Skinner - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres get blanked by Flyers; Ralph Krueger says lineup changes coming

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ grueling schedule doesn’t let up for weeks. Fresh off Saturday afternoon’s ugly 3-0 loss to Philadelphia, they play the Flyers again today, their ninth game in 14 days since their COVID-19 pause ended.

The Sabres, incredibly, don’t have two consecutive days off until the first week of April. They have four more games next week. The jam-packed slate doesn’t offer them an opportunity to reset and enjoy any quality practice time.... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark out at least one month; Jeff Skinner set to return

BUFFALO – A lower-body injury will sideline Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark at least one month, coach Ralph Krueger said.

Ullmark, who has started 12 of the Sabres’ 17 games, left Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils after the first period.

“It’s a hard hit, it’s a heavy hit,” Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said on a Zoom call this morning. “The best case we’ll get him back in a month. So a huge ... Read the full article

Jeff Skinner could be nearing return, wants to stay with Sabres

BUFFALO – A day after getting jettisoned to the taxi squad, winger Jeff Skinner practiced in his regular fourth-line spot with the Sabres’ main group Friday, a sign his three-game benching could end this afternoon.

“I just want to underline again that we are not going to reveal any lines or roster until tomorrow morning,” coach Ralph Krueger said on a Zoom call after the Sabres prepared for this afternoon’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers ... Read the full article

Jack Eichel questionable for weekend; Sabres could have reinforcements

BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Linus Ullmark will likely miss this weekend’s two-game series against the Philadelphia Flyers, coach Ralph Krueger said. Meanwhile, captain Jack Eichel is questionable for the home contests.

Both players have lower-body injuries and did not practice today inside KeyBank Center.

Ullmark, the Sabres’ No. 1 goalie, left Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils after the first period. Kruger said Ullmark was having X-rays done this afternoon.

“We’re not ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jeff Skinner skates with taxi squad, to be healthy scratch again

BUFFALO – When the Sabres convened on the KeyBank Center ice Thursday morning, winger Jeff Skinner was absent.

After the session ended, coach Ralph Krueger said the 13 forwards on the ice would either play or warm up tonight.

So where was Skinner? Krueger said he skated with the taxi squad this morning.

Right now, Skinner, who will be a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game tonight, can’t even crack the Sabres’ main practice ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jeff Skinner sits out second straight game as healthy scratch

Instead of inserting winger Jeff Skinner into the lineup for the injured Tobias Rieder, the Sabres recalled Rasmus Asplund from the taxi squad to play in Tuesday’s road game against the New Jersey Devils.

Why did the Sabres choose Asplund, who has 32 games of NHL experience, over Skinner?

“We are working in a constructive way here hoping that watching a couple games will free him and allow him to bring his tools and his ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Will Borgen undergoes surgery on forearm, out six to eight weeks

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Will Borgen will be sidelined six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his right forearm, the team announced this afternoon.

Borgen blocked a shot in Saturday afternoon’s 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. Sabres coach Ralph Krueger sounded optimistic before Monday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders that Borgen, 24, could miss one game and return for tonight’s contest against the Devils.

But further evaluation ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jeff Skinner to be healthy scratch versus Islanders

Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner will be a healthy scratch for the first time in his 11-year NHL career tonight against the New York Islanders, coach Ralph Krueger said.

Krueger said Casey Mittelstadt will replace the struggling Skinner, who has scored zero goals in 14 games this season.

“We don’t measure players only on statistics,” Krueger said on a Zoom call late this afternoon inside Nassau Coliseum. “It’s part of the mix. Really, it’s a ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jeff Skinner could be healthy scratch against Islanders

Over his first nine NHL seasons, Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner produced one season of at least 31 goals for each of the four head coaches he played under.

Skinner scored 31 times as a rookie 10 years ago for Paul Maurice. He enjoyed a 33-goal campaign in 2013-14 under Kirk Muller and recorded 37 goals in 2016-17 for Bill Peters.

Following his arrival from the Carolina Hurricanes in 2018, Skinner scored a career-high 40 ... Read the full article

Sabres trying to generate offensive confidence: ‘Definitely some fragility’

In watching the Buffalo Sabres lose again and fail to score an even-strength goal, coach Ralph Krueger learned how fragile his team’s psychological state is right now.

Since the Sabres returned from a two-week COVID-19 pause Monday, they’ve showcased an anemic offense, recording zero even-strength goals and just two overall in their three games.

Winger Victor Olofsson has provided the Sabres’ only offense, scoring a power-play goal Monday and again in Thursday’s 3-1 road loss ... Read the full article