BUFFALO – Before the Sabres re-hired Lindy Ruff, one of the coach’s prominent former players, Jason Pominville, said he texted some friends and told them, “It has to be him. They have to bring him back.” “Like, this is the time to bring him back,” Pominville wrote to them. He had no inside information during the Sabres’ search for Don Granato’s replacement. The former winger simply knew Ruff could help a young, talented ... Read the full article The post Ex-Sabres Jason Pominville, Ryan Miller know Lindy Ruff can succeed in Buffalo first appeared on Buffalo Hockey Beat ..read more

BUFFALO – During Lindy Ruff’s re-introduction as Sabres coach, the assistant coaches he inherited from his predecessor, Don Granato, sat in the front row watching their new boss speak. Ruff said he spent “what seemed like a couple hours” talking with the coaches Tuesday morning prior to his news conference. Right now, Ruff has one open spot on his staff. The Sabres also fired assistant coach Jason Christie when they dismissed Granato. “Looking to add ... Read the full article The post What will Sabres’ Lindy Ruff do with his assistant coaches? first appeared on Buffalo Hockey Beat ..read more

BUFFALO – When he addressed the media after firing Don Granato, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said he knew the exact type of head coach he wanted to hire. Adams coveted experience. His new coach would be an NHL veteran capable of pushing the Sabres, who own an NHL-record 13-year playoff drought, to the next level. It wasn’t hard to tell who he was talking about. Late Monday afternoon, the Sabres made it official, naming ... Read the full article The post He’s back in Buffalo: Sabres name Lindy Ruff coach first appeared on Buffalo Hockey Beat ..read more

Buffalo Sabres winger Victor Olofsson, who scored a career-low eight goals this season, will represent Team Sweden at the upcoming World Hockey Championship. The Sabres are expected to let Olofsson, 28, leave as an unrestricted free agent this summer. Players who have expiring contracts often don’t want to risk injury and turn down invitations to the tournament. Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, both of whom can become restricted free agents, said ... Read the full article The post Sabres’ Victor Olofsson to play for Team Sweden at World Championship first appe ..read more

BUFFALO – General manager Kevyn Adams wants his new head coach to have already run an NHL bench, so that could eliminate Rochester Americans coach Seth Appert from consideration for the Sabres’ open job. “Previous NHL head coaching experience, pedigree, is important,” Adams said Tuesday in KeyBank Center after firing Don Granato. Appert, 49, is a hockey lifer, having coached since his days as a college goalie ended in 1996. He has enjoyed success ... Read the full article The post Could the Sabres promote Rochester Amerks coach Seth Appert to Buffalo? first appeared on Buffalo Hockey Beat ..read more

BUFFALO – The days and weeks after Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson underwent season-ending right shoulder surgery took a mental toll on him. He wore a sling for six weeks, forcing him to use just his left arm. When the team traveled for road games, he stayed in Buffalo. It made for a frustrating and lonely time. “It was some hard days there, for sure,” Samuelsson said Thursday as the Sabres held end-of-season meetings in KeyBank ... Read the full article The post After battling injuries, Sabres’ Mattias Samuelsson mentally stronger first appeared on Buffalo Hockey Beat ..read more

BUFFALO – Well, now we know. As expected, Sabres players praised Don Granato, their former coach, crediting him for boosting their careers and acknowledging they could’ve done more to help him. Still, they clearly wanted a different type of leader. In discussing Granato’s dismissal, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said his players “are craving accountability, structure,” a sentiment they echoed Wednesday as they held exit meetings in KeyBank Center following a disappointing 84-point finish. While ... Read the full article The post Sabres want more accountability from new coach: ‘A little to ..read more

BUFFALO – The Sabres on Wednesday assigned forward prospect Noah Ostlund, the 16th overall pick in 2022, to the Rochester Americans. Ostlund, 20, recently completed his first season in the Swedish Hockey League, scoring 12 goals and 23 points in 38 games for Vaxjo HC. The 5-foot-11, 163-pound Ostlund joined the Amerks last season during the Calder Cup Playoffs but did not play. The Amerks have two games left before the postseason. – Sabres ... Read the full article The post Sabres assign prospect Noah Ostlund to Rochester Amerks first appeared on Buffalo Hockey Beat ..read more

BUFFALO – In firing coach Don Granato following a disappointing season in which the Sabres missed the playoffs for an NHL-record 13th consecutive year, general manager Kevyn Adams has shifted the onus to himself. Adams has always accepted blame for the Sabres’ troubles, and in discussing Tuesday’s dismissal of Granato and the state of his team for 45 minutes in KeyBank Center, he again shouldered his share of the responsibility for an 84-point campaign. But ... Read the full article The post After firing coach Don Granato, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams begins search for experienced replacement first a ..read more

BUFFALO – Eight months ago, rookie Zach Benson arrived here having just scored a hat trick for the Wenatchee Wild, the junior team seemingly everyone, including the Sabres, expected he would be returned to following training camp. Benson’s preseason exploits in Washington illustrated that at just 18, he had possibly outgrown the Western Hockey League. But the diminutive winger’s limited options – as a teenager, he can only play in junior or the NHL – ... Read the full article The post Sabres notes: Zach Benson scores 10th goal at end of surprising rookie season first appeared on Buffalo Hockey ..read more