Rolston - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Former Sabres defenseman McKee out as assistant coach in Rochester

BUFFALO – Popular former Sabres defenseman Jay McKee won’t return for a second season as an assistant coach with the club’s AHL affiliate in Rochester.

The Sabres didn’t renew the 34-year-old’s contract, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported. Coach Ron Rolston wouldn’t elaborate to the paper, only saying it related to McKee’s “fit.”

Prior joining Rochester last season, Rolston had worked with his other top assistant, Chadd Cassidy, for years with USA Hockey.

McKee, a ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Phil Varone impressing in Rochester

ROCHESTER – It was a life-changing decision. In September, Phil Varone impressed the Buffalo Sabres, so the club offered an AHL contract following his training camp tryout. But Varone was also strongly considering attending the University of New Brunswick.

“It was 50-50,” Varone said Friday inside the Blue Cross War Memorial following the Rochester Amercans’ 5-1 win over the Syracuse Crunch.

Varone, a scoring star with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters, went home and ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Luke Adam struggling to find scoring touch in Rochester

ROCHESTER – Luke Adam, the same Buffalo Sabres prospect whose NHL exploits early this season – three goals in his first four games and 10 tallies before Christmas – made him a Calder Trophy candidate, can’t even score much in the AHL, a league he dominated last year.

Since being demoted to the Rochester Americans on Feb. 11 in the midst of an epic slump, Adam, the AHL’s top rookie a year ago, has only ... Read the full article

First NHL recall ‘best thing’ Sabres rookie Turnbull has ever heard

BUFFALO – Travis Turnbull said he never stopped believing he’d crack the NHL someday. Still, the odds looked stacked against the undrafted center. The Sabres possess a slew of talented youngsters and high-priced veterans in Rochester.

The 25-year-old Turnbull’s name has rarely popped up as a prospect since he was inked out of the University of Michigan in 2009.

The Sabres had already summoned six forwards from the AHL this season when Turnbull’s phone rang ... Read the full article