Archives for June 29, 2014

'Had you had any sense prior to Buffalo was interested? No, nothing. When I was over and did the tests at the NHL Draft Combinen in Toronto I talked to very many teams, but I got no sense that any team was more hungry than anything else.' … [Read more...] about Brynäsgatan goalie drafted by Buffalo: ‘Awesome’

'Cornel said there is lots to like about Buffalo. “It's a pretty good hockey town. I think of good fans and it's pretty close to the Canadian border which is comforting,” he said. “It's a young team that is rebuilding which is kind of exciting as a young guy trying to fit into the franchise.”' … [Read more...] about Linemates Cornel, Ritchie share NHL dream

'“I definitely want to follow in his footsteps and want to be that guy that can step up in the playoffs and really be that playoff performer. To me, that’s what’s most important is the postseason. I want to come up big when it counts.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres draftee Lemieux models game after his father Claude

'“I put an emphasis on not hearing my scouts say his upside is third line,” Murray said Saturday in Wells Fargo Center. “We do that all the time. I did it as a scout. We love players like that, and they’re good players. We have players like that, guys in our organization that have the potential to be third- and fourth-line guys.' … [Read more...] about Murray, scouts focus on taking high-end talents

'“He’s definitely a special player,” said Martin, who opposed Reinhart in both the Western Hockey League and the CHL Top Prospects Game. “I saw the clip up there of the first round when they were showing all his highlights and I remember him putting me down a minus in the prospects game. So I’m happy I’m a part of this organization and I don’t have to play against him.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres third-round pick Martin praises Reinhart’s skills

'“It just happens we’re seeing a generation of ex-players’ sons who maybe the father paid more attention to and hockey was more important,” Murray said after Saturday’s session at Wells Fargo Center. “These parents are hands-on, taking their kids to the dressing room. The NHL has changed, become more of a family atmosphere.”' … [Read more...] about Hockey runs in family tree of many Sabre picks

'Pedigree seemed to be very important. Three picks are sons of former NHLers: first-rounder Sam Reinhart (father is Paul), Lemieux and Brown (father Doug was on the Red Wings' Cup-winning teams in 1997 and 1998, and uncle Greg was an Amerks defenseman in the early 1990s). Murray, however, said it was more coincidence with regard to hockey heredity. They simply liked the … [Read more...] about Like fathers, like sons? Buffalo Sabres draft recap

'“We thought he responded very well to some tough questions,” Murray said.' … [Read more...] about Prospect Brendan Lemieux impressed Sabres in difficult draft interview

'“We have a potential top-two center that can play for us next year,” he said about Reinhart inside the Wells Fargo Center. “The other thing it did for the organization is we added a lot of assets. The way I’ve spoken with that in the past, they’re either going to be Buffalo Sabres or they’re going to be or they’re going to allow us to get other Buffalo Sabres.”' … [Read more...] about Sabres GM Tim Murray leaves draft happy: ‘I think we went after potential’

'Make no mistake, though, despite the lack of warm fuzzy pronouncements, Murray was plenty happy he got his man. After the selection, Murray revealed the Sabres had Reinhart rated as the best player in the draft, ahead of stud defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who was selected first overall by the Florida Panthers. That’s a bit surprising. Ekblad was widely thought of as a worthy No. 1 … [Read more...] about Reinhart the reward for Sabres’ suffering

'Given Lemieux's bloodlines and the earlier projections, it was almost as if the Sabres ended up with an extra first round. The Sabres have been loading up with skilled players, and now they have a layer of prickliness to go with it.' … [Read more...] about Claude Lemieux’s son also a fiery player

'''I expected to be a first-round pick and never even really looked at the second round,'' Lemieux said.' … [Read more...] about Buffalo takes Lemieux to open 2nd day of NHL draft

'The Sabres used seven of their nine selections on forwards. They also picked Swedish-born goalie Jonas Johansson, 61st overall, and Swift Current defenseman Brycen Martin (74th).' … [Read more...] about Sabres draft class features ‘Family Ties’ theme

'Brendan Lemieux, 18, finished tied for third on the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League this past season with 53 points, including 27 goals, and led the club with 145 penalty minutes.' … [Read more...] about Sabres take Claude Lemieux’s son with 1st pick of Round 2

'"I was one of those guys who was trying to figure out for a long time where I was going to go," he said. "Nobody really knew. I had no idea I would drop out of the first round, but I had no idea I was going to get picked this morning. I walked in the arena like 2 minutes before I was going to get picked."' … [Read more...] about Sabres grab Lemieux in second round