Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres sign Anton Wahlberg, Brett Murray to contracts

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

Sabres wing prospect Jake Richard and father bonded through unique hockey journey

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

New Amerks assistant coaches Vinny Prospal, Nathan Paetsch offer Sabres prospects notable experience

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

Sabres name Nathan Paetsch, Vinny Prospal assistant coaches with Amerks

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

Rochester Amerks re-sign three players

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

Sabres re-sign Kale Clague to one-year contract

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

Sabres notes: Amerks close to hiring assistant coaches; Buffalo open to adding another forward

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

Sabres sign two goalies for Rochester, including Dustin Tokarski, and forward

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

Zach Benson, Sabres’ other NHL Draft picks to attend development camp

First-round pick Zach Benson and the Buffalo Sabres’ seven other selections at the NHL Draft this week will be attending the team’s development camp that starts Sunday at LECOM Harborcenter.

The roster released today features 19 forwards, 11 defensemen and five goalies.

Winger Victor Neuchev and defenseman Nikita Novikov, Russian prospects who recently signed their entry-level contracts, will be participating. It’s the first time they’ve attended a camp in Buffalo.... Read the full article

Sabres don’t extend qualifying offers to Tyson Jost, two others

Following the end of his first season in Buffalo, center Tyson Jost talked about what a special group he had joined and how badly he wanted to return to the Sabres.

On Friday, the Sabres did not give Jost, 25, a qualifying offer, meaning he can become an unrestricted free agent when the market opens Saturday.

General manager Kevyn Adams, however, has said he wants Jost to return. By not extending him an offer as ... Read the full article