Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres prospect Zemgus Girgensons finally adding offense to repertoire

BUFFALO – With 8:12 left in the second period of Sunday’s preseason opener, Sabres prospect Zemgus Girgensons grabbed Kevin Porter’s pass off the boards at the Montreal blue line and zoomed in down the right wing.

A second later, the tenacious 19-year-old whistled a quick wrist shot past goalie Zachary Fucale’s glove from the faceoff dot, the second goal of his NHL preseason debut.

“I was pretty happy with myself,” Girgensons, who scored short-handed earlier ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Zemgus Girgensons starting to showcase offensive ability

A second later, the Latvian whistled a shot by goalie Zachary Fucale’s glove from the faceoff dot, the second goal of his NHL preseason debut.

“I was pretty happy with myself,” Girgensons said this afternoon inside the First Niagara ... Read the full article

Michael Zigomanis back with Sabres 12 years after ‘fax issues’ took him away

BUFFALO – Michael Zigomanis still sees familiar faces everywhere around the Sabres. There’s Darcy Regier, the general manager who drafted him 14 years ago. There’s Doug McKenney, the strength coach who began shaping his teenage frame into a man’s body.

Zigomanis credits both men with teaching him how to be a professional.

“It’s an honor to be part of their organization again,” the 32-year-old said Friday after practicing inside the First Niagara Center.

Zigomanis, the ... Read the full article

Maturity and talent earned Sabres’ Cody Hodgson long-term contract

BUFFALO – In awarding Cody Hodgson, a youngster with only 77 points in 139 career NHL games, a six-year, $25.5 million contract, the Sabres are betting on more than the center’s abundant talent. The team’s banking that Hodgson will keep dedicating himself to becoming an elite player.

“He wants to be a No. 1 guy from the standpoint he wants to be counted on, and he wants to be recognized in a leadership position,” ... Read the full article

Cody Hodgson excited by Sabres’ 6-year commitment

BUFFALO – Finally, Cody Hodgson can settle down. The Sabres center had spent his first three professional seasons bouncing around, never staying an entire year in one city.

Now, the 23-year-old, who signed a six-year, $25.5 million deal Wednesday, has some security.

“I’m really happy to have some concrete steps, concrete knowledge of where I’m going to be the next few years,” Hodgson said this morning after the first training camp session inside the ... Read the full article

Sabres facing plenty of questions as first training camp under Ron Rolston begins

BUFFALO – The Sabres convene for training camp physicals today inside the First Niagara Center, for better or worse, almost the same team that ended a disappointing, 11^th-place season 137 days ago.

Other than a busy draft day and reacquiring 34-year-old defenseman Henrik Tallinder, the rebuilding club remained quiet throughout the summer.

Starting goalie Ryan Miller and leading scorer Thomas Vanek, two veteran stars rumored to be on the trading block, ... Read the full article

Cody McCormick ready to earn another spot with Sabres

BUFFALO – The cycle repeats nearly every season. Inevitably, gritty Sabres forward Cody McCormick spends each training camp battling and fighting – literally, as he has nine career preseason scraps – for one of the 20 coveted NHL roster spots.

Other than 2011, after McCormick’s career season earned him a new three-year, $3.6 million contract, the versatile 30-year-old has lived the journeyman’s life, never enjoying much comfort prior to a new campaign.

“Every year I’ve ... Read the full article

Thomas Vanek hasn’t requested trade, wants Sabres to add more veterans

AMHERST – Thomas Vanek spoke firmly. No, the high-scoring winger said, he hasn’t asked to be traded from the Buffalo Sabres. The widespread belief he wants out of town doesn’t bother him. But it’s simply not true.

“The media and people, they can make up their own assumptions as long as I know where I’m at and stuff and my family’s at. That’s fine,” Vanek said following an off-ice workout Wednesday morning. “At the end ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Corey Tropp to 1-year deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres re-signed ferocious winger Corey Tropp, an NHL regular late in 2011-12 before tearing knee ligaments early last season, to a one-year contract today.

The 24-year-old damaged the medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament Oct. 15 after scoring twice in Rochester’s opening-night win. Tropp made a surprising return to the Americans’ lineup March 29. But with a weakened knee, he only played five games.

Prior to the lockout last ... Read the full article

Sabres sign 30-goal scorer Jamie Tardif for Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres added a scoring winger for the Rochester Americans today, signing Jamie Tardif to a one-year, two-way contract.

The 28-year-old scored a career-high 30 goals and added 45 points in 62 AHL games last season with Providence. Tardif also made his first two NHL appearances with Boston.

His NHL deal is worth $550,000, according to RDS’s Renaud Lavioe.

The Welland, Ont., native has 123 goals and 229 points in 438 AHL games ... Read the full article