Sheary - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres make depth signings, trade after free agency opens; Jarmo Kekalainen open to making more moves

BUFFALO – After free agency opened Wednesday, the Sabres stayed pretty quiet, signing four depth players likely ticketed for the minors and trading goalie Devon Levi.

While more notable moves could materialize – “We’re still open for business,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in LECOM Harborcenter – the roster might be pretty much set.

“By no means we’re desperate to add anything right now,” Kekalainen said. “It needs to be a perfect fit both from ... Read the full article

Sabres re-sign Trevor Kuntar, ink Conor Sheary in free agency

BUFFALO – The Sabres this afternoon added forward depth in free agency, signing forward Trevor Kuntar to a two-year contract and Conor Sheary and Jason Polin to one-year deals.

Kuntar, 25, enjoyed a breakout year last season, scoring 21 goals for the Rochester Americans and playing his first NHL game.

The Williamsville native signed an AHL contract last summer before earning an NHL deal during the season. His new contract is a two-way deal.... Read the full article

Fourth-liners Brendan Warren, Riley Fiddler-Schultz help Rochester Amerks rally to win playoff opener

ROCHESTER – Mike Leone played at three colleges and grinded in the minors and Europe for three seasons before beginning the next phase of his hockey life. So the Americans coach has a soft spot for his depth players who have battled and waited for their opportunities.

Leone knows their buy-in and contributions are vital to a team’s success, especially in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

To wit: in Friday’s 3-2 win over the Syracuse Crunch ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Cody Eakin, Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo forming strong line

BUFFALO – There’s nothing fancy about the line. A no-frills style has made the trio of center Cody Eakin and wingers Zemgus Girgensons and Kyle Okposo highly effective since Sabres coach Don Granato recently reunited the veterans.

“We just seem to play the game the right way and do all the cliché things that you talk about, get pucks in, get pucks out and we win some battles,” Okposo said prior to Friday’s 4-3 shootout ... Read the full article

Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen making strong case to stick with Sabres

BUFFALO – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s stay here figured to be short. In the midst of a goaltending crisis, it appeared the Finn might play a few games before the Sabres returned him to the minors, where he would continue his development.

But Luukkonen, a prospect considered the Sabres’ goalie of the future, has been making a very strong case to stay put when some netminders are ready to play.

Luukkonen, 22, performed superbly in three starts ... Read the full article

Sabres could re-sign Dominik Kahun after passing on qualifying offer

For weeks, there was speculation the Buffalo Sabres would pass on tendering defenseman Brandon Montour a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent.

Considering former general manager Jason Botterill traded a top prospect and a first round pick for Montour in 2019, the thought of letting him go seemed outrageous. But the belief was the Sabres, who have tightened their belts during the COVID-19 pandemic, did not want to pay Montour big money.

Well, Wednesday’s ... Read the full article

Sabres might possess special talent in newcomer Dominik Kahun

BUFFALO – It was in 2016, after Keith Aucoin returned home following a championship season overseas, when he called a friend in the scouting business and asked if he had heard of a young, undersized center turning heads in Germany.

The 20-year-old’s name? Dominik Kahun.

The scout knew nothing about Kahun, who had grabbed Aucoin’s attention during their first year as teammates with Red Bull Munich.

“I’m like, ‘Well, you guys might want to ... Read the full article

Former Sabre Evan Rodrigues knows why Penguins enjoy so much success

BUFFALO – In their first days with Pittsburgh, ex-Sabres Evan Rodrigues and Conor Sheary experienced more losing. The forwards joined the powerhouse Penguins during what would become their longest losing streak since the 2011-12 season.

Rodrigues quickly learned more than talent separates his new team, which won three Stanley Cups over a nine-year stretch, from the Sabres.

“They just have such a calming presence, there’s no real panic in the room,” Rodrigues said prior to ... Read the full article

Expect Sabres to evaluate over final month; Jonas Johansson to start in goal

BUFFALO – Face it, the Sabres are playing for pride. Their four-game losing streak has kicked them out of the playoff chase.

So expect them to evaluate and even experiment a bit over the final 16 games, starting tonight against the Pittsburgh Penguins at KeyBank Center.

That means rookie goalie Jonas Johansson will start tonight, his second nod in three games.

Under normal circumstances, goalie Carter Hutton would likely face the Penguins. The veteran has ... Read the full article

Former Sabres Conor Sheary, Evan Rodrigues fitting in with Penguins

BUFFALO – In a little less than two seasons with the Sabres, Conor Sheary rarely played beside top center Jack Eichel. Instead, the winger often shuffled between the second and third lines as he struggled to score goals.

But in the four games since the Sabres traded him back to the Pittsburgh Penguins with forward Evan Rodrigues on Feb. 24, Sheary has received a plum assignment, skating beside superstar Sidney Crosby.

Sheary has gone from ... Read the full article