Toronto Maple Leafs - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Maple Leafs beat Sabres as Toronto fans take over Buffalo: ‘We have to earn it’

BUFFALO – There’s a lot to unpack from Saturday’s 3-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, a defeat that likely extinguishes the Sabres’ faint hopes of making a miracle run to the playoffs.

Mathematically, yes, the Sabres are alive. But forget about it. There are five points to make up and five teams to climb and just seven games left.

Saturday’s defeat illustrates how far the Sabres have fallen during a record-setting playoff drought about ... Read the full article

Sabres sad, surprised Casey Mittelstadt traded, excited for Bowen Byram

TORONTO – Sooner or later, it was going to happen. Over the past few years, as the Sabres grew into a tight-knit group, their young core remained intact. But as the team evolved and needs materialized and the salary cap became a factor again, someone would have to leave Buffalo.

On Wednesday, two days before the trade deadline, it happened. The Sabres dealt center Casey Mittelstadt, a beloved teammate and their leading scorer, to the ... Read the full article

Stunner: Sabres trade top scorer Casey Mittelstadt to Avs for Bowen Byram

This afternoon, two days before the trade deadline, it happened. The Sabres dealt center Casey Mittelstadt, a beloved teammate and their leading scorer, to the ... Read the full article

Erik Johnson set to join list of notable veterans traded by Sabres

TORONTO – By Friday’s trade deadline, Sabres defenseman Erik Johnson will likely earn a spot on a short list of decorated, high-profile veterans who recently spent less than one season in Buffalo.

Johnson, like winger Taylor Hall and center Eric Staal in 2020-21, will almost certainly come and go in a matter of months before being dealt to a contender.

The Sabres began scratching Johnson, 35, last week to protect their asset. He will sit ... Read the full article

Sabres captain Kyle Okposo quiet on future as trade deadline nears

TORONTO – Sabres captain Kyle Okposo chose his words carefully, only revealing that he has spoken to general manager Kevyn Adams about his future, and they’re on the same page as Friday’s trade deadline approaches.

“We’ll keep the rest of those talks private,” Okposo, 35, said following Tuesday’s practice in LECOM Harborcenter.

In answering other questions, however, Okposo essentially acknowledged the obvious: that after eight years in Buffalo, he seems prepared for a possible trade ... Read the full article

Sabres showcase emphatic response, annihilate Maple Leafs: ‘We took last game really personally’

BUFFALO – In the aftermath of the ugliest defeat of Don Granato’s tenure as Sabres coach, his players defended him more vigorously than they had their opponent that night.

But until they displayed more passion on the ice, showcased the pace and tenacity Granato demands, their words would carry some hollowness.

“We wanted to do more than just say we have his back, we wanted to go out there and prove it, and I think ... Read the full article

Sabres rookie Ryan Johnson exceeding expectations, sticking in Buffalo

BUFFALO – Ryan Johnson figured his first trip to the NHL would be brief. Having lost defenseman Mattias Samuelsson to injury, the Sabres summoned the rookie on Nov. 4 for some insurance.

“I didn’t expect to be here longer than that game,” Johnson said prior to returning to the lineup for Thursday’s 9-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in KeyBank Center. “I didn’t expect to be here at all.”

Johnson, 22, played that night ... Read the full article

Sabres want to add pace, reunite Dylan Cozens line as forwards get healthy

BUFFALO – Pace. Coach Don Granato mentioned it over and over – 16 times, to be exact – after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s home game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. His reeling team doesn’t showcase enough of it.

“If I compare … seeing a game from last season and a game from this season, it’s the pace,” Granato said following Wednesday’s practice in KeyBank Center. “The pace is the difference. … We compete better ... Read the full article

After surprise recall, Sabres rookie Ryan Johnson stands out in win in Toronto

TORONTO – Ryan Johnson’s Saturday began in Rochester, where he was preparing to hop on a bus and play with the Americans in Syracuse. It ended in Scotiabank Arena, where the rookie celebrated a win with the Buffalo Sabres and his first NHL point.

Having lost Mattias Samuelsson to a lower-body injury Friday, the Sabres needed another defenseman, and they chose Johnson, 22, over more experienced options.

Johnson said when Rochester’s coaches told him ... Read the full article

Alex Tuch breaks loose late in Sabres’ win over Maple Leafs; Dylan Cozens misses game with injury

TORONTO – No, it wasn’t quite a piano off Alex Tuch’s back. The Sabres winger had scored this season before his two third-period goals Saturday secured a 6-4 win over the Maple Leafs. He said he believes he had been skating well.

Piano’s too heavy for the expression.

“Monkey more than piano,” said Tuch, bringing the weight he was carrying early this season down about 700 pounds.

Fresh off a breakout 36-goal campaign, Tuch hadn’t ... Read the full article