Reinhart - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres sign 4 new players, become top destination in free agency

BUFFALO – For two weeks, Tim Murray bristled when the media asked him about the salary floor. The rebuilding Sabres would reach it, the general manager said. He wasn’t worried. They would lure strong veteran talent when free agency opened.

“But you’re never sure until the clock hits 12,” Murray said Tuesday inside the First Niagara Center.

When the clock hit noon Tuesday and the market opened, the Sabres, a laughingstock last season, quickly became ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray believes Sabres can add veterans in free agency, not worried about cap floor

BUFFALO – The Sabres have a pretty simple free agency plan. The rebuilding club wants to add some respected veterans, preferably skilled ones who can mentor the team’s youngsters and are willing to take a short term, perhaps just a year or two.

Yes, the Sabres need to add salary badly when the market opens at noon today. After all, they’re a stunning $20,580,834 under the floor. But reaching that mark, a touchy subject for ... Read the full article

Sabres let Cory Conacher, Jamie McBain go

BUFFALO – The short Sabres careers of winger Cory Conacher and defenseman Jamie McBain are over.

The rebuilding club passed on giving them qualifying offers as restricted free agents, making them free to sign with any team.

The Sabres also didn’t qualify defensemen Nick Crawford and Matt MacKenzie, who played in Rochester, and goalie Connor Knapp, who played two NHL games last season.

Sabres general manager Tim Murray said Monday morning McBain, who struggled his ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Tim Murray leaves draft happy: ‘I think we went after potential’

PHILADELPHIA – The rebuilding Buffalo Sabres added nine new prospects, seven of them forwards, including No. 2 pick Sam Reinhart, at the NHL Entry Draft this weekend. Of course, hold any judgments on their performance for three or four years.

On Saturday afternoon, however, in the afterglow of his first draft, general manager Tim Murray called it “outstanding,” saying, “Our guys are happy.”

“We have a potential top-two center that can play for us ... Read the full article

Sabres don’t hesitate: Sam Reinhart’s their man

PHILADELPHIA – Sam Reinhart said he had been “prepared for it for a long time.” The slick 18-year-old center knew the Buffalo Sabres, a team desperate for elite forward talent, wanted to draft him with the No. 2 pick.

“I’ve certainly visualized myself in this uniform,” Reinhart said Friday inside the Wells Fargo Center after the Sabres selected him at the NHL Entry Draft. “I’m just thrilled and ecstatic to really make an impact there ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray believes draft lottery changes aren’t targeting Sabres

PHILADELPHIA – The Buffalo Sabres’ chances of winning the Connor McDavid sweepstakes could be taking a small hit.

General manager Tim Murray said Friday the NHL will likely alter its draft lottery next year.

What’s going to happen?

Murray said the odds of the league’s worst team getting the No. 1 pick will drop from 25 percent to about 19 or 20 percent. The tradeoff? The 30^th team can’t fall past the No. 2 ... Read the full article

Sam Reinhart knew Sabres had interest for long time

PHILADELPHIA – Sam Reinhart said he had been “prepared for it for a long time.” The slick 18-year-old center knew the Buffalo Sabres wanted to draft him with the No. 2 pick.

“I’ve certainly visualized myself in this uniform,” Reinhart said tonight inside the Wells Fargo Center after the Sabres made him the first forward taken at the NHL Entry Draft.

If Reinhart has his way, he’ll be wearing that Sabres uniform on opening night ... Read the full article

Sabres take Sam Reinhart with No. 2 pick

PHILADELPHIA – Not surprising, the Buffalo Sabres selected slick center Sam Reinhart with the No. 2 pick tonight at the NHL Entry Draft inside the Wells Fargo Center.

The Sabres desperately need elite talent up, and Reinhart, a star with the Western Hockey League’s Kootenay Ice, could be a franchise forward someday.

The Florida Panthers selected stud defenseman Aaron Ekblad No. 1 overall. Ekblad’s the first defender taken first since the St. Louis Blues took ... Read the full article

Slick draft prospect Sam Reinhart could be sure thing for Sabres with top pick

PHILADELPHIA – If the past tells us anything, some of these shiny NHL Entry Draft prospects, the ones expected to save their team’s sagging fortunes after getting picked early tonight, will be busts at the next level.

“We know that one or two of them aren’t going to have an impact in the National Hockey League,” Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray said last week. “It’s which one or two. We hope we know which ... Read the full article

Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Sam Reinhart all in mix to be top pick as NHL Draft approaches

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – For the next few weeks, their skills, personality, body type – everything about them – will be dissected. Twenty-six days before the NHL Entry Draft, there’s still no consensus No. 1 overall pick.

To many observers, three coveted youngsters – center Sam Bennett, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and center Sam Reinhart, the top North American prospects, according to NHL Central Scouting – are vying for the pick owned by the Florida Panthers.... Read the full article