Olean Times Herald

'“I’m looking forward to the next day, which I felt last year I didn’t do,” said Asplund, a second-round-pick in 2016, 33rd overall. “I was still (thinking about) yesterday and thinking about the game yesterday. Just my mind never really got a rest. So when you get to play like 25, 30 games like I did last year, your mental game is not there. You feel tired, you’re not sleeping … [Read more...] about Rasmus Asplund promoted to Sabres’ first line, close to earning regular duty

'“We scored a very big goal last night on the power play,” Granato said on a Zoom call following Wednesday’s optional practice. “We just haven’t been consistent on the power play. We’ve hit a couple goal posts on the power play … but it was still spotty.' … [Read more...] about Sabres notes: Power play in rut; Don Granato ‘doing something special’

'“We don’t win that game without him rising to the level he can rise to,” interim coach Don Granato said on a Zoom call following the Sabres’ second straight win. “He made a couple of big plays to tip that game back our way and that’s what you hope for out of guys with his talent. Special player, fun to watch and very engaged right now.”' … [Read more...] about Rasmus Dahlin performs dynamically in Sabres’ win over Devils: ‘Special player’

'He played under coach Tony Granato, the brother of interim Sabres coach Don Granato, at Wisconsin.' … [Read more...] about Sabres sign ex-Wisconsin star Linus Weissbach to entry-level contract

'Meanwhile, Granato said Borgen, 24, could return to practice shortly after Cozens. Borgen has missed the last 23 contests recovering from a broken forearm.' … [Read more...] about Sabres rookies Dylan Cozens, Will Borgen close to returning to practice

'Before the North American seasons started, Ruotsalainen starred for Ilves, a Liiga team in his native Finland. He left Ilves in December having scored a league-high 16 goals.' … [Read more...] about Sabres make roster moves, recall Arttu Ruotsalainen from Amerks

'“The last few games it’s all come together and we’re playing a lot better,” center Casey Mittelstadt said on a Zoom call. “You can feel it on the bench, just the belief and the battle out of everyone.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres finally winning again, playing confidently: ‘It’s all come together’

'“We need him to take a deep breath and we need to get him in the situations where he can read and react and I say ‘learn from it,’ but it’s more adjust to it,” Granato said on a Zoom call prior to tonight’s game against the New York Rangers at KeyBank Center. “He has such a high skill set, when a mistake is made, he can self-correct quick and we want to put him in situations … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin starting to settle down, put struggles in past

'“That’s all it is is repetition,” Davidson said on a Zoom call following the Amerks’ 6-2 loss to Syracuse Crunch at Blue Cross Arena. “For myself, it’s been hard kind of finding my way into the lineup. For me, right now, I think it’s just nice to get out there and find my game again. You need to play. Practice only gets you so far."' … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Brandon Davidson enjoys stint with Amerks, unhappy with officiating

'“So stoicism, I think, is in the family,” Appert said. “He is a serious person. It doesn’t mean he’s not having fun. Don’t mistake it, he loves the game of hockey. But he is serious, he is business. I really like the way he’s playing up in Buffalo right now.”' … [Read more...] about Steven Fogarty impressing Sabres, has opportunity to stick in Buffalo

'Davidson, 29, has played six NHL games this season, compiling zero points and a minus-4 rating. He has spent most of the year on Buffalo’s taxi squad.' … [Read more...] about Sabres send two players to Amerks

'Snatching the unlikely win would’ve been special for Tokarski, a decorated AHL goalie who has played 38 NHL games. He hasn’t won a big league outing since Dec. 15, 2015.' … [Read more...] about Goalie Dustin Tokarski steals point for Sabres in OT loss: ‘He was spectacular’

'“He wants his guys always in motion, layers on the puck,” Bryson said of Granato. “So it makes it easier for all of us defensemen as far as gapping goes or breaking pucks out, guys are always in the right areas. When we’re gapping up, he wants us to circle up a lot. It makes it a lot easier for the forwards to come back. It’s been a lot easier for us, too.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Jacob Bryson becoming trusted defenseman beside Rasmus Ristolainen

'In addition to Lazar, three other centers – Jack Eichel, Dylan Cozens and Eric Staal – have been injured or traded in the last month.' … [Read more...] about Curtis Lazar’s lower-body injury makes Sabres woefully thin at center

'“Everybody stepped up,” Granato said on a Zoom call. “There was no variance of guys on the bench, one guy more vocal then the next guy. I believe they were in it together and consistent mannerisms through the whole group into the third period.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres finally end winless streak, beat Flyers: ‘Everybody stepped up’