Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Former Sabres standout Jay McKee ready for head coaching job

The tweets are gone now, most likely casualties of Jay McKee’s budding new career.

In between gigs a few years ago, before McKee, 38, quickly ascended up the junior coaching ladder, the popular former Buffalo Sabres defenseman often eschewed the mundane words and pictures many ex-athletes tweet and utilized Twitter to showcase his lively personality.

It was all, of course, harmless fun for McKee, who on May 12 was named coach of the Kitchener Rangers. ... Read the full article

Assistant coach Dave Barr leaves Sabres for Panthers

BUFFALO – The Sabres now have two assistant coaching vacancies, as Dave Barr has left the team to join former teammate Gerard Gallant’s staff with the Florida Panthers, according to multiple reports.

Sabres coach Dan Bylsma’s first staff – one that appeared to mesh quickly and work well together – has only assistant Terry Murray and goalie coach Andrew Allen left. The team shifted assistant Dan Lambert to Rochester last month to coach the AHL ... Read the full article

Sabres sign prospect Vaclav Karabacek to 3-year, entry-level contract

BUFFALO – The Sabres have signed wing prospect Vaclav Karabacek to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced this morning.

The Sabres drafted the 6-foot, 198-pound Karabacek in the second round, 49^th overall, in 2014.

Karabacek, 20, split 2015-16 between the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Moncton Wildcats, compiling 18 goals and 30 points in 47 games.

The Czech finished his three-year junior career with 56 goals and 117 points in ... Read the full article

Sabres sign prospect Brycen Martin to three-year, entry-level contract

BUFFALO – The Sabres have signed defense prospect Brycen Martin to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced today.

The Sabres drafted the 6-foot-2, 199-pound Martin in the third round, 74^th overall, in 2014.

Martin, 20, split 2015-16 between the Western Hockey League’s Saskatoon Blades and Everett Silvertips, tying his career highs with six goals, 31 assists and 37 points.

The Calgary native finished his four-year junior career with 21 goals, 131 points and ... Read the full article

Reconnecting with Dan Bylsma helped lead Dan Lambert to Amerks

ROCHESTER – Dan Lambert’s relationship with Buffalo Sabres coach Dan Bylsma started in the mid-1990s, during their playing days with the Long Beach Ice Dogs, a team in the now-defunct International Hockey League.

Lambert was a high-scoring defenseman and the Ice Dogs’ captain. Bylsma, meanwhile, would occasionally be sent down from the parent Los Angeles Kings.

While the two weren’t close, Lambert said they shared “a mutual respect for one another.”

“Were we best friends? ... Read the full article

Sabres name Dan Lambert Amerks coach; Randy Cunneyworth reassigned

Randy Cunneyworth’s return to the Rochester Americans’ bench lasted only one season, as the parent Buffalo Sabres have reassigned the veteran coach to a player development position and named Dan Lambert his replacement, the team announced today.

Lambert, 46, is the 31^st coach in the AHL club’s history. The former NHL defenseman spent last season as an assistant coach on Dan Bylsma’s staff in Buffalo.

“We had a plan in place going into last ... Read the full article

Williamsville’s David Leggio rebounds with championship season

Williamsville native David Leggio can laugh and smile now reflecting on a crazy seven months. A season that began with the veteran goalie sitting at home looking for work ended with him celebrating a championship wearing lederhosen following a dynamic 14-game playoff run starring for Munich WHC, a team in the German DEL.

“This was the way I hoped it would go,” Leggio said Wednesday. “It doesn’t happen often. It doesn’t always happen how you ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle comfortable in pro hockey

ROCHESTER – Buffalo Sabres prospect Brendan Guhle noticed the familiar faces throughout his late-season AHL recall to the Americans.

One game, Guhle played against tough guy Zack Stortini, who used to scrap for the defenseman’s hometown Edmonton Oilers. Another contest, Guhle faced veteran goalie Yann Danis.

“I remember I had a hockey card of Yann Danis when I was a kid,” Guhle said Friday inside the Blue Cross War Memorial following his fourth pro appearance. ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie prospect Linus Ullmark confident after tough stretch

ROCHESTER – In the midst of a nine-game AHL winless stretch in which Buffalo Sabres prospect Linus Ullmark allowed 37 goals, the rookie goalie received a much-needed confidence boost.

When a bruised finger prevented goalie Chad Johnson from playing April 9, the Sabres recalled the struggling Swede from the Americans hours before their season finale against the New York Islanders.

In his first NHL start since Jan. 12, Ullmark helped the Sabres win 4-3 in ... Read the full article

Popular Amerks veteran Matt Ellis pondering future

ROCHESTER – Physically, Matt Ellis said, he hasn’t felt this good in four or five years. At 34 years old, having just finished his 14^th pro season, the popular former Buffalo Sabres forward believes he could keep playing.

“I definitely feel like I got lots left in the tank,” Ellis said Thursday inside the Blue Cross War Memorial.

Still, Ellis understands he could be nearing retirement. This season, his first out of the NHL ... Read the full article