Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Let's get this out of the way right now, just named President of the Buffalo Sabres, Russ Brandon, is not a sports personnel guy. Nor is he a scout or GM or coach. Nor is he in charge of operations on the football field or on the ice for Pegula Sports and Entertainment. Brandon is a marketing guy and that will be his supreme focus.
His outstanding work as President of the Buffalo Bills caught the attention of Terry and Kim Pegula, owners of both the Sabres and the Bills and they felt that Brandon should be the guy to head both franchises. "Since we purchased the Buffalo Bills last October, we have been highly impressed with the business acumen that Russ has shown with the Bills," the Pegulas said via a press release. "Now is an appropriate time to give him additional responsibilities with the Sabres. Russ will work with Pegula Sports & Entertainment to create strong synergies between the Sabres and Bills. With Russ' strong ties to the area business community and sponsorship partners, he will effectively position both organizations for future growth."
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Tim Schaller could throw a monkey wrench into the Sabres' forward roster
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Buffalo Sabres forward Tim Schaller is looking to throw a wrench into the 2015-16 Buffalo Sabres roster. Not out of malice or by design, mind you, rather it's a simple case of a hard-working player setting his goal for the upcoming season.
"My mindset going into camp," he told Kevin Sylvester and Andrew Peters of Hockey Hotline on Thursday, "is that there's a spot there for me to lose. I'm going in to make the [Sabres] and I'm not going to be satisfied if I don't make it. That's where my mind's at."
Schaller's coming off of a very strong 2014-15 AHL campaign where he finished with 43 points (15+28) in 65 games in his second pro season. The 6'2" 206 lb. Merimack, NH native also played 18 games for the train wreck that was the Buffalo Sabres last season and recorded his first NHL goal at Boston with his parents in attendance.
Even though the numbers aren't awe-inspiring, "let's not sleep on Schaller," is what Kris Baker of sabresprospects/sabres.com had to say about him after Schaller was re-upped by GM Tim Murray.
Buffalo Sabres forward Tim Schaller is looking to throw a wrench into the 2015-16 Buffalo Sabres roster. Not out of malice or by design, mind you, rather it's a simple case of a hard-working player setting his goal for the upcoming season.
"My mindset going into camp," he told Kevin Sylvester and Andrew Peters of Hockey Hotline on Thursday, "is that there's a spot there for me to lose. I'm going in to make the [Sabres] and I'm not going to be satisfied if I don't make it. That's where my mind's at."
Schaller's coming off of a very strong 2014-15 AHL campaign where he finished with 43 points (15+28) in 65 games in his second pro season. The 6'2" 206 lb. Merimack, NH native also played 18 games for the train wreck that was the Buffalo Sabres last season and recorded his first NHL goal at Boston with his parents in attendance.
Even though the numbers aren't awe-inspiring, "let's not sleep on Schaller," is what Kris Baker of sabresprospects/sabres.com had to say about him after Schaller was re-upped by GM Tim Murray.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Don Stevens talks Rochester Americans, Pt.2
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com.
This is the second in a two part series on the present state of the Rochester Americans this off-season. Part 1, looked at the growth of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which has become a huge organization.
"It feels like, at times, we're falling further down the totem pole," said long-time Rochester Americans broadcaster Don Stevens, "especially since the addition of the Buffalo Bills. A whole lot more concentration goes to them at this point, but of course they're coming up on their season very soon."
As mentioned in the previous piece, in the beginning there was a man, Terry Pegula, who wanted to buy a hockey team, the Buffalo Sabres, and in just over four years that beginning grew into a huge organization. Pegula Sports and Enterainment, the umbrella company, now has in the fold, the Sabres, Buffalo Bills, HARBORCENTER, the Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team, Black Rock Entertainment a music company based in Nashville and has a number of satellite business associated with them. The recently purchased Bills sits atop the organization as the behemoth while the Sabres and the USA Hockey-centric HARBORCENTER represent Terry Pegula's love for the sport and hist desire to make downtown Buffalo the center of USA hockey.
And then there's the Rochester Americans, the minnow in the big pond.
This is the second in a two part series on the present state of the Rochester Americans this off-season. Part 1, looked at the growth of Pegula Sports and Entertainment, which has become a huge organization.
