Rolston - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres prospect J.T. Compher earning notice by agitating opponents

BUFFALO – Early during Sabres development camp, J.T. Compher, proud University of Michigan student-athlete, noticed Hudson Fasching, his roommate from the University of Minnesota, brought a Big Ten shirt.

“I threw it on the ground,” a smiling Compher said. “I didn’t want to see that out of his suitcase again.”

Their rivalry started last season, when Compher’s Wolverines lost three of their four conference meetings to Fasching’s Golden Gophers, who captured the first-ever ... Read the full article

Bruins hire former Sabres assistant coach Joe Sacco

BUFFALO – So much for Joe Sacco scouting for the Sabres. The Boston Bruins have hired the 45-year-old as an assistant coach, a job he had here last season.

The Sabres fired Sacco after finishing 30^th overall last season, but quickly named him a pro scout. Sacco was inside the First Niagara Center last week during development camp.

Sacco coached the Colorado Avalanche from 2009-13, earning a Jack Adams Award nomination in 2009-10. ... Read the full article

Ville Leino’s NHL career in jeopardy with Sabres planning buyout

BUFFALO – As expected, the Sabres placed Ville Leino on unconditional waivers Tuesday and will be using a compliance buyout on the final three seasons of the Finn’s six-year, $27 million deal, ridding themselves of perhaps the worst contract in NHL history.

Yes, the worst ever.

When he wasn’t battling a series of injuries, the 30-year-old forward produced only 10 goals and 46 points in 137 games with the Sabres, including zero goals in ... Read the full article

Sabres timeline: Ville Leino was never afraid to speak his mind

BUFFALO – With Ville Leino’s Sabres career over, here’s a timeline of the enigmatic forward’s short three-year run. Expectations started high and, well, quickly dwindled.

Leino, as you’ll see, was never afraid to speak his mind.

July 1, 2011, the day the Sabres signed Leino to his infamous six-year, $27 million contract and switched him from wing to center:

“I talked to him about all three positions, and he’s comfortable at all three,” former ... Read the full article

Otters hire former Sabres defenseman Jay McKee as assistant coach

Twitter funnyman and former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jay McKee has joined the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters as an assistant coach.

The team introduced the 36-year-old during a news conference this afternoon.

No word on whether he’ll still tweet about Nathan Gerbe’s size.

McKee, who retired from the NHL in 2010, coached one year with the Rochester Americans in 2011-12 before getting fired by former coach Ron Rolston.

Prior to his 802-game NHL ... Read the full article

Sabres fire assistant coaches from old regime

BUFFALO – The Sabres have fired or reassigned all of the assistant coaches Ted Nolan inherited from the previous regime.

Jim Corsi, the team’s popular goalie coach since 1998, is gone, the club announced today. So is Teppo Numminen, whose contract wasn’t renewed after three seasons. Joe Sacco and Jerry Forton have been offered new jobs within the organization’s hockey department after just one season with the team.

Nolan replaced Ron Rolston on an interim ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray wants higher expectations for Sabres, quick rebuild

BUFFALO – Tim Murray has thought about how an NHL team could tank a season. The general manager even discussed some scenarios with the media. But he has no intention of keeping the Sabres at the bottom of the league.

With a couple of franchise-altering talents available in the 2015 draft, plenty of teams could purposely field less-than-stellar lineups next year.

The Sabres, whose previous regime played for draft picks, won’t be among them.

“I ... Read the full article

Players vow Sabres will change culture and standards after terrible campaign

BUFFALO – Mike Weber spoke passionately, like a man embarrassed by what he had just experienced. The worst season in the Sabres’ 43-year history clearly jolted the defenseman.

“You don’t want that feeling walking around town that you’ve disappointed people or you’re letting people down, especially a hardworking city like Buffalo,” Weber said Monday inside the First Niagara Center. “I think to every man we’ve accepted the challenge.”

Weber talked about changing the team’s culture, ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Ville Leino uncertain about future after goalless season

BUFFALO – It happened every time Ville Leino touched the puck, whether the Sabres center was 10 feet from the net or in another zone.

The 18,804 fans inside the First Niagara Center cheered the Finn wildly throughout Sunday’s season finale, hoping he would score his first goal in his 58^th appearance. Some implored him to shoot.

Alas, Leino couldn’t score, completing what was arguably the worst season ever for a Sabres forward.

“I ... Read the full article

Respect for players helped Sabres’ Ted Nolan earn contract extension

BUFFALO – Drew Stafford’s first conversation with Sabres coach Ted Nolan lasted no more than two minutes, the winger said. It was a straightforward, “man-to-man” chat.

“Looking-at-me-in-the-eyes kind of conversation,” Stafford said Monday, hours after the Sabres removed Nolan’s interim tag and gave him a three-year contract extension.

Stafford was struggling badly back in mid-November. He had one goal and had just lost his alternate captaincy. Nolan didn’t care. As a veteran, Stafford deserved respect... Read the full article