Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Jack Eichel nearing return

BUFFALO – Given Jack Eichel’s workload so far in practice – the talented Sabres center has only participated in a couple of battle drills and lines rushes – it seems unlikely he could return from a high left ankle sprain Tuesday.

But Eichel, 20, keeps making positive progress. Today inside HarborCenter, Eichel briefly bumped with some teammates and skated beside Evander Kane, his regular left winger late last season, and a couple of right wingers.... Read the full article

Sabres sent 3 forwards to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres sent forwards William Carrier, Cal O’Reilly and Cole Schneider back to the Rochester Americans on Saturday.

All three played for the AHL club later in the day against the Albany Devils.

The Sabres, who had Saturday off and don’t play again until Tuesday, have limited salary cap space, so sending players down between games helps save some money.

O’Reilly and Schneider rank third and fourth in AHL scoring.... Read the full article

Patrick Kaleta excited for off-ice job with Sabres, not retired yet

BUFFALO – For the last “crazy” little while, Patrick Kaleta said, when fans spot him around town, they greet the former Sabres agitator with the same questions.

“People see me, they say, ‘What are you doing here? Your team is practicing. Your team is playing,’” Kaleta told the Times Herald on Monday.

The affable Kaleta, who played 348 games with the Sabres, said he smiles and tells them he has a new job with ... Read the full article

Taylor Fedun has chance to stick with Sabres

BUFFALO – At the start of a season, a Taylor Fedun-type player – a talented minor leaguer with some limited NHL experience – often has no chance to crack the big club.

“There’s just not that much opportunity when training camp starts, the rosters and the contracts,” coach Dan Bylsma said Sunday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s home tilt against the Calgary Flames.

Opportunities, of course, inevitably materialize. As the Sabres have recently experienced, ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Cal O’Reilly’s hot start with Amerks rewarded

BUFFALO – Some heads turned when the Sabres awarded center Cal O’Reilly, a talented minor leaguer almost four years removed from his last NHL game, a two-year, $1.4 million contract in 2015.

But O’Reilly, the AHL’s leading scorer, has morphed into a valuable asset for the organization, captaining the Rochester Americans and providing depth for the Sabres.

O’Reilly, 30, proved that Saturday just hours after earning a recall, scoring the shootout winner in the ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson to start against Penguins

BUFFALO – Toward the end of the morning skate, backup goalie Anders Nilsson, not Robin Lehner, started skating to the Sabres bench.

Would Sabres coach Dan Bylsma really start his backup against the Pittsburgh Penguins over Lehner, his starter who has played 13 of the first 17 games?

After fiddling with his sticks at the bench for a few moments – it almost seemed like Nilsson was teasing everyone trying to see if he ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Josh Gorges takes pride in facing opposition’s best

BUFFALO – About 20 times tonight, Sabres defenseman Josh Gorges will jump over the boards to take on arguably the toughest task in hockey, trying to stop Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby.

Gorges will probably spend around 20 minutes defending Crosby and his linemates, a stiff challenge the 12-year veteran embraces.

To Gorges, the dynamic Crosby is the NHL’s best player, someone to measure yourself against.

“He just does things no one else can do,” ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan O’Reilly still sidelined

BUFFALO – A couple of quick updates from KeyBank Center, where the Sabres practiced this morning after Thursday’s 4-1 loss to Tampa Bay:

– Top center Ryan O’Reilly, out of the last three games with a mid-body injury, didn’t practice today or even skate on his own, coach Dan Bylsma said. O’Reilly is day-to-day but is doubtful for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh.

– Bylsma said the lower-back injury defenseman Dmitry Kulikov suffered late in ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Taylor Fedun debuts against Lightning

BUFFALO – Had Taylor Fedun been healthy enough to participate in training camp, then perhaps the Sabres would’ve recalled the high-scoring defenseman earlier this season.

But Fedun, who made his Sabres debut Thursday, fractured his foot in April playing with the Utica Comets, the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate. The Princeton product didn’t begin skating again until the day before training camp started, Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said.

So while Fedun, 28, participated in meetings with ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Taylor Fedun to replace Casey Nelson

BUFFALO – Had Taylor Fedun been healthy enough to participate in training camp, then perhaps the Sabres would’ve recalled the defenseman earlier this season.

But Fedun, who will make his Sabres debut tonight, fractured his foot in April. He didn’t skate again until the day before training camp started, coach Dan Bylsma said.

After finally joining Sabres practices Oct. 1, Fedun said he was still behind a week or two following his assignment Rochester Americans ... Read the full article