"It feels like, at times, we're falling further down the totem pole," said long-time Rochester Americans broadcaster Don Stevens, "especially since the addition of the Buffalo Bills. A whole lot more concentration goes to them at this point, but of course they're coming up on their season very soon."
As mentioned in the previous piece, in the beginning there was a man, Terry Pegula, who wanted to buy a hockey team, the Buffalo Sabres, and in just over four years that beginning grew into a huge organization. Pegula Sports and Enterainment, the umbrella company, now has in the fold, the Sabres, Buffalo Bills, HARBORCENTER, the Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team, Black Rock Entertainment a music company based in Nashville and has a number of satellite business associated with them. The recently purchased Bills sits atop the organization as the behemoth while the Sabres and the USA Hockey-centric HARBORCENTER represent Terry Pegula's love for the sport and hist desire to make downtown Buffalo the center of USA hockey.
And then there's the Rochester Americans, the minnow in the big pond.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Don Stevens talks Rochester Americans, Pt. 1
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Don Stevens has been around the Rochester Americans for a long time and he's seen a multitude of changes not only with the Amerks, but for the league itself. He started doing broadcasting for the Amerks during the 1986-87 season when the American Hockey League had 13 teams. A couple of names you might know who skated in the AHL that season were Hall of Famer Brett Hull, who was with the Moncton Wild Cats and Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau, a center for the Nova Scotia Oilers that year.
During his first season the Amerks won the Calder Cup, their second of the decade, fifth of six since their inception. "Since [that first game]," reads No. 2 on his bio-list of most memorable moments, "there have been lots of memorable moments. One of the best was going to the championship in my first year and winning it at Sherbrooke, and coming home to the thousands of people at the airport at 4:00 in the morning.”
He also mentions in the bio that going to the Calder Cup Finals in seven of his first 14 years behind the mic "is just an incredible statistic."
Don Stevens has been around the Rochester Americans for a long time and he's seen a multitude of changes not only with the Amerks, but for the league itself. He started doing broadcasting for the Amerks during the 1986-87 season when the American Hockey League had 13 teams. A couple of names you might know who skated in the AHL that season were Hall of Famer Brett Hull, who was with the Moncton Wild Cats and Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau, a center for the Nova Scotia Oilers that year.
During his first season the Amerks won the Calder Cup, their second of the decade, fifth of six since their inception. "Since [that first game]," reads No. 2 on his bio-list of most memorable moments, "there have been lots of memorable moments. One of the best was going to the championship in my first year and winning it at Sherbrooke, and coming home to the thousands of people at the airport at 4:00 in the morning.”
He also mentions in the bio that going to the Calder Cup Finals in seven of his first 14 years behind the mic "is just an incredible statistic."
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
The dog-days of summer putting a crimp UFA's including Cody Franson
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Mid-July through August are truly the dog-days of summer for the NHL as teams step back from a long season and events of the past few weeks to refresh themselves. This is not to say that the front office is out and about enjoying the great outdoors or getting in a early round of 18 before an evening cookout daily, it's merely a downshift from the overdrive that was the NHL draft and the beginning of free agency.
Most teams have concluded their prospect evaluations via development camps (if they have them,) and sent their youngins on their merry way. Left are the impressions as to who where each player lies on the developmental curve and the timeline for their potential debut in the NHL. When taken as a whole, events at the NHL draft, free agent signings and a close look at a team's pipeline give the personnel department a good idea as to what they'll have going into training camp.
In general, teams likely have a good idea as to where they are and what they'll need personnel-wise to get to where they want to be this fall. For free agents who've yet be signed, there's a reason they haven't been signed and summertime doesn't necessarily represent livin' easy. Rather, it can be an unsettling time where younger veterans are trying to maximize their worth and older veterans are wondering whether or not they're still wanted.
Mid-July through August are truly the dog-days of summer for the NHL as teams step back from a long season and events of the past few weeks to refresh themselves. This is not to say that the front office is out and about enjoying the great outdoors or getting in a early round of 18 before an evening cookout daily, it's merely a downshift from the overdrive that was the NHL draft and the beginning of free agency.
