Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Mikhail Grigorenko with Sabres after NHL rejects conditioning assignment

BUFFALO – The NHL has rejected Mikhail Grigorenko’s AHL conditioning assignment, so the 19-year-old center’s back practicing with the Sabres this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

The Sabres sent the Russian, a healthy scratch recently, to Rochester on Tuesday. Stay tuned for more details. The Sabres said they respect the decision.

Meanwhile, winger Luke Adam and defenseman Brayden McNabb have been recalled from the Americans and are on the ice.

Tyler Ennis isn’t practicing. ... Read the full article

Sabres’ reassignment of youngsters represents culture change

BUFFALO – Development time used to be mandatory. Before Mikhail Grigorenko cracked the lineup last season, the Sabres hadn’t played an 18-year-old regularly since Pierre Turgeon in 1987-88. Most of their top prospects spent at least one full season in the minors.

But former general manager Darcy Regier, who was fired with coach Ron Rolston last week, dramatically switched philosophies earlier this year as the Sabres started rebuilding.

The struggling Sabres recently became the first ... Read the full article

Veterans happy to see Sabres reassign youngsters: ‘It’s about earning the spot’

BUFFALO – In veteran defenseman Henrik Tallinder’s mind, the Sabres’ old regime handed out too many roster spots to undeserving youngsters. Interim coach Ted Nolan and his boss, Pat LaFontaine, know that. They’re working to correct those past mistakes.

“It’s not about getting the spot; it’s about earning the spot,” Tallinder said this morning inside the First Niagara Center after the Sabres reassigned four rookies, three of them teenagers. “It used to be like that ... Read the full article

Report: Mikhail Grigorenko sent back to junior; Sabres tough guy John Scott regrets ‘Princess Phaneuf’ comment

BUFFALO – In a not-so-surprising move, the Sabres sent 19-year-old center Mikhail Grigorenko back to the Quebec Remparts late Monday, according to RDS, a Canadian sports network.

Grigorenko has been scratched both games under interim coach Ted Nolan, who has strongly hinted he doesn’t think the Sabres should have four teenagers on the roster.

UPDATE: Grigorenko was just seen leaving the building this morning. Rookie defenseman Nikita Zadorov isn’t on the ice and has ... Read the full article

Sabres tough guy John Scott regrets ‘Princess Phaneuf’ comment

BUFFALO – Sabres tough guy John Scott today called his “Princess Phaneuf” comment about Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf on Saturday a “slip of the tongue.”

“Obviously, a little emotional at the time,” Scott said inside the First Niagara Center following practice. “I haven’t trademarked it. I kind of regretted it.”

Following the Sabres’ 4-2 loss in Toronto, Scott said Phaneuf “bailed” as he approached him. A mini-melee ensued, and Scott received 14 penalty ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan moving Sabres rookie Zemgus Girgensons to center

BUFFALO – As the Latvian national team’s coach, Ted Nolan had one center on his roster for the 2013 world championship.

“We a hand a bunch of players, but no natural center ice men,” Nolan, the Sabres’ new interim coach, said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

So when Sabres rookie Zemgus Girgensons finished his first professional season in Rochester last year, a campaign he spent playing wing, Nolan put the 19-year-old Latvian ... Read the full article

Robyn Regehr thriving with Kings, grateful for time with Sabres

BUFFALO – Robyn Regehr and the rest of the Kings had a team function at the Los Angeles Zoo last week, at a time when the city’s infamous traffic was awful.

The players all got there, albeit two and a half hours late.

“Very different living,” Regehr said Tuesday prior to the Kings’ 3-2 shootout loss inside the First Niagara Center, the defenseman’s first game here since the Sabres traded him for two second-round draft ... Read the full article

Forgetting about Sabres helped Amerks star Luke Adam find AHL game

BRIGHTON – Whatever’s going on with the Buffalo Sabres right now, well, Luke Adam doesn’t care about it. Whatever general manager Darcy Regier or coach Ron Rolston are saying, the 23-year-old Rochester Americans winger isn’t worried about it.

“I’m not focused on what the Sabres are doing,” Adam said Tuesday inside Bill Gray’s Iceplex. “Frankly, I don’t care what’s going on up there, what people are saying or how everything’s going.”

Adam, whose scorching eight-goal, ... Read the full article

Patrick Kaleta trying to embrace demotion from Sabres to Amerks

BRIGHTON – Inevitably, early during Patrick Kaleta’s stint with the Rochester Americans, an opponent will try taking the hard-hitting, ultra-aggressive winger over the edge.

As a former NHL regular in the AHL, a league full of yahoos, Kaleta will have a target on his back as he works at redesigning his game and earning another roster spot with the Buffalo Sabres. General manager Darcy Regier gave Kaleta a strong message after waiving him Saturday: ... Read the full article

Patrick Kaleta grateful for opportunity with Amerks

BRIGHTON – Patrick Kaleta knows his Buffalo Sabres career hasn’t ended.

Instead of jettisoning him from the organization, his hometown club sent the hard-hitting winger to the Rochester Americans with a strong message from general manager Darcy Regier: redesign your game, stop getting suspended and you could have a roster spot again in the future.

The Sabres haven’t closed the door on Kaleta, and the 27-year-old plans on using his first AHL assignment in nearly ... Read the full article