Rochester Americans - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Prospect Jack Quinn still with Sabres, will be assigned to taxi squad

BUFFALO – On Wednesday morning, rookie Jack Quinn wasn’t among the five players the Sabres assigned to their new taxi squad.

But instead of practicing with the team’s main group at KeyBank Center, Quinn joined the taxi-squad players across the street inside LECOM Harborcenter.

Meanwhile, taxi-squad forward Rasmus Asplund skated with the Sabres’ main group.

Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said last week the practice groups would be adjusted every morning, so expect regular movement ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt among five players assigned to Sabres’ taxi squad

BUFFALO – Forward Casey Mittelstadt was among five players the Sabres assigned to their taxi squad this morning.

The Sabres also assigned center Rasmus Asplund, goalie Jonas Johansson and defensemen Will Borgen and Brandon Davidson to the taxi squad, which the NHL implemented this season because of the COVID-19.

Mittelstadt, the eighth overall pick in 2017, has played 114 NHL games. He ended last season with the Rochester Americans.... Read the full article

Sabres’ roster almost set; Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn to remain in Buffalo

BUFFALO – The 27 players who participated in Tuesday’s practice will start the season on the Sabres’ roster or taxi squad, coach Ralph Krueger said.

That means 19-year-old forward prospects Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn, Buffalo’s last two first-round picks, will remain in the NHL for now.

Of course, the Sabres must sort some things out before Thursday’s opener against the Washington Capitals at KeyBank Center.

Krueger said center Curtis Lazar (lower-body injury) and ... Read the full article

Sabres send four players to Amerks

The Sabres sent four players to the Rochester Americans this morning, including defenseman Jacob Bryson and forward Arttu Ruotsalainen.

They also assigned defenseman Mattias Samuelsson and forward Andrew Oglevie to the AHL affiliate.

The Sabres sent eight players to the Amerks on Monday.

The Amerks open training camp Friday.... Read the full article

Goalies Carter Hutton, Linus Ullmark could share Sabres’ net this season

After snatching the starting job from Carter Hutton last season, Linus Ullmark figured to have the inside track to be the Buffalo Sabres’ No. 1 goalie this year.

Ullmark, 27, morphed into a workhorse a year ago, playing 26 out of 32 games at one point as Hutton struggled.

But not surprisingly, coach Ralph Krueger said he wants to foster internal competition and “keep the picture small.” Right now, the Sabres don’t have a No. ... Read the full article

Sabres send eight players to Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres sent eight players to the Rochester Americans this afternoon.

Joining the AHL affiliate following the first assignments of training camp are: defensemen Casey Fitzgerald and Ryan Jones; forwards Brandon Biro, Steven Fogarty, Brett Murray and C.J. Smith; and goalies Michael Houser and Dustin Tokarski.

Fogarty, Smith and Tokarski cleared waivers today. Defenseman Brandon Davidson also cleared waivers but is still with the Sabres, who had today off.... Read the full article

Implementing new taxi squad will be challenge for Sabres

In the COVID-19 world, the Sabres start each day by having a logistics meeting.

NHL teams can utilize a four- to-six man taxi squad this season, meaning in addition to figuring out the big league and AHL rosters, the Sabres have another group they must prepare to handle.

“This is so much a new world, trying to figure out exactly how we’re going to integrate the taxi squad,” Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said on a ... Read the full article

Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn focused on seizing opportunities with Sabres

Over the last two months – through Hockey Canada’s selection camp, a 14-day quarantine, the heartbreak of losing a gold medal and now in Buffalo – Sabres prospects Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn have grown close.

Shortly after Canada fell to Team USA in Tuesday’s World Junior Championship final, Cozens and Quinn boarded a private plane in Edmonton and flew to Buffalo, where they quarantined for two days before joining training camp Friday at KeyBank ... Read the full article

Casey Mittelstadt focused on making Sabres after having ‘blast’ with Amerks

On the surface, Casey Mittelstadt’s 36-game run with the Rochester Americans last season looks a little underwhelming.

In his first stint in the minors, Mittelstadt, 22, never morphed into a dominant AHL presence or forced his way back to the Buffalo Sabres. The center compiled nine goals, 25 points and a poor minus-15 rating – hardly numbers you might expect from an eighth overall pick with 114 games of NHL experience.

But Mittelstadt, who was ... Read the full article

Amerks set to participate in 28-team AHL season

The Rochester Americans, the Buffalo Sabres’ top minor league affiliate, are one of 28 teams that will participate in the upcoming American Hockey League season.

Three AHL teams – the Charlotte Checkers, Milwaukee Admirals and Springfield Thunderbirds – have opted out of this season but will return in 2021-22, the league also announced Monday.

For the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, the Amerks have been grouped in the new North Division with the Binghamton Devils, Hershey Bears, ... Read the full article