Most teams have concluded their prospect evaluations via development camps (if they have them,) and sent their youngins on their merry way. Left are the impressions as to who where each player lies on the developmental curve and the timeline for their potential debut in the NHL. When taken as a whole, events at the NHL draft, free agent signings and a close look at a team's pipeline give the personnel department a good idea as to what they'll have going into training camp.
In general, teams likely have a good idea as to where they are and what they'll need personnel-wise to get to where they want to be this fall. For free agents who've yet be signed, there's a reason they haven't been signed and summertime doesn't necessarily represent livin' easy. Rather, it can be an unsettling time where younger veterans are trying to maximize their worth and older veterans are wondering whether or not they're still wanted.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
More RFA signings for Buffalo
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Back on June 29th, the Buffalo Sabres tendered qualifying offers to seven of their restricted free agents, and as of yesterday only one remains unsigned.
On Monday of this week versatile forward Phil Varone agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the team. The 5'10" 185 lb. Varone played in 28 games for the Sabres last season, including a stint on the top line, scoring five points (3+2) while averaging 13:26 minutes of ice-time/game. The two-way deal would indicate Varone's slated for Rochester unless he blows the team away with an exceptional training camp.
The following day D, Mark Pysyk signed a two-year deal. Pysyk has largely been a victim of circumstance in the debacle that was the last two seasons, and despite his readiness to play with the big club he was limited to only seven games in Buffalo, yet in those games he scored two goals and added an assist in 18:10 TOI. The smooth and steady, puck-moving defenseman with shutdown acumen looks to be penciled in on the second pairing at this point.
Back on June 29th, the Buffalo Sabres tendered qualifying offers to seven of their restricted free agents, and as of yesterday only one remains unsigned.
On Monday of this week versatile forward Phil Varone agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the team. The 5'10" 185 lb. Varone played in 28 games for the Sabres last season, including a stint on the top line, scoring five points (3+2) while averaging 13:26 minutes of ice-time/game. The two-way deal would indicate Varone's slated for Rochester unless he blows the team away with an exceptional training camp.
The following day D, Mark Pysyk signed a two-year deal. Pysyk has largely been a victim of circumstance in the debacle that was the last two seasons, and despite his readiness to play with the big club he was limited to only seven games in Buffalo, yet in those games he scored two goals and added an assist in 18:10 TOI. The smooth and steady, puck-moving defenseman with shutdown acumen looks to be penciled in on the second pairing at this point.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Johnny Oduya heads to Dallas while Mark Pysyk re-ups in Buffalo
Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Free agent defenseman Johnny Oduya is a left-handed, top-four d-man that Sabres GM Tim Murray was interested in bringing to Buffalo. But the two-time Stanley Cup winner took his talents to Dallas and signed a very team-friendly contract for two years at $3.75m/year. It's a veritable coup for the Stars as they add a veteran, top-four defenseman who fits into the up-tempo style of play Dallas plays.
"I think it's a very, very fast team, a team that wants to play hockey, a similar style I think as Chicago; wants to have the puck, create things," Oduya said. "I think the speed is the thing that stands out the most."
The Stars had recently traded for Oduya's teammate Patrick Sharp and in the process gave up 31 year old d-man Trevor Daley in the process so things fell into place rather nicely for them.
As for the Sabres, the search for a top-four defensemen continues, be it a lefty or righty.
Free agent defenseman Johnny Oduya is a left-handed, top-four d-man that Sabres GM Tim Murray was interested in bringing to Buffalo. But the two-time Stanley Cup winner took his talents to Dallas and signed a very team-friendly contract for two years at $3.75m/year. It's a veritable coup for the Stars as they add a veteran, top-four defenseman who fits into the up-tempo style of play Dallas plays.
"I think it's a very, very fast team, a team that wants to play hockey, a similar style I think as Chicago; wants to have the puck, create things," Oduya said. "I think the speed is the thing that stands out the most."
The Stars had recently traded for Oduya's teammate Patrick Sharp and in the process gave up 31 year old d-man Trevor Daley in the process so things fell into place rather nicely for them.
As for the Sabres, the search for a top-four defensemen continues, be it a lefty or righty.
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