WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition
Buffalo recently had an ECHL affiliation with the Cincinnati Cyclones. © 2023
The Buffalo Sabres on Monday announced they have signed an agreement with the Jacksonville Icemen to serve as their new ECHL affiliate.
The Sabres spent the previous six years affiliated with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Jacksonville, meanwhile, recently served as the New York Rangers’ affiliate.
The Rochester Americans, the Sabres’ AHL affiliate, can recall players from Jacksonville when they need help.... Read the full article
Linus Weissbach cracked the 20-goal mark last season. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres on Monday re-signed winger Linus Weissbach to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 in the NHL.
Weissbach 25, was the Sabres’ last restricted free agent. The Swede has spent his entire two-year pro career with the Rochester Americans.
He scored 20 goals and 47 points in 69 games last season, offensive numbers that ranked third and fourth, respectively, on the Amerks. He added three goals and 10 points in 12 games during ... Read the full article
Buffalo drafted Anton Wahlberg in the second round last month. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres on Friday signed two players, inking forward prospect Anton Wahlberg to a three-year, entry-level contract and winger Brett Murray to a one-year, two-way deal.
Wahlberg, 18, is the first member of the Sabres’ 2023 draft class to sign a contract. The Swede’s deal has a $950,000 average annual value, according to capfriendly.com.
Murray, 24, was a restricted free agent. His deal is worth $775,000 in the NHL. He will receive $250,000 in ... Read the full article
Jake Richard drove with his father, Gilles, to Buffalo for development camp. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Gilles Richard returned home following a short stint as general manager of the Augusta RiverHawks and realized he needed to keep working in hockey.
It wasn’t for selfish reasons, mind you. No, in 2011, Richard decided to stay in hockey for his son, Jake, who had developed a passion for the sport.
When Jake was born in 2004, Gilles had just started working for the Jacksonville Barracuda, a team in the fledgling Southern ... Read the full article
Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal played for seven NHL teams, including the New York Rangers. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
About six years ago, a mutual friend put Seth Appert and Vaclav “Vinny” Prospal in contact with each other.
Appert, now the Rochester Americans’ coach, was working at the U.S. National Team Development Program. Prospal, a veteran of 1,108 NHL games as a player, was coaching in the Tampa Scorpions youth organization.
As they chatted about hockey and player development, Appert realized how Prospal, who on Monday was named one of Rochester’s assistant coaches, embraced ... Read the full article
Nathan Paetsch smiles last week during development camp. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres today named former NHL players Nathan Paetsch and Vinny Prospal as assistant coaches on Seth Appert’s staff with the Rochester Americans.
They replace Mike Weber and Michael Peca, both of whom recently left the AHL team to take assistant coaching jobs in the NHL.
The Sabres also announced the coaching staffs in Buffalo and Rochester have received contract extensions. Sabres coach Don Granato earned an extension prior to last season.
Paetsch, 40, ... Read the full article
Mason Jobst (26) was a standout for Rochester last season. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans on Friday re-signed three players – center Mason Jobst, goalie Michael Houser and winger Brendan Warren – to one-year AHL contracts.
They also inked forward Graham Slaggert, who spent last season with the Toronto Marlies, to a one-year AHL deal.
Jobst, 29, set career highs across the board last year, scoring 14 goals and 38 points in 61 regular-season games. He enjoyed the best stretch of his pro career during the ... Read the full article
Kale Clague played 33 games with Buffalo last season. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday added depth to their blue line, re-signing defenseman Kale Clague to a one-year, two-way contract.
The deal is worth $775,000 in the NHL, with $475,000 guaranteed, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who reported the contract Tuesday.
The Sabres did not give Clague, 25, a qualifying offer last week as a restricted free agent, allowing them to re-sign him for a lower salary as a free agent.... Read the full article
Coach Seth Appert shakes hands with Toronto assistant coach coach John Snowden on May 17 following Rochester’s series-clinching win. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
BUFFALO – Instead of getting into a deep discussion of Xs and Os with job candidates or having them diagram plays, Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert prefers to conduct more personal interviews.
“I’m a people-oriented, relationship-oriented person,” the loquacious Appert said Sunday following the first session of Sabres development camp at LECOM Harborcenter.
Appert, whose two assistant coaches, Michael Peca and Mike Weber, both recently left for NHL jobs, said he wants to talk to ... Read the full article
Dustin Tokarski played 42 games for Buffalo over two seasons. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
The Buffalo Sabres added depth in free agency this afternoon, signing two goalies – old friend Dustin Tokarski and Devin Cooley – and forward Justin Richards to one-year contracts.
All the players inked two-way deals worth $775,000 in the NHL.
Tokarski, 33, played 42 games for the Sabres over two seasons before signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year.
Right now, the Sabres have goalies Eric Comrie, Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen under one-way contracts, ... Read the full article