Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Report links AWOL Linus Omark to old Swedish club

The Rochester Americans returned from the AHL All-Star break Friday without winger Linus Omark, who still hasn’t reported to the club after getting waived by the Buffalo Sabres.

What’s going on? His agent, Kevin Epp, told the Buffalo News all options – Buffalo, Rochester and Europe – are still on the table for the vacationing Swede.

Realistically, though, Omark is likely finished with the Sabres organization.

Now, a report from NDS, a ... Read the full article

Latvia job changed Ted Nolan’s career, helped Sabres notice him

BUFFALO – Back in 2011, Ted Nolan had briefly returned to professional hockey as Rochester’s general manager, when one day his friend phoned unexpectedly.

“Ted,” the friend asked, “are you interested in going to Latvia?”

Nolan was stunned. He hadn’t coached since leaving the New York Islanders in 2008. He couldn’t even point out Latvia on a map.

“I said, ‘Where is it?’” the interim Sabres coach recalled last week inside the First Niagara Center.... Read the full article

Linus Omark clears waivers, could go to Amerks

BUFFALO – Winger Linus Omark cleared waivers today, according to CBC’s Elliotte Friedman.

It’s unclear if the 27-year-old, who had zero goals and two assists in 13 games with the Sabres, will be assigned to Rochester.

Update: Omark will join the Americans after the AHL All-Star break.

Omark spent most of this season with AHL Oklahoma city, compiling 15 goals and 29 points in 29 games before Edmonton sent him to Buffalo for a ... Read the full article

Sabres waive Linus Omark, send Chad Ruhwedel and Phil Varone to Amerks

BUFFALO – In a move that might signal the end of his NHL career, the Sabres today waived winger Linus Omark, who had zero goals and two assists in 13 games.

They also sent defenseman Chad Ruhwedel and forward Phil Varone to Rochester.

The 27-year-old Omark, acquired from Edmonton for a conditional sixth-round draft pick Dec. 19, never impressed Ted Nolan much. The interim coach scratched the speedy Swede eight times, including Thursday’s ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Marcus Foligno will sit against Senators; GM Tim Murray says it’s not a lock goalie Ryan Miller gets traded

Not surprisingly, the Buffalo Sabres will change up their lineup tonight in Ottawa against the Senators, inserting forwards Zenon Konopka and Ville Leino, healthy scratches the last two games, for Marcus Foligno and Linus Omark.

Foligno, a fourth-liner the last two games, has zero goals in the last six games and just one score in 19 contests.

“He’s a young player,” interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan told reporters today in Ottawa. “He ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ted Nolan relieved Tyler Myers won’t be sidelined long

BUFFALO – Interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said defenseman Tyler Myers is day-to-day and “a lot better than we thought” after a lower-body injury forced him out of Monday’s 3-2 loss to Edmonton.

Myers could play tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins inside the First Niagara Center.

Naturally, Nolan, who said Myers “was moving around real good” Tuesday, is relieved

“Some guys get banged up,” he said. “But he looked like he was hurt (Monday) night.”... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ryan Miller hasn’t talked to management much about future

BUFFALO – Days before he heads to the Sochi Games and just one month from the NHL trade deadline, goalie Ryan Miller said today he hasn’t discussed his future much with the Sabres’ new regime.

“Still don’t know what to say,” Miller, an unrestricted free agent following the season, said inside the First Niagara Center. “There’s been a change here. There was a change here before. So it’s like waiting to see what the plan ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Chad Ruhwedel quickly learning pro game, impressing in NHL

BUFFALO – While a seven-game, late-season introduction to the NHL was nice, Sabres defenseman Chad Ruhwedel knew he still had plenty to learn about professional hockey.

So a preseason assignment to Rochester hardly surprised the 23-year-old.

“I came in not expecting it, but ready for it,” Ruhwedel, who joined the Sabres straight from the NCAA in April, said Monday in Pittsburgh. “It was my first year pro. I’m not the guy who thinks he’s ready ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Matt Ellis scoring, earning Ted Nolan’s respect and regular duty

PITTSBURGH – Matt Ellis had two Buffalo Sabres skating to the crease, so even a few steps inside the blue line, the winger figured lofting a backhander toward Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was a smart move.

To Ellis, getting the puck on net – even the seemingly harmless shots – is one of the simplest ways to increase scoring.

“Coaches tell you from Day One when you pick up a hockey stick that things happen ... Read the full article

What’s former Sabres coach Ron Rolston doing in Tampa Bay?

We haven’t heard much from former coach Ron Rolston since the Buffalo Sabres fired him Nov. 13 amid one of the worst starts in NHL history.

Rolston never spoke to the media. He popped up at a Rochester Americans game in November, presumably to see his friend John Hynes, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins coach.

We’ve only read a short statement Rolston texted to CBC’s Elliotte Friedman shortly after his dismissal.

So why has Rolston been in ... Read the full article