Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres sign defense prospect Brady Austin to 3-year, entry-level deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres have signed defenseman Brady Austin to a three-year, entry-level contract, the club announced today.

The 20-year-old, the 193^rd overall pick in 2012, split 2013-14 between the Ontario Hockey League’s Belleville Bulls and London Knights, setting career highs with nine goals, 24 assists, 33 points and a plus-51 rating in 67 games.

Austin, 6-foot-3 and 234 pounds, had 29 goals, 110 points and 194 penalty minutes in 322 career OHL games. ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Nick Deslauriers to 2-year contract

BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed winger Nick Deslauriers to a one-way, two-year contract.

The deal is worth $1.25 million, according to capgeek.com. The 23-year-old would’ve become a restricted free agent this summer.

Deslauriers, acquired from Los Angeles in the March 5 Brayden McNabb trade, compiled one goal and 18 penalty minutes in his first 17 NHL games. He played 10 total games in Rochester following the season.

“Nick was able to step ... Read the full article

Former Sabre Alexander Sulzer signs 5-year deal in native Germany

BUFFALO – Former Sabres defenseman Alexander Sulzer has signed a five-year contract with Kolner Haie, a DEL team in his native Germany.

Sulzer was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The 29-year-old played 57 games with the Sabres over parts of three years, compiling six goals and 14 points.

He suffered a season-ending concussion March 13. He said last month he was still experiencing headaches.

The Sabres’ old regime waived ... Read the full article

Amerks’ Colton Gillies hoping impressive AHL season leads to another NHL gig

ROCHESTER – The summer dragged on and on, and Colton Gillies, a former first-round pick with 154 games of big league experience, couldn’t find any work.

Gillies was still months away from turning 25. He had just spent two straight seasons in the NHL. At 6-foot-4, he possessed size, a precious commodity, yet skating was his biggest asset.

Still, no one wanted him.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that,” Gillies said Saturday after a gritty ... Read the full article

Amerks hold late lead, tie series against Wolves

ROCHESTER – A night after blowing a late 3-1 lead and losing the playoff opener in overtime, the Americans experienced deja vu.

“It was ‘Groundhog Day,’” coach Chadd Cassidy joked Saturday after the Amerks grinded out a 3-2 win against the Chicago Wolves, tying the best-of-five Calder Cup playoff series. “We go up 3-1. Rasmus (Ristolainen), just a complete bomb off the crossbar.

“Same thing happened (Friday). We had a chance to go up 4-1 ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Tim Schaller developing into all-around talent with Amerks

ROCHESTER – On April 5, the Americans began the third period of a pivotal late-season tilt trailing the Marlies 3-0. Twenty minutes later, buoyed by fourth-line center Tim Schaller’s natural hat trick, they had rallied for a stunning 4-3 victory in Toronto.

Schaller had four goals in 65 AHL games before scoring three times in a 14-minute stretch.

“I didn’t think it would ever happen, but it did,” Schaller said last week inside the Blue ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko thriving with AHL Amerks

ROCHESTER – Finally, almost two years after the Buffalo Sabres drafted him 12^th overall, center Mikhail Grigorenko has landed in the AHL.

Just weeks before his 20^th birthday, the prospect too good for junior but too green for the NHL has settled in nicely with the Americans.

The Amerks closed the regular season 7-1-1 with Grigorenko, who recorded his four assists in his first three appearances.

But numbers aren’t important right now.

“Maybe ... Read the full article

Amerks’ Chad Ruhwedel impressive in return from concussion

ROCHESTER – Chad Ruhwedel said his first concussion “wasn’t fun.” The defenseman experienced bad headaches for a few days after Philadelphia’s Zac Rinaldo elbowed him in the head April 6 during a recall to the Buffalo Sabres.

Ruhwedel figured his regular season was over.

But the 23-year-old, who was sent to the AHL earlier this week, felt well enough to return Friday for the Americans’ 5-1 win against the Syracuse Crunch inside the Blue Cross ... Read the full article

Alexander Sulzer still recovering from first concussion, open to returning to Sabres

BUFFALO – Despite having played 12 professional seasons, Sabres defenseman Alexander Sulzer avoided his first concussion until March 13, his 505^th game.

Jiri Tlusty hit Sulzer a few minutes into the Sabres’ 4-2 loss in Carolina. He bumped his head on the glass.

“Then it went back and forth a couple times,” Sulzer recalled Monday.

Sulzer’s disappointing season – and possibly his 57-game Sabres career – was over.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” ... Read the full article

Sabres fire assistant coaches from old regime

BUFFALO – The Sabres have fired or reassigned all of the assistant coaches Ted Nolan inherited from the previous regime.

Jim Corsi, the team’s popular goalie coach since 1998, is gone, the club announced today. So is Teppo Numminen, whose contract wasn’t renewed after three seasons. Joe Sacco and Jerry Forton have been offered new jobs within the organization’s hockey department after just one season with the team.

Nolan replaced Ron Rolston on an interim ... Read the full article