WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Development Camp Edition
Tyson Strachan spent all of 2014-15 in Buffalo. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
Two years ago, when the Sabres signed Tyson Strachan to a two-way contract, the defenseman ended up staying in Buffalo the entire season, playing 46 games.
Strachan, 31, never made it to the minors. This year, however, he should see regular duty with the Rochester Americans, as they inked the veteran to a one-year AHL contract today.
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Strachan adds some much-needed depth to Buffalo’s top affiliate. Only 10 defensemen in the organization ... Read the full article
Ryan O’Reilly was the Sabres’ lone NHL All-Star last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
Buffalo Sabres center Ryan O’Reilly has been added to Team Canada’s World Cup of Hockey roster as an injury replacement for Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin, Hockey Canada announced Tuesday.
Seguin played in two pre-tournament games over the weekend and reportedly practiced Tuesday. The 24-year-old missed the final 10 regular-season games in 2015-16 and 12 of the Stars’ 13 playoff games with Achilles tendon and hamstring injuries.
With O’Reilly leaving, the Sabres will be without ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner tries to stop Colorado’s Erik Johnson last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – At first glance, you might not recognize Robin Lehner. While the 6-foot-5 Sabres goalie wouldn’t give an exact number, he appears to have shed around 40 pounds since April. His hair, which he has often worn long, is closely cropped. His bushy beard is gone.
“I’ve lost a decent amount of weight, got in shape,” Lehner said Monday after skating inside HarborCenter. “I’ve done some life changes. It’s not always going in ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner shed pounds and hair this offseason. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – At first glance, you might not recognize Robin Lehner. While the 6-foot-5 Sabres goalie wouldn’t give an exact number, he appears to have shed around 40 pounds since April. His hair, which he has often worn long, is closely cropped. His bushy beard is gone.
“I’ve lost a decent amount of weight, got in shape,” Lehner said this morning after skating inside HarborCenter. “I’ve done some life changes. It’s not always going ... Read the full article
Sam Reinhart (23) will be one of the Sabres to watch closely throughout camp following a breakout season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres will open training camp Sept. 23 in a different venue than past years, the team announced this afternoon.
HarborCenter, the Sabres’ two-rink practice facility they recently used for development camp, will host the early sessions of training camp to start the 2016-17 season. The sessions are free and open to the public. Practices will move to the First Niagara Center once the exhibition schedule starts.
Sabres veterans will report for physicals ... Read the full article
Zemgus Girgensons struggled last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres have re-signed forward Zemgus Girgensons to a one-year contract, the team announced this afternoon.
With Girgensons’ $1.15 million salary, the Sabres have $8.537 million left in salary cap space, according to generalfanager.com. Their last restricted free agent is defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. Training camp opens in about three weeks.
Girgensons, 22, is coming off a disappointing season in which he mustered only seven goals and 18 points in 71 games. ... Read the full article
Patrick Kaleta spent all of last season in Rochester. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – As a 30-year-old grinder still searching for a contract, Patrick Kaleta understands his 10-year career could already be over. The passionate former Sabres winger talks openly about the inevitable end and how he is prepared for his post-playing life.
“I’m lucky enough that I love hockey and I’ll die for the sport,” Kaleta said Wednesday after skating inside HarborCenter. “I’ll die playing the sport, especially for my team. That’s how much my team ... Read the full article
Jack Eichel played 81 games last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Jack Eichel had a front-row seat for the commotion surrounding Jimmy Vesey, the college free agent whose negotiating rights the Sabres owned for 57 days.
As the summer wore on, crowds swelled inside the Foxborough, Mass., rink where the two skated as teammates in a recreational league. Media members and TV crews started showing up to interview and film Vesey. Some high-ranking personnel from NHL teams also attended.
“It was starting to ... Read the full article
Robin Lehner only played 21 games last season. ©2016, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner, who’s still recovering from season-ending ankle surgery in late March, has pulled out of next month’s World Cup of Hockey, Team Sweden announced today.
Former Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday, will replace Lehner.
The Sabres expect Lehner, 25, to be their starting goalie in 2016-17 following a season in which he suffered a high right ankle sprain opening night and battled ... Read the full article
Jimmy Vesey was a free agent four days. ©2016, Gil Talbot, Harvard Athletics
Jimmy Vesey, the Hobey Baker Award winner whose negotiating rights the Buffalo Sabres owned for 57 days, signed a two-year, $1.85 million entry-level contract Friday with the New York Rangers, ending an odd five months in which the college star spurned the Nashville Predators to become a free agent.
Vesey, 23, officially became unrestricted on Tuesday, and, as expected, a slew of teams tried recruiting the high-scoring former Harvard University winger.
In addition to ... Read the full article