The Sporting News

'All told, it's a solid haul in exchange for O'Reilly. Botterill could have taken it over the top had he convinced the Blues to include Thomas, Kyrou or Kostin, but the three were evidently the non-starters Armstrong referenced when he said talks fell apart early Sunday before the sides agrees to "add and subtract some pieces that made everyone comfortable in the end." The … [Read more...] about Ryan O’Reilly trade grades: Blues, Sabres continue roster shake-ups

'Botterill, armed with the leverage that comes in dealing any high-caliber player with term, remained steadfast on that ask through Sunday. O'Reilly was due a $7.5 million signing bonus before midnight July 1, per his contract (which runs until 2022-23), and the GM warned his counterparts the price would only increase if the Sabres were forced to foot the bill, perhaps in an … [Read more...] about Sabres trade Ryan O’Reilly to Blues for Patrik Berglund, trove of picks, top prospect

'Sheary, 26, made his debut with the Penguins during the 2015-16 season after going undrafted. He had a strong 2016-17 season with 53 points in 61 games, but his production fell the following season with 30 points in 79 games.' … [Read more...] about NHL trade news: Sabres acquire Conor Sheary, Matt Hunwick from Penguins for draft pick

'"Then the hypothetical becomes reality -- he puts on the jersey, comes to Buffalo -- that carries a lot of weight," offered Biron. "They've come close to winning the lottery before, just missed out on Connor McDavid (in 2015), but now it's finally No. 1 overall. As soon as they flipped the card over, social media, the fans, went nuts. It is just so special."' … [Read more...] about ‘He doesn’t need to be the savior’, but expectations high for Sabres’ top overall pick Rasmus Dahlin

'Dahlin widely was considered the best prospect available in the 2018 class. The Sabres are hopeful he can develop into a franchise building block.' … [Read more...] about NHL Draft 2018: Sabres select defenseman Rasmus Dahlin with No. 1 pick

'“I think it’s important to be there like an everyday thing, that he can focus on hockey, what he’s supposed to do, and I can focus on the rest,” Asa said. “So just help him out to have a good time and focus what he’s there for.”' … [Read more...] about NHL Draft 2018: Buffalo-bound Rasmus Dahlin, family find familiar comforts amid hype

'If Housley wants to maximize Dahlin’s puck effectiveness, he should consider giving Dahlin the lion’s share of offensive-zone starts (oZS). In other words, most of the draws taking place in the opposing zone should have Dahlin on the ice. This tactic is common for a coach with a gifted defenseman because it not only increases the likelihood of a quality scoring chance, but … [Read more...] about NHL Draft 2018: How Rasmus Dahlin can fit Sabres, fast-track league’s slowest rebuild

'The Sabres organization hosts the top line of the 2015 Terrier squad that went to the national title game. Eichel, who led the nation in scoring and won the Hobey Baker that season, still plays with that season’s second leading scorer, Evan Rodrigues. The connection grew deeper at the NHL trade deadline when the Sabres added Danny O’Regan, the third wheel to that line, as part … [Read more...] about Sabres’ Comm. Ave. connection looks to build a future together in Buffalo

'HL and downtrodden Buffalo fans won't enjoy the fruits of this trade until 2022 or later.' … [Read more...] about Evander Kane trade grades: Sabres’ Jason Botterill flunks first deadline test

'The Sabres are getting next to no offense from their blue line, and there really aren’t many players that are capable of adding it. Their best player, and one of the core players of the rebuild, is Rasmus Ristolainen, a first-round draft pick by the team in 2013 and a fairly polarizing player. On one hand, he is the one player on the blue line that is at least a threat to do … [Read more...] about How not to rebuild: Inside the missteps of a Sabres tank gone horribly wrong