Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Report: Sabres re-sign Johan Larsson to one-year deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed center Johan Larsson to a one-year, $800,000 contract, according to a Swedish newspaper report.

The Sabres now only have one unsigned restricted free agent, winger Jerry D’Amigo.

Larsson finished last season as the Sabres’ No. 1 center, scoring four goals and 14 points in his final 20 games. The 22-year-old Swede, however, struggled earlier when he played on checking lines. He scored six goals and 16 points ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign RFAs ticketed for Amerks

BUFFALO – Forward Tim Schaller, defenseman Jerome Leduc and goalie Nathan Lieuwen all signed their qualifying offers from the Sabres today.

The three are likely ticketed for the AHL Rochester Americans again.

Schaller, 24, had one goal and two points in 18 games with the Sabres last season and 15 goals and 43 points in 65 contests with the Amerks.

Leduc, 22, had six goals and 25 points in 76 games with the Amerks ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Mark Pysyk to two-year deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres re-signed defenseman Mark Pysyk to two-year contract worth $2.25 million Tuesday.

Pysyk, who was a restricted free agent, is expected to be a regular next season after playing only seven NHL games in 2014-15.

The 23-year-old will receive $1 million in 2015-16 and $1.25 million in 2016-17, according to CBC’s Tim Wharnsby. He had an $810,000 NHL salary last season.

Despite some strong play as an NHL regular two seasons ago, ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Phil Varone to two-way deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres re-signed Phil Varone to a one-year, two-way contract today, avoiding arbitration with the forward.

Varone would’ve gone to an arbiter July 27. He’ll earn $600,000 in the NHL next season, according to CBC’s Tim Wharnsby, a $5,000 raise.

The 24-year-old, who had three goals and five points in 28 NHL games last season, likely wanted an AHL raise as a restricted free agent. He only had a $62,500 deal with the ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Tim Murray wants to find defenseman, hire coach for Amerks

BUFFALO – One way or another, Sabres general manager Tim Murray plans to get another left-handed defenseman before the season starts.

“We’ve looked at everybody we feel is going to need waivers,” Murray said this afternoon following development camp inside the First Niagara Center. “We’re still talking trades with teams. We’re still talking about a couple of guys who are out there. But there’s no hurry.”

Murray’s willing to wait until right before the season, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Dan Bylsma impressed by goalie coach Andrew Allen

BUFFALO – Sabres coach Dan Bylsma had no previous connection to Andrew Allen before hiring the 38-year-old as goalie coach this week.

“Really word of mouth and had some great recommendations from people in Chicago,” Bylsma said Friday inside the First Niagara Center. “So I got to know him in the last week or 10 days and got him in here a little bit earlier this week.”

Allen, a former pro goalie, spent the last ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Nick Baptiste knows Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid well

BUFFALO – OK, it’s time for a quick development camp quiz, Sabres fans.

Name the only youngster in hockey who has already played alongside slick centers Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, the top two picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.

It’s Sabres prospect Nick Baptiste, the 69^th overall selection in 2013.

“I’m a lucky guy,” Baptiste said Thursday. “They’re both so fantastically good.”

Now, name the most prolific career scorer among the 46 players ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Team expects record crowd for Jack Eichel’s first scrimmage

BUFFALO – Since arriving in Buffalo last week, Sabres prospect Jack Eichel has been “doing the media tour and doing a million things.” The 18-year-old center just wants to play a hockey game, something he hasn’t done in months.

Eichel will get his wish tonight, when the Sabres host what is quickly becoming a huge summer event, the annual development camp scrimmage at 7 p.m. inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres have already sold ... Read the full article

Amerks sign Matt Ellis to AHL deal

BUFFALO – Matt Ellis will be back for an eighth season with the Sabres organization.

The Rochester Americans signed the popular forward to a one-year AHL contract today. The respected 33-year-old, a veteran of 356 NHL games, spent parts of two seasons as Amerks captain before getting recalled. He could wear the ‘C’ in 2015-16.

Ellis has split the last three seasons between Buffalo and Rochester, playing 95 games in each league. He started the ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart seeing results from new approach

BUFFALO – The hardest part of returning to junior, Sam Reinhart said, was convincing himself to get in the gym and work on his body. The 19-year-old center likes to go all out on the ice. Spending two days before a game lifting weights can make that difficult.

But to succeed in the NHL, Reinhart had to start adding muscle to his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame when the Sabres sent him back following a forgettable ... Read the full article