Stafford - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Tyler Myers dynamic in shootout loss to Blue Jackets

BUFFALO – The signs had been there for months. First, Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers settled down defensively. Then the former Calder Trophy winner recently recaptured his aggressive style, pinching in and swiftly moving the puck all over the ice.

Fresh off perhaps his best game in two years, Myers topped that effort in Saturday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring the first goal 59 seconds into the tilt and the tying ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Tyler Myers a difference-maker in return from suspension against Leafs

TORONTO – Defenseman Tyler Myers’ absence was glaring during the waning minutes of Tuesday’s 4-3 home loss to Philadelphia. The Buffalo Sabres sorely needed a sturdy presence to calm the game down as the Flyers scored three times.

Myers, who returned from a three-game suspension in Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Maple Leafs, had been showcasing a steady, aggressive game prior to his ban.

“I think a lot of that is just bringing a ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Drew Stafford and John Scott back in tonight against Leafs; Tyler Myers back from suspension

TORONTO – As promised following Tuesday’s 4-3 home loss to Philadelphia, interim Buffalo Sabres coach Ted Nolan will make lineup moves for tonight’s game against the Maple Leafs inside the Air Canada Centre.

Winger Drew Stafford (upper body) will return from a four-game absence. Tough guy John Scott will play after being a healthy scratch Tuesday.

Nolan said Marcus Foligno was banged up against the Flyers and will sit. The winger’s day-to-day. Winger Linus ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Pat LaFontaine believes Mikhail Grigorenko can thrive in junior

BUFFALO – The old school part of hockey, Pat LaFontaine said, is earning your keep. There has to be a standard. Players must perform consistently once they crack the NHL.

LaFontaine, a Hockey Hall of Famer, skated on the fourth line as a teenage NHL phenom. Legendary New York Islanders coach Al Arbour wouldn’t let him take a defensive-zone faceoff for years.

Former general manager Darcy Regier gave 19-year-old Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko a roster ... Read the full article

Sabres want to get goalie Jhonas Enroth win tonight against Flyers

BUFFALO – Maybe, just maybe, this will be Jhonas Enroth’s night.

The Sabres have points in eight straight home games (6-0-2) entering tonight’s tilt against the Philadelphia Flyers. The backup goalie, a hard-luck loser all season, has been playing tremendously, posting a 1.97 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in his last four starts.

Overall, Enroth has a 2.46 goals-against average and .916 save percentage, but a terrible 1-8-4 mark.

The Sabres have scored just ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan wants ‘a little bit more’ from Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko

BUFFALO – Interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan spoke bluntly Monday about 19-year-old prospect Mikhail Grigorenko, who refused an assignment to junior Saturday before accepting it a day later.

“We can’t control what people do and what they say, but we can certainly control how we’re going to run this organization and what we feel is necessary for the development of young players,” Nolan said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan on Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko: ‘The tail can’t wag the dog’

BUFFALO – Interim coach Ted Nolan spoke bluntly today about prospect Mikhail Grigorenko, who initially refused the Sabres’ assignment to junior before accepting it late Sunday.

“We can’t control what people do and what they say, but we can certainly control how we’re going to run this organization and what we feel is necessary for the development of young players,” Nolan said following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “The tail can’t wag the dog; ... Read the full article

Sabres will make decision on Mikhail Grigorenko’s future soon

BUFFALO – In past world junior championship appearances, Sabres center Mikhail Grigorenko said he would’ve been concentrating solely on his offensive game.

“I didn’t really think about defense or penalty kills or faceoffs or winning battles,” the 19-year-old prospect said Thursday prior to sitting out the Sabres’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers as a healthy scratch.

But Grigorenko feels he’s evolving. This year, while scoring five goals and eight points in seven games ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan wants Sabres’ youngsters to learn from Zenon Konopka

BUFFALO – Zenon Konopka is joining the Sabres for more than his grittiness and faceoff prowess. In the 33-year-old center, they also possess a hardworking veteran the youngsters on the rebuilding team can learn from.

“Those type of guys are really good role models for the younger players,” interim coach Ted Nolan said Friday shortly after the Sabres plucked Konopka off waivers from the Minnesota Wild. “They last that long because they have that special ... Read the full article

Report: Sabres claim Zenon Konopka off waivers from Wild

BUFFALO – The Sabres have claimed gritty center Zenon Konopka off waivers from the Minnesota Wild, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Michael Russo.

The 33-year-old, a native of nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., is a rare mix of grit and skill, fighting regularly and annually ranking among the NHL’s faceoff leaders.

Konopka, 6-feet and 213 pounds, has 12 goals, 29 points, 1,049 penalty minutes and a minus-45 rating in 323 NHL games. He has one goal, ... Read the full article