Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

Sabres sign Taylor Leier to one-year, two-way contract

BUFFALO – The Sabres have signed winger Taylor Leier to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700,000, the team announced this morning.

Leier, 26, has spent the entire season with the Rochester Americans, scoring seven goals and eight points in 17 games.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound Leier underwent offseason shoulder surgery following a freak training accident and did not play his first game until Dec. 11.... Read the full article

Jack Eichel tells Maple Leafs fans to sit down after scoring in Sabres win

BUFFALO – Jack Eichel smirked when he heard the question. The captain had just scored the game-winning goal, igniting a late outburst that cemented a critical victory against the Sabres’ fiercest rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Clearly, Eichel revels in beating the Leafs and sending their legions of loud fans – they comprised at least 60% of Sunday’s capacity crowd inside KeyBank Center – home unhappy.

“I enjoy it,” was all Eichel would say following ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Marcus Johansson looks good following position switch

BUFFALO – Prior to this season, Sabres forward Marcus Johansson hadn’t played center regularly since 2010-11, his rookie year.

Sure, Johansson briefly moved back to the middle a few years ago when the Washington Capitals needed help. But the Swede has spent the majority of his 637-game NHL career playing wing.

“I’m used to (wing), I think,” said Johansson, who returned for Sunday’s 5-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center following a ... Read the full article

Sabres goalie Carter Hutton game-time decision for Maple Leafs

BUFFALO – Sabres goalie Carter Hutton will be a game-time decision tonight against the Toronto Maple Leafs, coach Ralph Krueger said.

Hutton, who has won three straight starts, missed Saturday’s practice for maintenance.

“We’re testing him at the moment as a we speak here,” Krueger said this morning inside KeyBank Center.

If Hutton can’t play, Krueger said rookie Jonas Johansson will start.

The Sabres also recalled goalie Andrew Hammond from the Rochester Americans on Saturday.... Read the full article

Jack Eichel sad to see close friend Zach Bogosian waived, leave Sabres

BUFFALO – Sabres captain Jack Eichel said he had to stop talking about defenseman Zach Bogosian before he became emotional.

Over five seasons, the teammates grew incredibly tight, becoming “probably even closer than friends,” Eichel said.

“He’s somebody that I went to for just about anything in my life,” Eichel said shortly after Bogosian cleared waivers Saturday and the Sabres assigned him to the Rochester Americans. “He’s been there since I was a rookie.”

Now, ... Read the full article

Sabres make more moves, recall Andrew Hammond, John Gilmour

BUFFALO – With goalie Carter Hutton absent from Saturday’s practice for maintenance, the Sabres recalled Andrew Hammond from the Rochester Americans.

Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said Hutton’s absence isn’t related to the hit he took from Columbus Blue Jackets forward Eric Robinson in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win.

A puck also hit Hutton in mask earlier in the night.

“We’re quite optimistic about his rehab day today,” Krueger said when asked about Hutton’s status for tonight’s ... Read the full article

Zach Bogosian clears waivers, assigned to Amerks by Sabres

BUFFALO – The Sabres assigned defenseman Zach Bogosian to the Rochester Americans after he cleared waivers today.

Bogosian, 29, is not expected to play in the Amerks’ road game tonight against the Syracuse Crunch. There is no official word if the Massena native will report to the AHL.

Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said waiving and demoting Bogosian was “an organizational decision.”

“What’s going on there is not really my issue,” said Krueger, whose Sabres host ... Read the full article

Sabres place Zach Bogosian on waivers

BUFFALO – The Sabres placed defenseman Zach Bogosian, a healthy scratch eight of the last nine games, on waivers today.

Bogosian, 29, has become a spare part this season, sitting out 17 of the last 26 games. When the Sabres benched him for the first time Dec. 12, a report quickly surfaced he had requested a trade.

He hasn’t played since struggling in the Sabres’ 6-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. ... Read the full article

Victor Olofsson returns in grand fashion, leads Sabres to overtime win

BUFFALO – After missing six weeks of action, Sabres winger Victor Olofsson needed some time to adjust.

For the first two periods of Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Swedish rookie generated little offense.

“I got a little rust in my game there,” Olofsson said after scoring two goals, including the winner 2:44 into overtime.

By the end of Thursday’s thrilling come-from-behind victory, Olofsson kept showcasing the talents – his quick ... Read the full article

Former Sabres captain Jason Pominville not retired, would like to play again

BUFFALO – Popular former Sabres captain Jason Pominville recently told some friends he would love to help out their beer league team if they ever needed a player to fill in.

“They’re like, ‘You’re in full time!’” Pominville said prior to Thursday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Columbus Blue Jackets inside KeyBank Center.

So Pominville, who scored 16 goals in 73 games for the Sabres last season, plays hockey once a week at the ... Read the full article