Matthew Savoie talks to the media Wednesday. ©2022

‘Electric’ Sabres rookie Matthew Savoie ready for Prospects Challenge

BUFFALO – Seth Appert smiled and began searching for the right words to describe his first impressions of Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie.

The coach settled on two.

“Just electric,” Appert said Wednesday.

Two months ago, a shoulder injury forced Savoie, the ninth overall pick on July 7, to stay off the ice during development camp. So Appert had to wait until rookie camp opened at LECOM Harborcenter to watch the ultra-talented center up close.... Read the full article

Matthew Savoie talks to the media after Buffalo drafted him ninth overall on July 7 in Montreal. ©2022

In Matthew Savoie, Sabres possess talented, unique prospect

The arrangement was unusual. Matthew Savoie would spend most of the 2019-20 season practicing with the Winnipeg Ice, learning the rigors of major junior hockey at the tender age of 15. But the phenom would be permitted to play just half of the team’s games.

Savoie, the ninth overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres on July 7, had applied to Hockey Canada for exceptional status, which would’ve allowed the ultra-talented center to join the Ice ... Read the full article

Buffalo prospect Jiri Kulich could begin this season in the AHL. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres’ Prospects Challenge roster includes three first-round picks

Three first-round picks – centers Matthew Savoie and Jiri Kulich and winger Isak Rosen – are among the 27 youngsters listed on the Buffalo Sabres’ roster for the upcoming Prospects Challenge rookie tournament.

The roster, released Monday, also includes Russian winger Aleksandr Kisakov, a second-round pick in 2020, and winger Flip Cederqvist, a fifth-round selection in 2019 coming off a 14-goal season in the Swedish Hockey League.

The Sabres open the tournament Thursday against the ... Read the full article

Dylan Cozens was excited watching Buffalo makes it draft picks. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Dylan Cozens illustrates leadership by visiting Sabres’ prospects

BUFFALO – As the Sabres made their picks at the recent NHL Draft, coach Don Granato said he was texting with some of his players, including an excited Dylan Cozens.

Cozens, 21, told Granato “how awesome” it was watching the Sabres add more talent. The center would quickly research their latest selection.

Granato texted Cozens a simple message: “These are the guys you’re going to be mentoring.”

... Read the full article

Noah Ostlund also joined Rochester last season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Sabres sign Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich to contracts

The Buffalo Sabres on Friday signed their three first-round picks in last week’s NHL Draft – centers Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich – to three-year, entry-level contracts.

The deals each have a $950,000 average annual value, according to capfriendly.com.

Right now, the 18-year-old prospects are in Buffalo for development camp. Savoie, who underwent shoulder surgery earlier this year, isn’t participating in the on-ice sessions.

The Sabres selected Savoie ninth overall, Ostlund 16th and ... Read the full article

Matteo Costantini enjoyed a terrific freshman season at North Dakota. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

Matteo Costantini emerging as one of Sabres’ strongest forward prospects

BUFFALO – Sabres prospect Matteo Costantini sees familiarity all around him at development camp.

Costantini starred for three years in the Jr. Sabres organization, which calls LECOM Harborcenter, the site of this week’s camp, its home. The native of nearby St. Catharines, Ontario, spends the summer training at the facility or across the street at KeyBank Center.

If he looks in the stands, he’ll see Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams, who used to run the ... Read the full article

Sabres fans can get their first glimpse of prospect Noah Ostlund this week. ©2022

Sabres’ development camp roster loaded with top prospects

Eight first-round picks, including all three the Buffalo Sabres selected last week – centers Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich – are on the 43-man development camp roster the team released Monday.

The most anticipated camp in a long time – the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Sabres to cancel it the last two years – begins Wednesday at LECOM Harborcenter.

The roster is loaded with top prospects. Forwards Peyton Krebs, Jack Quinn, Isak Rosen ... Read the full article

Topias Leinonen is Buffalo’s latest goalie prospect. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu

In Topias Leinonen, Sabres thrilled to draft another high-end goalie prospect

MONTREAL – All along, the Buffalo Sabres planned to select a goalie this year. But there was a problem: the 2022 NHL Draft was light on net prospects.

Still, one youngster, Topias Leinonen, NHL Central Scouting’s top-ranked European goalie, caught their eye.

“We felt this guy had first- (or) second-round value,” Jerry Forton, the Sabres’ director of amateur scouting, said Friday afternoon following the draft inside the Bell Centre. “The question was do we use ... Read the full article

Matthew Savoie was all smiles Thursday. ©2022

Sabres draft centers Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich

MONTREAL – Centers are perhaps the most precious commodity in hockey, and the Buffalo Sabres had built up an impressive stockpile of them before they selected Matthew Savoie ninth overall, Noah Ostlund 16th and Jiri Kulich 28th at the NHL Draft on Thursday.

In 18-year-old youngsters, the Sabres picked three of the most talented pivots in the draft and added to perhaps the league’s deepest group.

In the NHL, the Sabres have skilled centers Dylan ... Read the full article