Redmond - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres prospect Patrick Geary growing into unique talent at Michigan State

BUFFALO – During their chats leading up to the NHL Draft, Hamburg native Patrick Geary told the Sabres that in the past, he had often played a raw, undisciplined game.

“He used the term that a couple of coaches used with him, he was a little bit of a cowboy on the ice at times,” assistant general manager Jerry Forton said June 29 after the Sabres selected Geary in the sixth round, 174th overall, at ... Read the full article

Mature Sabres prospect Max Strbak budding star at Michigan State

BUFFALO – What Sabres prospect Max Strbak accomplished as a true freshman at Michigan State is a bit unusual. Most defensemen don’t step into a major program and make an immediate impact at 18.

The Slovak played a significant role as the Spartans won the Big Ten championship and advanced to the NCAA regional final.

Naturally, some physical elements – for example, his 6-foot-2 frame and stellar skating – helped him quickly adapt to college ... Read the full article

After trade, Vsevolod Komarov cements status as one of Sabres’ top prospects

So, what kind of defenseman is Buffalo Sabres prospect Vsevolod Komarov?

The Russian recorded 69 points during the regular season, including 55 assists, the Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League’s highest totals among defenders.

So, yes, Komarov, whose Drummondville Voltigeurs begin their first-round playoff series Friday, can be labeled as an offensive defenseman.

“You’ll find with a lot of guys putting up those kinds of points, that that’s their gimmick, like they are an offensive guy, ... Read the full article

Sabres hire former Rochester star Zach Redmond as development coach

The Buffalo Sabres have hired former NHL defenseman Zach Redmond, who starred for the Rochester Americans for three seasons, as a player development coach and Brad Dexter as a scout, the team announced Wednesday.

Redmond, 35, recently retired as a player following three seasons with Red Bull Munich, a team in Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

The Sabres needed to find a new development coach after former NHL defenseman Nathan Paetsch moved behind the bench to become ... Read the full article

Sabres’ decision to fire Amerks coach Chris Taylor looks foolish

In 2017, former general manager Jason Botterill and his assistant, Randy Sexton, took an unusual first step in rebuilding the Buffalo Sabres’ struggling AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

Barely a year after the Sabres’ previous regime had let Chris Taylor go as an assistant coach from the Amerks, Botterill and Sexton, who also served as Rochester’s GM, rehired him as head coach.

The move made sense. Taylor, who was fired again Tuesday, spent his ... Read the full article

Cancellation of AHL season means lost opportunities for Amerks

In what would be the final days of the American Hockey League season, coach Chris Taylor drew confidence from the maturity his Rochester Americans began showcasing.

To Taylor, the Amerks’ response to some rare adversity – they endured losing streaks of seven and four games in the winter – illustrated his players had become equipped to handle the highs and lows of a long, grinding season.

“They weren’t getting as frustrated as you think that ... Read the full article

Decision to leave Amerks for Germany ‘difficult’ for Zach Redmond

Zach Redmond and his wife, Maggie, wrestled with their decision. Rochester, after all, became their second home.

On the ice, Redmond, 31, thrived for three seasons, morphing into the Americans’ biggest star and perhaps the AHL’s most dynamic defensemen. The Redmonds felt so comfortable they purchased a house a five-minute drive from Blue Cross Arena.

“If I’m not (in the NHL), I really could not have imagined a better setup (than Rochester),” said Redmond, whose ... Read the full article

Zach Redmond leaves Amerks, signs to play in Germany

Zach Redmond, the popular Rochester Americans veteran who was named the AHL’s best defenseman last year, has signed a contract to play next season in Germany.

Redmond, 31, will be joining Red Bull Munich, the same team in Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), Germany’s top pro league, that produced Buffalo Sabres winger Dominik Kahun.

Replacing Redmond could be difficult. The Michigan native was often a dynamic presence over his three seasons with the Amerks, ... Read the full article

Sabres summon Rasmus Asplund; Johan Larsson ‘possibility’ for Saturday

BUFFALO – When the Sabres sent center Rasmus Asplund to the Rochester Americans following an impressive training camp, it felt like he would return to the NHL soon.

Asplund, 21, turned heads during the preseason, earning a long look from the Sabres. The Swedish prospect figured to be in line for his first recall.

Sure enough, with center Johan Larsson nursing an upper-body injury, the Sabres summoned Asplund this morning.

Larsson is day-to-day, according to ... Read the full article

Sabres reassign 15 players, including Arttu Ruotsalainen, C.J. Smith

BUFFALO – The Sabres made their first significant roster cuts of training camp this morning, reassigning 15 players, most notably center Arttu Ruotsalainen and winger C.J. Smith.

The Sabres sent Ruotsalainen, 21, back to Ilves, a Finnish team in Liiga. Meanwhile, Smith, 24, must clear waivers before he can go to the Rochester Americans.

The Sabres also sent the following players to the Amerks, their AHL affiliate: forwards Eric Cornel, Sean Malone, Andrew Oglevie, ... Read the full article