Varone - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres’ Cody McCormick hospitalized with blood clot; Torrey Mitchell ready to play

BUFFALO – Sabres forward Cody McCormick has been hospitalized with a blood clot in his calf muscle, coach Ted Nolan said Sunday.

McCormick will be out indefinitely.

“I’m quite sure it’s somewhat serious if he’s still in the hospital,” Nolan said following practice inside the First Niagara Center.

McCormick blocked a shot earlier this month and missed some practice time last week. He went to the hospital Saturday after team medical personnel examined him.

“I ... Read the full article

Sabres send Mikhail Grigorenko and Phil Varone to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres assigned centers Mikhail Grigorenko and Phil Varone back to Rochester this morning.

Grigorenko, the No. 12 pick in 2012, has one goal and two points 12 NHL games this season. The 20-year-old Russian scored in Monday’s 4-1 loss in New Jersey. He has seven goals and 22 points in 30 AHL games with the Americans.

Varone scored twice in Thursday’s 5-2 loss in Carolina and played three games during his second ... Read the full article

Sabres prospect Phil Varone named AHL All-Star with Amerks

Rochester Americans center Phil Varone, who’s on recall to the Buffalo Sabres, has been named to the AHL All-Star Game, the league announced today.

Varone has enjoyed another strong AHL season, compiling eight goals and a team-high 29 points in 35 games with the Amerks.

The 24-year-old is set to make his NHL season debut tonight in New Jersey.

Two former Sabres also earned spots in the game. Hershey Bears forward Tim Kennedy, ... Read the full article

Tyler Myers ready to return to struggling Sabres

Without Tyler Myers, the Sabres quickly became a mess, losing six of the seven games without their ace defenseman.

Opponents exploited Myers’ absence, outscoring the Sabres 33-13 during the past two weeks.

Yikes.

Thankfully for the Sabres, who have lost four straight games and eight of nine overall, Myers will return from his lower-body injury tonight against the Devils.

“I’m not going to be the savior coming in,” Myers told reporters Monday in New ... Read the full article

Sabres recall Tim Schaller and Phil Varone from Amerks

BUFFALO – The struggling Sabres, losers of four straight games and eight of the last nine, recalled forwards Tim Schaller and Phil Varone from Rochester tonight.

At this point, the Sabres need any spark they can find.

The team also assigned center Johan Larsson to Rochester.

Schaller, 24, had three stints with the Sabres earlier this season, scoring one goal. He has a team-high 10 goals and is second on the AHL Americans with 23 ... Read the full article

Opening night in Buffalo will be extra special for Sabres’ Ted Nolan

BUFFALO – Whether you’ve been in the NHL for 50 years or this is your first season, Sabres coach Ted Nolan said, “opening night’s always exciting.”

“Butterflies floating around like crazy,” Nolan said Wednesday after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets. “If it doesn’t happen, something’s going to be wrong.”

Tonight will be extra special for Nolan, who’s beginning his first full season as Sabres coach since 1996-97. He ... Read the full article

Sabres assign 11 players to Amerks

BUFFALO – The Sabres sent 11 players to the Rochester Americans today, including forward Luke Adam, who must clear waivers.

The Sabres also sent forwards William Carrier, Dan Catenacci, Colin Jacobs, Justin Kea, Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Kevin Sundher and Phil Varone and defensemen Brady Austin, Jerome Leduc and Chad Ruhwedel to the AHL.

In addition, the Sabres assigned forwards Justin Bailey and Brendan Lemieux back to their junior clubs.

Adam, who has 11 goals and ... Read the full article

Phil Varone believes he can stick with Sabres

BUFFALO – Phil Varone’s nine-game run last season grabbed coach Ted Nolan’s attention. The 5-foot-10 forward played well during his first NHL recall, compiling one goal and two points while taking a regular shift.

But Varone, who will play in today’s preseason opener in Washington, couldn’t convert a slew of scoring opportunities he generated.

“The difference between him and (Martin) St. Louis and players of that caliber who’s a smaller structure, when they have an ... Read the full article

Sabres ready for hectic schedule following Olympic break, know changes are coming

BUFFALO – Trade rumors have dogged Matt Moulson since the Sabres acquired the winger almost four months ago. But with rosters frozen for 16 days during the NHL’s Olympic break, Moulson briefly got away from the noise, rehabbed his rib injury and relaxed a bit.

“It was good to just go home and train and get healthy again and spend some family time,” Moulson said Monday inside the First Niagara Center.

Moulson and the Sabres ... Read the full article

Sabres waive Linus Omark, send Chad Ruhwedel and Phil Varone to Amerks

BUFFALO – In a move that might signal the end of his NHL career, the Sabres today waived winger Linus Omark, who had zero goals and two assists in 13 games.

They also sent defenseman Chad Ruhwedel and forward Phil Varone to Rochester.

The 27-year-old Omark, acquired from Edmonton for a conditional sixth-round draft pick Dec. 19, never impressed Ted Nolan much. The interim coach scratched the speedy Swede eight times, including Thursday’s ... Read the full article