Tallinder - Buffalo Hockey Beat

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 grateful for snow day; Swedish Olympian Jhonas Enroth to start in goal

BUFFALO – Steve Ott noticed he didn’t have any food for a pregame meal Tuesday. The Sabres captain figured his “pasta place” was probably closed, too.

So even with a ferocious snowstorm battering the area, Ott “took a chance” and drove to a Wegmans supermarket for some spaghetti.

“It was a miserable chance, to be honest with you,” Ott said Wednesday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Florida Panthers inside the First ... Read the full article

Tonight’s Sabres game against Hurricanes postponed

Tonight’s Buffalo Sabres game against the Carolina Hurricanes has been postponed.

With a blizzard hammering the Buffalo area and driving bans all over, the NHL really had no other choice.

A make-up date hasn’t been announced.

“Tonight’s game between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes at First Niagara Center, NHL Game No. 647, has been postponed due to the hazardous weather conditions in the Buffalo area. A make-up date will be announced as soon as ... Read the full article

NHL suspends Sabres’ Tyler Myers three games for head hit

BUFFALO – On Monday, hours before the NHL suspended Tyler Myers three games for an illegal check to Dainius Zubrus’ head, the Sabres defenseman said his hulking stature wouldn’t make him change his aggressive style.

“I don’t want to change my game just because of how tall I am,” the 6-foot-8 Myers said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes inside the First Niagara Center. “It’s just something that comes ... Read the full article

Mikhail Grigorenko set to rejoin Sabres, but for how long?

BUFFALO – Fresh off a five-goal, eight-point performance in seven games with Russia at the world junior championship, center Mikhail Grigorenko will be rejoining the Sabres soon.

But will the 19-year-old stick in the NHL or go somewhere else?

“He’s coming here for Pat (LaFontaine) and I to discuss,” interim Sabres coach Ted Nolan said following practice today inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll make that decision when he gets here.”

Nolan, however, acknowledged ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Johan Larsson and Brayden McNabb from Amerks

The Buffalo Sabres have recalled forward Johan Larsson and defenseman Brayden McNabb from the Rochester Americans.

Injuries to center Ville Leino (lower body) and defenseman Henrik Tallinder (upper body) briefly left the Sabres with no extra players on their road trip. They play Thursday in Minnesota against the Wild.

Larsson has one assist and 18 penalty minutes in 18 NHL games this season. The Sabres sent the 22-year-old to the Amerks following a one-game recall ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Henrik Tallinder out 1-2 weeks with upper-body injury

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Henrik Tallinder will be sidelined a week or two after suffering an upper-body injury, interim coach Ted Nolan told reporters today in Winnipeg.

Nolan said a “mishap,” believed to be a hit, hurt the 34-year-old in Sunday’s 2-1 shootout win against Washington.

Still, the veteran skated 21:05 in the game and practiced Monday.

“He thought he was good,” Nolan said.

Tallinder, who stayed in Buffalo, has been playing more than ... Read the full article

Sabres know stopping Capitals star Alex Ovechkin will be difficult

BUFFALO – In Alex Ovechkin’s world, this might qualify as a slump. The slick Washington Capitals winger hasn’t scored in his last two games.

Whoa!

Ovechkin, who will face the Sabres on Sunday, hasn’t gone three straight contests without a goal all season. The Russian already has 30 goals in 36 appearances.

How do you stop him?

“Those type of players … you don’t try to say they won’t get any chances because they ... Read the full article

Several Sabres under weather prior to game against Coyotes

BUFFALO – The flu bug is going around the Sabres, so several players couldn’t even get to the rink this morning, interim coach Ted Nolan said.

It’s unclear what the lineup will look like tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes inside the First Niagara Center.

“We’re hoping that they’re ready to go,” Nolan said. “Four or five called in this morning and said they couldn’t make it out of bed. So we’re hoping by game time ... Read the full article

Ted Nolan still evaluating Sabres’ defense corps

BUFFALO – Ted Nolan wants healthy competition between his defensemen. So with seven or eight at his disposal, the interim Sabres coach plans to keep tinkering until he finds the six he can play regularly.

Nolan hasn’t stopped evaluating a month into his tenure. That’s one reason Mark Pysyk, one of the NHL’s better rookie defenders, was scratched Saturday.

“Sometimes you like to take them out whenever they play a great game versus a ... Read the full article