man regular-season roster by ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Matt Savoie thrilled to return to practice following injury

BUFFALO – As training camp approached, Sabres prospect Matt Savoie looked like a top candidate to fill the open forward spot created by Jack Quinn’s Achilles tendon injury.

Savoie, 19, stood out early in the Prospects Challenge last month, only strengthening the belief he could jump from junior hockey to the NHL.

Then in his first shift of the tournament finale Sept. 18, he injured his right elbow and shoulder trying to break up a ... Read the full article

Prospect Zach Benson’s performance gives Sabres intriguing roster option

BUFFALO – As Sabres prospect Zach Benson quickly became the talk of training camp and began pushing for a roster spot, his exploits hardly surprised center Peyton Krebs.

Krebs, after all, has watched him do it before. Three seasons ago, the Winnipeg Ice expected Benson, then a 15-year-old rookie, would mostly practice when he joined the junior team for its truncated bubble schedule in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Instead, the diminutive winger impressed the Ice so ... Read the full article

No trade, no problem: Victor Olofsson excited to be back with Sabres

BUFFALO – In the same spot five months earlier, as winger Victor Olofsson talked about his late-season benching, it felt like he had played his last game for the Sabres.

But a trade never materialized, and as he sat at his locker in the dressing room following Monday’s session of training camp, Olofsson, 28, spoke optimistically of the upcoming season.

“I’m super happy to be back,” said Olofsson, whose Sabres host the Boston Bruins tonight ... Read the full article

Contract talks intensifying for Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power

BUFFALO – In the week leading up to training camp, contract talks for Sabres defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power became “more intense, more frequent,” general manager Kevyn Adams said.

Still, nothing was completed before camp opened Thursday.

“I was on the phone with both of their agents for a long time late last night,” Adams said prior to Thursday’s opening session in KeyBank Center. “… No update on where we’re at. I don’t think ... Read the full article

Sabres begin training camp with Devon Levi, prospects and Victor Olofsson in spotlight

BUFFALO – The deepest and most talented Sabres team since the rollicking post-lockout days of the mid-2000s will hit the ice today shouldering the expectation it can end the franchise’s embarrassing 12-year playoff drought.

Coming off a season in which they fell one win short of the postseason, the Sabres begin training camp with three sessions at KeyBank Center.

They have a whopping 64 players on their camp roster: seven goalies, 21 defensemen and 36 ... Read the full article

In Vaclav Prospal, Jiri Kulich has special mentor as he fights to make Sabres

BUFFALO – When Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal learned Sabres prospect Jiri Kulich trains in his hometown in Czechia during the summer, he headed to the local rink in Ceske Budejovice to introduce himself.

Prospal, one of the Rochester Americans’ new assistant coaches, ran into some of his former teammates, so he invited Kulich to his house for lunch to chat.

Having coached against Kulich and followed hockey closely, Prospal knew about the youngster’s lethal shot – ... Read the full article

Some former Sabres quickly found new contracts this offseason

The Buffalo Sabres have enjoyed remarkable roster stability this offseason. Right now, every regular from last year’s team is still with them.

If the Sabres keep winger Victor Olofsson – Jack Quinn’s Achilles injury makes a trade seem less likely – every healthy player who played at least 50 games in 2022-23 could be on their opening night roster Oct. 12.

Still, some players have left. So far this summer, three who spent time in ... Read the full article