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Sabres Make First Cuts, Prep for Preseason

With training camp well underway and preseason action beginning this week, the Buffalo Sabres are inching closer to an NHL-ready roster. As we head into the upcoming week, here are a few tidbits of news & notes to keep in mind:

  • On Monday morning, the Sabres announced their first round of roster cuts. Viljami Marjala, Josh Bloom and Olivier Nadeau have been returned to their respective junior teams in the QMJHL and OHL. Marjala was particularly impressive in flashes at camp; the 2021 fifth-rounder showed some promise, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares in his second North American season with Quebec.
  • The Sabres split up on Sunday evening for the Blue vs. Gold Scrimmage. Here are the highlights from the team:/

  • It’s still early, but head coach Don Granato said on Sunday that Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell are in competition for the team’s starting goaltender spot. That would suggest that Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could spend much of the season in Rochester.
  • Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic says the Sabres “are redefining what it means to hit rock bottom,” so that’s… fun.
  • In other news, longtime Sabres anthem singer Doug Allen won’t be performing at games this season due to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
  • In case you missed it last week, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams announced that the team is fully vaccinated. They join many other NHL clubs in that regard, including Florida, Toronto, Washington, Ottawa and Tampa Bay.
  • The NHL opened its preseason over the weekend, and the Sabres will do so on Tuesday night in Columbus. Puck drop against the Blue Jackets is set for 7 p.m. There’s no TV broadcast; it’s radio only on WGR550. Other games this week include Detroit on Thursday and Pittsburgh (home) on Friday.
  • Expect more roster cuts in the next week or so, as the Rochester Americans will be opening their training camp soon. The Amerks open their preseason schedule on October 8. Players like Dominic Franco, Peter Tischke and Ethan Prow will likely be among those joining the Amerks shortly./