Buffalo News

'They complicated what should have been a simple strategy to wear down an opponent that hadn’t played in 10 days and had four in the NHL’s Covid-19 protocol.' … [Read more...] about Observations: Sabres appear overmatched in loss to open road trip

'"I don't think our expectations going into that game were anything other than winning," said Sabres center Tage Thompson. "We had the guys in the room to do it. ... That's kind of a good game to get our feet wet again. Get the rust off and now there's no excuses."' … [Read more...] about Sabres exit the break sluggish, still show promise without coach, 6 players

'Still, we know development is not going to be a straight line. Krebs was minus-2 in the game and didn't have a shot on goal, while Peterka had just one and overhandled the puck at times. Neither is NHL-ready yet, and that's OK. Give them that first taste in Buffalo now while the lineup is thin.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Don’t let Sabres’ loss overshadow the night’s big picture

'The news about Bryson forced general manager Kevyn Adams and his staff to summon reinforcements from Rochester, as the Sabres recalled defenseman Casey Fitzgerald to the active roster and assigned Ethan Prow to the taxi squad.' … [Read more...] about Sabres defenseman Jacob Bryson enters NHL’s Covid-19 protocol

'“They’re both great hockey players in their own right, they both bring different things to the table, and they’re big pieces to what we’re trying to do moving forward,” Ellis said of Krebs and Peterka. “To get them in and get a live look, we’ve certainly been watching a lot on video. ... So, it’s pretty cool to have them in mix and look forward to building off today into … [Read more...] about Sabres set for night of debuts with Peyton Krebs, JJ Peterka, Alex Tuch

'“Ells, he’s goes into that category of people that just love the game," said Sabres alternate captain Kyle Okposo. "I’ve been around for a while and he’s right at the top of people who just care about the game and just want to be here. So, always gonna be an enthusiastic – bring an enthusiastic energy and he ran a great practice (Monday). I thought we had great energy as a … [Read more...] about Sabres notes: Matt Ellis will step in as coach if Don Granato remains in protocol

'The league also postponed January games in Canada involving Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa because owners want to wait until there is an opportunity to earn more in ticket sales.' … [Read more...] about NHL postpones Sabres’ game in Montreal scheduled for Jan. 8

'Granato needs two negative PCR tests to exit quarantine earlier and resume his duties as coach. Then came the anxiety of more Covid-19 testing when everyone arrived at the arena. After the Sabres learned that no coaches or players would need to enter protocol, Adams addressed the team in a meeting. He wanted everyone to know the latest information from the NHL and delivered a … [Read more...] about Sabres forced to march on while Don Granato, 5 players try to exit protocol

'"It does enter to the back of your mind that you just don't have any control over the situation," Okposo said after the Sabres returned to practice Monday in KeyBank Center. "You've got to be good at crisis. And that's what we've been in the last 20-whatever months it's been. I think as far as a league as a whole and leadership within our organization, we're doing a good job, … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Sabres working hard to stay upbeat during NHL’s latest Covid crisis

'The road to recovery hasn’t been easy for Tokarski, who told reporters Monday at KeyBank Center that he experienced “mild to moderate” symptoms for a period of a “few days” after his positive test. It took him longer to rejoin the Sabres because of bothersome, lingering effects from his bout with the virus.' … [Read more...] about Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski rejoins team for first time since bout with Covid-19

'Monday's 14-game slate was postponed so the league could get teams back on a testing schedule Sunday and find out their status. Several reports in the Canadian media in recent days said the league may postpone all games this week and try to resume the schedule on Jan. 1 to protect the Winter Classic in Minneapolis between the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues. But as of … [Read more...] about As Sabres add Don Granato, two players to Covid protocols, NHL forges on

'“I think it’s been pretty good for the most part,” he said. “I’ve definitely had my ups and downs in terms of consistency. I’m trying to really hone in on that. I have definitely been putting pressure on myself. I want to be up in the NHL really bad, and I want to do really well. The biggest thing for me is relax, play hockey and have fun out there.”' … [Read more...] about A ‘big part’ of Sabres’ future, Peyton Krebs determined to work his way to Buffalo

'"I wasn't really shocked, but it was more just stunned," Tom Fitzgerald told The Buffalo News by phone this week while driving home to Boston for the holiday. "You're thinking, 'This is the day. Oh my God. That day, here it is.' It's what every player waits for. He was all excited because they had just played a game in Rochester and then the next day he told us they said he … [Read more...] about Inside the NHL: Wild night for Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald watching son make Sabres debut

'The other side of this is Luukkonen's status as waivers-exempt. The Sabres want to get a longer look at Subban, and Dustin Tokarski could get claimed by another club. Goaltending depth is critical because of injuries and Covid-19. But Craig Anderson is making signs of progress, and I'd rather risk losing Tokarski on waivers than send Luukkonen to Rochester if he's shown he's … [Read more...] about Sabres Mailbag: Is UPL here to stay? What should fans expect from Alex Tuch?

'The Populous study contains separate lists of "aspirational" and "functional" ideas for improvements at the arena. Leading the list of aspirational ideas was improving amenities at every level of the arena, followed by "differentiated seating" – meaning different options to appeal to different segments of the population.' … [Read more...] about Stadium study also outlines ideas for KeyBank Center upgrades