Buffalo Hockey Beat - WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage

Sabres deal aggressively, trade for Wayne Simmonds, Dominik Kahun

BUFFALO – The Sabres’ core group of young players has never played a meaningful late-season NHL game. This upcoming stretch will be a new experience.

A perfect weekend moved the Sabres to within six points of the Atlantic Division’s final playoff spot with 20 games remaining. A team given up for dead has roared back into the postseason hunt.

So Sabres general manager Jason Botterill dealt aggressively before Monday’s trade deadline, acquiring winger Wayne Simmonds... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jason Botterill happy Zach Bogosian landed with Lightning

BUFFALO – Before the Sabres terminated Zach Bogosian’s contract, general manager Jason Botterill said the team tried on its own and worked with the defenseman to find a solution.

“It didn’t materialize,” Botterill said Monday inside KeyBank Center.

So the Sabres cut ties with Bogosian, 29, on Friday, putting him on termination waivers after he was suspended for refusing to report the Rochester Americans. The Sabres originally waived the Massena native Feb. 14.

On ... Read the full article

Sabres trade Evan Rodrigues, Conor Sheary to Penguins

BUFFALO – The Sabres have traded forwards Evan Rodrigues and Conor Sheary to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for center Dominik Kahun.

Rodrigues, 26, reportedly quested a trade earlier this season after his playing time dwindled. The Sabres scratched him in both games before this afternoon’s trade deadline.

Meanwhile, Sheary, 27, has returned to Pittsburgh, where he won the Stanley Cup twice. The Penguins traded Sheary to the Sabres in June 2018.... Read the full article

Sabres trade pick to Devils for Wayne Simmonds

BUFFALO – The Sabres have acquired winger Wayne Simmonds from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2021, the teams announced this afternoon.

The pick can turn into a fourth-rounder if the Sabres make the playoffs and Simmonds plays 10 games. The Devils will retain half of Simmonds’ $5 million salary.

The acquisition is significant. General manager Jason Botterill, whose Sabres have crept within six points of the Atlantic Division’s ... Read the full article

Kyle Okposo’s goals help Sabres beat Jets, surge back into playoff race

BUFFALO – Suddenly, the Sabres have roared back into the playoff chase. A few dreadful losses over the past month seemed to extinguish their faint hope of playing meaningful games down the stretch.

But a perfect weekend moved the fifth-place Sabres to within six points – in these parts, that’s meaningful – of the sputtering Toronto Maple Leafs, who own the Atlantic Division’s final playoff spot.

The trade deadline hits at 3 p.m. today. Are ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jonas Johansson dazzles in first NHL win

BUFFALO – After receiving two starts early in his NHL career, Sabres goalie Jonas Johansson took a backseat to veteran Carter Hutton two weeks ago.

Hutton’s emergence from a long slump allowed the Sabres to utilize him regularly again.

So Johansson, a rookie the Sabres recalled when Linus Ullmark suffered a lower-body injury, patiently waited to play another game.

Prior to earning his first NHL victory in Sunday’s afternoon 2-1 win against the Winnipeg ... Read the full article

Jimmy Vesey, Sabres’ other UFAs should draw interest at trade deadline

BUFFALO – Forget about Jimmy Vesey’s slow start. Since the Sabres winger registered his first goal Nov. 25, he has scored nine times in 37 games.

Over a full season, that’s a 20-goal pace. Vesey, 26, has saved his best hockey for the past few weeks, performing more like the player the Sabres likely envisioned when they traded the New York Rangers a third-round pick for him.

The Harvard product has also evolved into ... Read the full article

Sabres throttle Penguins early, cruise to rare win in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH – The response was perhaps the Buffalo Sabres’ most emphatic all year.

Four days after suffering a brutal loss, the Sabres throttled the Penguins early in Saturday afternoon’s 5-2 victory, scoring 14 seconds into the game and opening up a 3-0 lead by the 10:55 mark.

When the Penguins scored about halfway through the game, the Sabres barely flinched.

“After the (3-1) goal there was a short little moment of wavering but we quickly ... Read the full article

Sabres notes: Jeff Skinner scores goal against Penguins, ends long slump

PITTSBURGH – After ending his career-long 23-game goal drought, Buffalo Sabres winger Jeff Skinner said he did not really feel a sense of relief.

“I felt pretty good,” Skinner said after scoring 5:39 into the third period of Saturday afternoon’s 5-2 win over the Penguins. “I don’t know. I feel like I scored a few times and usually it feels pretty good. I don’t know.

“You can use ‘relief,’ I guess, if that sort of ... Read the full article

Former Sabre Zach Bogosian clears waivers, becomes free agent

PITTSBURGH – Defenseman Zach Bogosian cleared waivers today, making the 12-year NHL veteran a free agent.

The Buffalo Sabres placed Bogosian on unconditional waivers Friday with the intention of terminating his contract.

Bogosian refused to report to the Rochester Americans after the Sabres assigned him to their AHL affiliate on Feb. 15, a day after waiving him.

The Massena native must sign with a new team before Monday’s trade deadline to be eligible for the ... Read the full article