Well, Buffalo Sabres fans, training camp and preseason officially begin this month. We can say with certainty that the NHL regular season begins next month. Exciting times lie ahead.
For starters this morning, we now know just where Jack Eichel will be this season: living with Matt Moulson, his wife and two kids.
This is undoubtedly a great move. Placing Eichel with a veteran who has shown leadership both on and off the ice, and a player who could very well be one of his linemates, is spot-on. It’ll keep Eichel in check and will only help to further develop and grow his game and his personality as well as his maturity.
We also know where Buffalo Sabres newcomer Ryan O’Reilly will be living this season — in former Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers’ old house.
Myers sold his house in the Delaware Park neighborhood to O’Reilly, which means the newcomer should be settling in nicely leading up to the season.
On the coaching front, WGR550 has confirmed that the Buffalo Sabres are not renewing the contract of Craig Patrick, who was hired in November 2013 as a special adviser with Pat Lafontaine and Ted Nolan.
Patrick’s contract expired this summer.
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In local, non-Sabres related news, Niagara University has added a new piece to its coaching staff: Eddie Olczyk Jr., son of the former NHLer and current NBC analyst who shares his name.
He spent last season as an assistant coach at Utica and joins Niagara for the upcoming year, filling the spot left vacant when Pat Oliveto took a job with HARBORCENTER’s Academy of Hockey.
One player hoping to return to the NHL: former Buffalo Sabres player Cory Sarich.
Sarich missed all of last season while recovering from a cycling accident. He was drafted by the Sabres 27th overall in 1996 and is just 31 games shy of 1,000 in his career. He is currently without a contract but hopes to find a team’s interest before the beginning of the season.
Meanwhile, Jessica Pegula fell in the second round of the US Open on Wednesday, eliminating her from further competition.
Regardless, it’s great to see her get so far, and it’s safe to say that Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula are quite proud of their daughter.
We’ll close today’s news & notes with a big congratulations to former Rochester Americans captain Drew Bagnall, who announced his retirement on August 31st.
Bagnall, 31, hangs up the skates after eight pro seasons playing in the American Hockey League, including the last two as a member of the Amerks. A leader both on and off the ice, it would be great to see Bagnall return in a coaching aspect, but time will tell what happens now. Either way, congratulations on your career, and I can safely say that all Amerks and Sabres fans wish Bagnall nothing but the best from here on out.
(Also, adding in an extra congratulations to New Jersey Devils defenseman Bryce Salvador, who announced his retirement on Wednesday after 13 seasons in the NHL.)
Next: Rochester Americans Schedule Breakdown
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