Zucker - Buffalo Hockey Beat

Sabres notes: Owen Power skating big minutes, becoming elite defenseman

TORONTO – In his five-year career, the Buffalo Sabres have never leaned more heavily on defenseman Owen Power.

Through seven games this season entering Thursday’s contest against the Maple Leafs, Power had averaged a whopping 26 minutes, 26 seconds of ice time.

Only five players – defensemen Zach Werenski, Thomas Chabot, Quinn Hughes and Lane Hutson – had skated more per outing.... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Alex Lyon endures injury setback; Rasmus Dahlin, Jason Zucker closer to playing

TORONTO – Had he kept recovering from the left shoulder injury he suffered in the preseason, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said goalie Alex Lyon would’ve made his season debut Tuesday in Montreal.

Instead, as his teammates lost a 4-3 shootout to the Canadiens, Lyon, having suffered a setback in practice, was back in Buffalo.

“Now we’ll just see with rehab and stuff where he ends up,” Ruff said this morning in Scotiabank Arena.... Read the full article

Sabres’ Lindy Ruff confident Josh Doan will start scoring: ‘All the faith’

BUFFALO – For the final 15 minutes of Tuesday’s thrilling 3-2 overtime win, Sabres winger Josh Doan, who began the night skating on the top line, watched from the bench.

Following the game, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff acknowledged the obvious, that Doan, who went pointless in the first three contests, is “struggling right now.”

So when Ruff shortened his bench and revamped his lines late against the Minnesota Wild, Doan, 24, was one of ... Read the full article

Sabres’ Jason Zucker progressing after surgery, has ‘soft date’ for return

BUFFALO – In the back of his mind, winger Jason Zucker said he and the Sabres have a time frame for when he can play again after undergoing sports hernia surgery in early August.

“But it’s a very soft date at this point,” Zucker said this morning in KeyBank Center.

For now, Zucker, 34, is rehabbing skating and joining his teammates for pregame skates. He participated in a gray non-contact jersey this morning as the ... Read the full article

Peyton Krebs, the Sabres’ ‘Swiss Army knife,’ has grown under Lindy Ruff: ‘He’s trusted me’

BUFFALO – As a first-line winger, a role he assumed for the Sabres late in Tuesday’s come-from-behind win, the versatile Peyton Krebs transforms his mentality.

Alongside center Tage Thompson and another scoring threat, Krebs knows he must forecheck, meaning he will have the puck less than he does skating on the third or fourth line.

“Kind of just contribute to those guys making sure they’re getting the puck,” Krebs told the Times Herald during training ... Read the full article

Undersized Sabres D Zach Metsa earns respect for fight with Mathieu Olivier: ‘Extremely courageous’

BUFFALO – No one expected it. After all, Sabres defenseman Zach Metsa doesn’t fight much. As a pro, he said he had only scrapped once before taking on heavyweight Mathieu Olivier in Thursday’s season opener in Columbus.

As a rookie with the Rochester Americans, the 5-foot-9, 201-pound Metsa said he fought a member of the Syracuse Crunch whose name he doesn’t remember.

“I think he was No. 18,” Metsa said Saturday in KeyBank Center.

In ... Read the full article

Injured Sabres Alex Lyon, Jason Zucker skate with teammates; Buffalo likely to make lineup change

BUFFALO – In the coming days or weeks, the Sabres could be faced with a good problem: they might have too many players.

Goalie Alex Lyon (left shoulder) and winger Jason Zucker (offseason sports hernia surgery) both joined their teammates for this morning’s optional pregame skate as the they prepared for tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said there’s no timetable for Lyon’s return to the lineup, while Zucker could still ... Read the full article

Two injured Sabres close to practicing with team

BUFFALO – Injured Sabres veterans Jason Zucker and Conor Timmins could participate in Tuesday’s pregame skate, coach Lindy Ruff said.

That doesn’t, however, mean they’re close to playing.

“They’ll still be between a team skate and rehab skates,” Ruff said following today’s practice in KeyBank Center. “But they’re right on the line of skating and participating in our practices, (just) not on a daily basis. Just sort of introduce them into more vigorous practices.”... Read the full article

Sabres’ initial 2026-27 roster has goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon

The Buffalo Sabres’ initial 23-man roster for the 2026-27 season released Monday features three goalies, six defensemen and 14 forwards.

Goalies Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Alex Lyon and defenseman Olen Zellweger, all of whom suffered injuries in preseason games last week, are listed on the roster.

One rookie, forward Konsta Helenius, made the team.... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Eric Staal takes on new role as coach; Buffalo has early injuries

BUFFALO – In addition to his role as a special assistant to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, former Sabres center Eric Staal will now be doing on-ice work during the season, coach Lindy Ruff said Wednesday.

“He’s going to help us with centermen, and he’s going to help out on the power play,” Ruff said in LECOM Harborcenter, where the Sabres will hold their first on-ice sessions of training camp Thursday. “He’s basically an assistant coach, ... Read the full article