Buffalo News

'The 6-foot-2 Coyle, who can also play right wing, probably can still be had at a cost and you wonder if it might mean one of the Sabres' three first-round draft picks. A major retooling appears imminent in Minny, which has made the playoffs for six consecutive seasons but has combined to win just four games in getting blitzed out of the first round the last three seasons.' … [Read more...] about Inside the NHL: With Wild looking to retool, Sabres should be eyeing Charlie Coyle

'“We need to be there for each other for a shoulder to lean on, just to get the feelings out,” said Phil Housley, his fingers interlocked behind his head as he looked at the ceiling. “‘What’s bothering you?’” he asked, rhetorically. “We talk it out, and we feel much better after we’re done with that.”' … [Read more...] about A Sabres season, a Senate setback and longing by long-distance : At home with the Housleys

'Phil Housley, visibly frustrated during his postgame news conference, said his players were outworked during another poor defensive performance. "We don’t have time to wait around," the Sabres' coach lamented. "That’s what’s disappointing about this game. .. We’re soft."' … [Read more...] about ‘Soft’ Sabres cap seven-game homestand with another defensive dud

'Phil Housley, who is clearly running out of answers, spanned the globe of talking points about his team after this one. He checked off a lot of boxes with these quotes, all of which are quite damning to any hockey team.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Soft Sabres look nothing like a playoff team

'"It's tough," Mittelstadt said following the morning skate. "You never want to be watching, but I think it's a good learning experience for me. How many guys go their whole career without getting hurt? It's something to learn. Learn the whole rehab situation and getting back at it."' … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: Casey Mittelstadt out again but ‘close’ to return

'The Sabres allowed two goals in an eight-second span to the Rangers late in the third period, and New York added an empty-netter with 57 seconds remaining. Linus Ullmark made only 23 saves for the Sabres. Rangers goalie Alexandar Georgiev made 12 saves in the third period, including two on Tage Thompson shots from the slot.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Rangers 6, Sabres 2

'“I don’t think about it at all really,” Skinner said. “For us, we have enough things to think about here. We’re in the thick of the hunt right now. As a player, you can only sort of control a small number of things in spurts, and for me I think you just try and focus on those as much as you can. For us right now, that’s moving on to (Friday’s) game and getting ready for that … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Jack Eichel on Jeff Skinner: ‘We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him’

'"I would say I'm quirky, unique," Ullmark said, unabashedly, in KeyBank Center following practice last week. "I would rather be unique than normal. That’s how I see it. I don’t have any issues with me being me and people seeing me as quirky or fun or whatever they say. I try to be me every day, every week. Try to enjoy life as much as possible."' … [Read more...] about Linus Ullmark: Meet the man behind the Minions mask, quirks and all

'"It’s not flashy hockey, but it’s that time of year," Jason Pominville, who scored his 13th goal of the season on one of the Sabres' 22 shots, said. "It’s that time of year you need to defend to win games. I think everyone is starting to realize that."' … [Read more...] about Sabres use patience, persistence to grind out 3-1 win over Islanders

'"That's all it was. It wasn't pretty hockey out there, that's for sure," said Kyle Okposo. "In the last three games, we've taken a good step in how we need to play defensively. Everybody on the bench knows when we get scrambly for a little bit, we're saying the right things. We're going, 'sort it out'. We stuck with it."' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Sabres’ buy-in to defensive grind keeps them in the hunt

'Mittelstadt, a 20-year-old rookie center, was a game time decision because of a “little bang,” according to coach Phil Housley, and did not participate in pregame warm-up ahead of puck drop. In his place, winger C.J. Smith moved back into the lineup and Evan Rodrigues centered the second line.' … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: Casey Mittelstadt out with lower-body injury

'Jason Pominville and Jeff Skinner had goals for the Sabres, who led 2-1 after two periods despite having only 10 shots on goal. Buffalo finished with only 22 shots, and Johan Larsson provided an insurance goal with 2:25 remaining in regulation.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Sabres 3, Islanders 1

'The Islanders are 33-16-6, two victories shy of last season's totals with 27 games still to play. They have a three-point lead over defending Stanley Cup champion Washington after the Caps' 6-4 win Monday against Los Angeles. They are second in the Eastern Conference and fifth overall in the NHL standing.' … [Read more...] about Islanders continue division drive as Sabres look to gain in wild-card race

'"You came to the rink and there was sheer disbelief," former Sabres captain Craig Rivet recalled last week. "How did this happen? To us in our community? You hear bad things on the news but you never think it would happen to you. Hockey was so minimal. The emotions in our dressing room were tough. Many of our guys were a quarter of a mile away from where that was."' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: After Flight 3407 crash, emotional Sabres victory helped the healing

'"I don't know how many times we can take the moral victory anymore," Jack Eichel, whose 18th goal of the season tied the score in the second period, lamented. "I mean, we're 55 games into the year. ... Other teams are getting points, moving up in the standings. We're not."' … [Read more...] about Not interested in ‘moral victory,’ Sabres allow late goal in loss to Jets