Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Colin Miller close to returning; Mark Jankowski clears waivers

BUFFALO – Defenseman Colin Miller, out the last 23 games after undergoing surgery, will play during the Sabres’ upcoming road trip, coach Don Granato said.

Miller, who was trying to play through an upper-body injury earlier this season, has missed the last 23 games.

The Sabres play the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday and the Calgary Flames on Friday before closing the trip against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Casey Fitzgerald, young defensemen taking over blue line

BUFFALO – In Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights, five of the six defensemen the Sabres utilized were 25 or younger.

The graybeard of the group, Robert Hagg, 27, has played all of 282 NHL games.

The rest of the blue line consisted of neophytes. Only one other defenseman, Rasmus Dahlin, 21, has played more than 200 big league contests.

The Sabres dressed two rookies – Casey Fitzgerald, 25, and Mattias Samuelsson, who turns ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: John Hayden thriving in gritty fourth-line role

BUFFALO – Barring injury, winger John Hayden will establish a new career high in games played later this month. After bouncing around the NHL, often as a spare forward, the Yale product has earned regular duty throughout most his first season with the Sabres.

Hayden, 27, has thrived under Don Granato, a coach he knows well from their days together at the U.S. National Team Development Program and later with the Chicago Blackhawks.

“Donny’s made ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jacob Bryson elevating game to new level

BUFFALO – Three weeks ago, as the Sabres began rotating defensemen, coach Don Granato told general manager Kevyn Adams he believed watching a game would help Jacob Bryson.

Getting scratched wasn’t a punishment for poor play. Granato simply wanted to utilize his entire blue line, so for a seven-game stretch, four defensemen – Bryson, Robert Hagg, Mark Pysyk and Mattias Samuelsson – moved in an out.

When Bryson, 24, sat out Feb. 10, he ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jack Quinn practices, nearing return from injury

BUFFALO – When Sabres prospect Jack Quinn suffered a lower-body injury early in his second NHL game Jan. 20, he pushed through and figured it wasn’t that bad.

“I guess I had a lot of adrenaline or whatever,” said Quinn, who scored his first NHL goal later that night and finished the Sabres’ 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars. “It wouldn’t sideline me, I was thinking, I thought it’d be something I could play through ... Read the full article

Injured Henri Jokiharju out against Blues; Sabres make roster move

Barely a month ago, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Casey Fitzgerald was in the minors. The rookie has played just 14 NHL games.

Still, Sabres coach Don Granato possesses so much confidence in Fitzgerald he will replace the injured Henri Jokiharju on the top pair tonight beside Rasmus Dahlin.

Granato said Fitzgerald and Dahlin are “comfortable” with the Sabres’ style and “compatible” with each other.

... Read the full article

Sabres’ Kyle Okposo likely out tonight; Brandon Biro to make NHL debut

Buffalo Sabres winger Kyle Okposo missed this morning’s pregame skate in Montreal because of illness and likely won’t play tonight against the Canadiens, coach Don Granato said.

“I don’t expect him for tonight but he’s still a possibility,” Granato said on a Zoom call from the Bell Centre.

With Okposo probably out and winger Victor Olofsson (illness) also sidelined, Granato said he expects forward Brandon Biro to make his NHL debut tonight.

... Read the full article

Rasmus Dahlin’s return gives struggling Sabres boost: ‘Our top defenseman’

BUFFALO – In his fourth season, Rasmus Dahlin has emerged as the Sabres’ most valuable player and one of the NHL’s premier young defensemen.

At 21, Dahlin, who will likely return from upper-body injury tonight, is a budding star.

“He has clearly, definitively established himself as our top defenseman,” Sabres coach Don Granato said following Tuesday’s practice inside KeyBank Center.

Dahlin’s absence in Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets was glaring. With the ... Read the full article

Penn State product Brandon Biro offers Sabres intriguing talent

BUFFALO – Whether it’s tonight against the Montreal Canadiens or later during the Sabres’ five-game road trip, center Brandon Biro will likely make his NHL debut soon.

Biro, 23, has been on a tear for the Rochester Americans, compiling nine goals and 31 points in his last 28 games. The Penn State product figured to earn a look from the Sabres sooner or later.

On Tuesday, with winger Victor Olofsson sidelined by a non-COVID illness, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin returns from injury; Victor Olofsson out Wednesday

BUFFALO – Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin performed so well during his rehab skate this morning he left the ice early and joined his teammates for practice.

Now, will Dahlin, who missed Sunday’s 7-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets with a lower-body injury, be able to play in Wednesday’s road game against the Montreal Canadiens?

“They’re worried about strength in the area of the injury and potential vulnerability due to any of lack of strength,” ... Read the full article