Tokarski - Buffalo Hockey Beat

With Sabres goalie Eric Comrie injured, Devin Cooley earns first NHL recall; Buffalo changes up lines

BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Eric Comrie’s lower-body injury will likely sideline him at least few weeks, general manger Kevyn Adams said. Meanwhile, rookie Devon Levi is still recovering from his lower-body injury.

So on Saturday, the Sabres, the same team forced to scratch a healthy goalie four times earlier this season, recalled Devin Cooley on an emergency basis from the Rochester Americans.

Cooley, 26, will back up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for this afternoon’s game against the ... Read the full article

Eric Comrie injured in road loss, leaving Sabres with one healthy goalie

Remember when the Buffalo Sabres had too many goalies? Well, eight games into the season, they’ve already lost two of the three to injury.

Eric Comrie suffered a lower-body injury halfway through Friday’s 5-4 road loss to the New Jersey Devils and did not return to the game, leaving Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen as the Sabres’ only healthy goalie.

Coach Don Granato told reporters at the Prudential Center the Sabres would have more information on Comrie today.... Read the full article

Sabres cut roster down again by waiving two defensemen

The Buffalo Sabres on Sunday waived defensemen Joseph Cecconi and Jeremy Davies for the purpose of loaning them to the Rochester Americans.

Cecconi, a Youngstown native, played in two preseason games for the Sabres, including Saturday afternoon’s 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Buffalo has 33 players – 20 forwards, 10 defensemen and three goalies – left on its training camp roster.... Read the full article

Sabres trim roster by loaning goalies to Amerks, pending waivers

BUFFALO – The Sabres on Saturday waived goalies Dustin Tokarski and Devin Cooley for the purpose of loaning them to the AHL.

If they clear, they’ll join the Rochester Americans, who open training camp Monday.

Tokarski and Cooley, both of whom played one period for the Sabres during the preseason, are expected to be the Amerks’ goaltending tandem this season.... Read the full article

Sabres begin training camp with Devon Levi, prospects and Victor Olofsson in spotlight

BUFFALO – The deepest and most talented Sabres team since the rollicking post-lockout days of the mid-2000s will hit the ice today shouldering the expectation it can end the franchise’s embarrassing 12-year playoff drought.

Coming off a season in which they fell one win short of the postseason, the Sabres begin training camp with three sessions at KeyBank Center.

They have a whopping 64 players on their camp roster: seven goalies, 21 defensemen and 36 ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Amerks close to hiring assistant coaches; Buffalo open to adding another forward

BUFFALO – Instead of getting into a deep discussion of Xs and Os with job candidates or having them diagram plays, Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert prefers to conduct more personal interviews.

“I’m a people-oriented, relationship-oriented person,” the loquacious Appert said Sunday following the first session of Sabres development camp at LECOM Harborcenter.

Appert, whose two assistant coaches, Michael Peca and Mike Weber, both recently left for NHL jobs, said he wants to talk to ... Read the full article

Sabres sign two goalies for Rochester, including Dustin Tokarski, and forward

The Buffalo Sabres added depth in free agency this afternoon, signing two goalies – old friend Dustin Tokarski and Devin Cooley – and forward Justin Richards to one-year contracts.

All the players inked two-way deals worth $775,000 in the NHL.

Tokarski, 33, played 42 games for the Sabres over two seasons before signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year.

Right now, the Sabres have goalies Eric Comrie, Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen under one-way contracts, ... Read the full article

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen happy with Sabres’ plan: ‘It’s about the starts’

BUFFALO – Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen’s terrific 32-save outing in Saturday afternoon’s 3-1 preseason win likely won’t sway the Sabres. They decided months ago that the Finn, a prospect labeled as their goalie of the future, should start the season in the minors.

So as they trim their training camp roster in the coming days, they’ll almost certainly assign the him to Rochester, where he will carry the load for the Americans.

Buffalo’s net, at least early ... Read the full article

Former Sabres have quickly landed new contracts this offseason

In past years, a slew of former Buffalo Sabres had difficulty finding work in free agency.

With few suitors on the open market, some settled for training camp tryouts while others went overseas or never played again.

So far this offseason, seven players who spent time in Buffalo last season have quickly landed new NHL contracts. Here’s an update:

... Read the full article

NHL Free Agent Tracker: Sabres sign goalie Eric Comrie, Ilya Lyubushkin

BUFFALO – The Sabres have landed their first free agents of the day, signing goalie Eric Comrie and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin to two-year contracts.

Comrie’s deal is worth $3.6 million. Lyubushkin’s is worth $5.5 million.

The Sabres, of course, needed to find another goalie with NHL experience. They had just two – Craig Anderson and Malcolm Subban – under contract for the upcoming season.

... Read the full article