Buffalo News

'Now the GM needs to do something – anything – to fix a team that is nothing short of disgraceful.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: Kevyn Adams needs to step in and stop Sabres’ insanity

'The Sabres, equipped with superstar talents Jack Eichel and Taylor Hall, have scored the fewest 5-on-5 goals in the National Hockey League. With only 15 points in 21 games, Buffalo sits last in the league standings.' … [Read more...] about Observations: Ralph Krueger not looking to ‘reinvent’ Sabres amid 5-game skid

'Another ugly start doomed the Sabres, who have scored first only seven times in 21 games. Dobson and Matt Martin scored less than six minutes apart in the first period for the Islanders. Buffalo has a negative-10 goal differential in the first period this season. The Sabres have led at the first intermission only four times.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Another slow start, another ugly loss for last-place Sabres

'“Yeah, I’m open to anything,” said Hall, who signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Sabres in October. “It’s not like I’ve had an amazing statistical year by any means so far this year. Just in saying that, I think I’ve enjoyed my time here. I really like the guys, the coaching staff, the way we’re treated as players and like we said from the start, my agent and … [Read more...] about Sabres notebook: Taylor Hall ‘open’ to returning to Buffalo next season

'The breakdown of Okposo's game has been hard to watch for fans, knowing how his seven-year, $42 million contract signed in 2016 has become a hard one for this organization to stomach. At $6 million per season, it has to be about numbers. Okposo had just nine goals last season and has now gone over a year without scoring.' … [Read more...] about Stuck at no goals, Sabres winger Kyle Okposo still waiting for breakthrough

'"It's sad to see because Buffalo is one of my favorite cities to travel to, it's close to where I grew up (in suburban Toronto). Unbelievable people there, hard working people. They must have a hard time watching that team play hockey. I mean, there was a lot of selfish one-and-done plays. They didn't make it hard on the Rangers at all."' … [Read more...] about Watch Now: Rangers MSG analyst says Sabres ‘look like they’ve quit on their season’

'You don't expect a No. 1 pick and a guy expected to be a scorer to throw down but that's exactly what the 6-foot-3 Cozens did after some battling behind the Rangers net. And Cozens used his 3-inch height advantage to explode with a flurry of rights, even knocking out Lindgren's mouthpiece.' … [Read more...] about Observations: Cozens goes down fighting in latest Sabres loss

'The Reinhart goal ended the Sabres' shutout streak at 126 minutes, 42 seconds overall and the final count was 175:44 at 5 on 5.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Some offense but still not enough for Sabres

'"I try and take advantage of those days as much as I can," said Cozens, who has had a brutally busy season with his role on Team Canada in the World Junior Championship before joining the Sabres. "Whether it's just taking care of my body, letting my body rest a little bit. Watching the games from up top, you can learn a lot. I think it definitely helps going into the next … [Read more...] about Sabres notebook: Cozens returns after one-game break

'The fans are done with Krueger, like they are with just about everything else surrounding this inept franchise. In the wake of a series of missteps by Krueger in the last week, the media can no longer believe anything he says. Back-to-back shutout stinkers to Philadelphia over the weekend gave off the distinct aroma that the players have checked out on him.' … [Read more...] about Mike Harrington: With Ralph Krueger’s credibility shot, Sabres again in a coaching bind

'The Sabres announced last week that they will have fans in KeyBank Center for select games beginning March 20 against Boston. The team has yet to announce ticketing or testing details. They have not played in front of spectators since their shootout win over Washington on March 9, 2020, the final game before last season was suspended. The New York Islanders are also planning … [Read more...] about Sabres Notebook: First game with fans is Tuesday in MSG

'Krueger continues to deploy Cody Eakin – generally with Tobias Rieder and Kyle Okposo, though Casey Mittelstadt was given an opportunity during Sunday’s game against Philadelphia – with high regularity. Not only is the third line consistently drawing defensive zone matchups against better competition, they are playing less than 12 minutes a night at 5-on-5 – around the ice … [Read more...] about Travis Yost’s Sabre Metrics: Among the many problems, the third line is unwatchable

'And there was a head coach, unable to solve the problem, whose future appears murky at the end of a week in which he benched Jeff Skinner, the team’s second-highest paid player, for three straight games.' … [Read more...] about Sabres observations: Ralph Krueger, players searching for answers after loss

'With Jack Eichel in the lineup after a two-game absence, the Sabres did not allow a shot on goal for the first seven minutes and peppered Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart during an early power play. Then, Krueger watched from the Sabres’ bench as it all fell apart again.' … [Read more...] about The Wraparound: Sabres fall apart, shut out again in Jack Eichel’s return

'The Sabres were outshot 39-23 and four prominent players did not register a shot on net: Skinner, Victor Olofsson, Eric Staal and Dylan Cozens. The problem began in their own end, as defensemen misfired passes because Sabres forwards exited the defensive zone too quickly on the breakout.' … [Read more...] about Sabres Observations: Offensive woes continue with Jack Eichel out, Jeff Skinner in