WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
Training Camp Edition
Randy Cunneyworth served an Montreal’s interim coach two years ago. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The Sabres have promoted Randy Cunneyworth to be a special assistant and player development coach for the Rochester Americans.
Cunneyworth will work to develop players there and serve as a liaison between the AHL affiliate and the Sabres. He rejoined the Sabres as a pro scout in November and has also been working with some Amerks players.
The 52-year-old served as Montreal’s interim head coach for 50 games in 2011-12. He coached ... Read the full article
Tyler Myers can return next Wednesday in Toronto. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Tyler Myers knows “it doesn’t matter what type of hit it is anymore.”
“If there’s any contact to the head, it’s going to be two to five games,” the Sabres defenseman said following practice today inside the First Niagara Center.
Myers received a three-game suspension for hitting Dainius Zubrus in the head late in Saturday’s 2-1 win against New Jersey.
“They explained that he gave me two and then they gave me one ... Read the full article
Steve Ott (9), shown here against Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson, braved Tuesday’s snowstorm. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Steve Ott noticed he didn’t have any food for a pregame meal Tuesday. The Sabres captain figured his “pasta place” was probably closed, too.
So even with a ferocious snowstorm battering the area, Ott “took a chance” and drove to Wegmans for some spaghetti.
“It was a miserable chance, to be honest with you,” Ott said this afternoon following practice inside the First Niagara Center. “I had to guess on a left turn, ... Read the full article
Tim Murray is Ottawa’s assistant GM. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – It appears the Sabres will name Tim Murray their new general manager.
According to reports, Pat LaFontaine, the president of hockey operations, has chosen the 50-year-old Murray, Ottawa’s assistant GM, to replace Darcy Regier after a nearly two-month search.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported Murray is the “last man standing” and a formal offer, negotiation and ownership approval still must be completed.
The Sabres also interviewed three assistant GMs – Boston’s Jim Benning, ... Read the full article
John Scott has 66 penalty minutes this season. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The joke is John Scott keeps receiving two minutes for, well, being Sabres tough guy John Scott.
The 6-foot-8 winger, who’s impossible to miss on the ice, is tired of the reputation penalties.
“Yeah, I guess that’s why you have a reputation,” Scott said last week inside the First Niagara Center. “But, yeah, it’s been a bad year for penalties like that. It seems like whenever there’s a scrum, I’m the one ... Read the full article
Snow falls last year near the French Connection statue outside the First Niagara Center. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
Tonight’s Buffalo Sabres game against the Carolina Hurricanes has been postponed.
With a blizzard hammering the Buffalo area and driving bans all over, the NHL really had no other choice.
A make-up date hasn’t been announced.
“Tonight’s game between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes at First Niagara Center, NHL Game No. 647, has been postponed due to the hazardous weather conditions in the Buffalo area. A make-up date will be announced as soon as ... Read the full article
Sean Malone was the second local player the Sabres selected in June. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
Over the next few days, ace photographer Dan Hickling will be sharing and talking about some of his favorite shots from 2013.
Take it away, Dan …
The Sabres have occasionally selected local players during the NHL Entry Draft, as they did twice — taking both Justin Bailey and Sean Malone — in the 2013 confab held June 30 in Newark, N.J. Here, Malone, a West Seneca native taken in the sixth round (159th overall), ... Read the full article
Mikhail Grigorenko has spent the last month with the Russian junior team. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – At some point this week, prospect Mikhail Grigorenko, fresh off a five-goal, eight-point performance in seven world junior championship games, will be returning to the Sabres, interim coach Ted Nolan said.
But will the 19-year-old center be staying in the NHL?
“He’s coming here for Pat (LaFontaine) and I to discuss,” Nolan said Monday inside the First Niagara Center. “We’ll make that decision when he gets here.”
Nolan, however, acknowledged he would prefer ... Read the full article
Tyler Myers can’t play until next Tuesday. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – On Monday, hours before the NHL suspended Tyler Myers three games for an illegal check to Dainius Zubrus’ head, the Sabres defenseman said his hulking stature wouldn’t make him change his aggressive style.
“I don’t want to change my game just because of how tall I am,” the 6-foot-8 Myers said after the Sabres prepared for tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes inside the First Niagara Center. “It’s just something that comes ... Read the full article
Tyler Myers was also suspended two years ago. ©2014, Dan Hickling, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – The NHL has suspended Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers three games for an illegal check to Dainius Zubrus’ head in Saturday’s 2-1 win against the New Jersey Devils.
At 7:02 into the third period, the 6-foot-8 Myers hit Zubrus, who’s three inches shorter, high along the wall, earning a minor penalty for an illegal hit to the head.
In a video posted on NHL.com explaining the suspension, NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan said Myers ... Read the full article