'The defense was the clear cut weakness going into the season, but the Sabres were also decimated with injuries, specifically on the blue line. This season the team started 12 (!) different defensemen, which is absolutely unheard of. Yes, it should've been better from the start and injuries shouldn't be an excuse, but disappointing seasons from Dmitry Kulikov and Zach Bogosian … [Read more...] about Top questions for Sabres GM Tim Murray
Archives for April 2017
Wednesday's Rochester Coverage
Amerks gear up for final week of regular season (Amerks.com) … [Read more...] about Wednesday’s Rochester Coverage
Injury sidelined Johan Larsson for half the season, now he's on the mend
'"I've been good. Feeling way better now," Larsson said as the Sabres packed up their gear for the summer and had their final meetings of the season with the coaching staff. "It's just going to heal a little bit. I just took out the pins and now I'm going to rest and heal for a couple of weeks and then it's good."' … [Read more...] about Injury sidelined Johan Larsson for half the season, now he’s on the mend
Ryan O'Reilly will represent Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship
'"I got the call like a week or so ago and absolutely I'm going," O'Reilly said as the Sabres held their locker cleanout day on Monday morning in KeyBank Center.' … [Read more...] about Ryan O’Reilly will represent Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship
Entering free agency, Nilsson put up his best numbers in the NHL
'"I think overall personally I had a pretty good year," Nilsson said. "I went in the year with a mindset that I want to be more consistent, be consistent through the whole season and I think I did. … It's always tough to speculate and see what the future has in mind, but I felt good. I felt consistent throughout the whole season. I think I've played at a high level. I think I … [Read more...] about Entering free agency, Nilsson put up his best numbers in the NHL
Eichel wants Sabres to have greater desire to win
'“Yeah,” he said in KeyBank Center. “That’s what a winning culture is, not being satisfied with yourself, not being satisfied with the fact that you’re losing. It’s important to realize that you can’t be satisfied with the fact you’re in the NHL.' … [Read more...] about Eichel wants Sabres to have greater desire to win
Sabres end season with slight decline in TV ratings
'The Sabres averaged a 6.2 rating for their games carried by MSG and the NBCSN, which was down about 6 percent from the 6.6 rating the team averaged for games carried by those networks and NBC in the 2015-16 season. The Sabres didn’t have a NBC game this season.' … [Read more...] about Sabres end season with slight decline in TV ratings
Okposo's leadership, illness on Sabres' minds as they depart
'“We’re all hoping for the best for him,” defenseman Zach Bogosian said Monday. “He’s helped out every single person in this room, and we owe it to him and his family to help him out with whatever he needs because that’s part of being a team, part of being a leader.”' … [Read more...] about Okposo’s leadership, illness on Sabres’ minds as they depart
Mike Harrington: Bylsma looking ahead but how much time does he have left?
'There's a school of thought you should fire Bylsma right now and not wait until next year, and it's not unreasonable. If the team struggles out of the gate yet again and Murray decides to pull the rip cord on Bylsma around, say, Thanksgiving, the risk could be another season going down the drain.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Bylsma looking ahead but how much time does he have left?
Eichel losing patience with Sabres' acceptance of losing
'“I think guys want to win,” he said Monday, “but there’s a difference between saying that you want to win and actually wanting to win and putting the work in, dedicating your life to it.”' … [Read more...] about Eichel losing patience with Sabres’ acceptance of losing
Disappointing season leaves Sabres’ Jack Eichel seething
'“It’s tough,” a seething Eichel said inside KeyBank Center as the Sabres held end-of-season meetings. “You’re not where you want to be.”' … [Read more...] about Disappointing season leaves Sabres’ Jack Eichel seething
Dan Bylsma, players take blame for Sabres’ poor season
'“I have had conversations, just as I always have had with Tim,” he said. “Going forward."' … [Read more...] about Dan Bylsma, players take blame for Sabres’ poor season
AP source: Sabres' Eichel misses out on $2 million bonus
'Eichel would have collected the bonus by finishing among the top 10 in the NHL in points per game, the person said Monday speaking on the condition of anonymity because the contract clause is not public.' … [Read more...] about AP source: Sabres’ Eichel misses out on $2 million bonus
Sabres coach Bylsma expects he'll return for 3rd season
'"I don't think any of us thought at the end of this year we'd be a Stanley Cup contender," he said. "That's what we're trying to develop into. And that's a process that's going to keep going on here into next year and the year after."' … [Read more...] about Sabres coach Bylsma expects he’ll return for 3rd season
Sabres send Nylander, Rodrigues, Ullmark to AHL
'Rodrigues tallied four goals and two assists in 30 games with Buffalo. The 23-year-old Toronto native collected nine goals and 18 assists in 45 games earlier this season for Rochester.' … [Read more...] about Sabres send Nylander, Rodrigues, Ullmark to AHL