Happy Friday, everyone! Plenty of links after the break including a few more Sabres posts.
SABRES TO HOST NIGHT PRACTICE SEPT. 28 – Buffalo Sabres
First 3,000 fans can participate in full-team autograph session; Team scrimmage begins at 7 p.m.
Gaustad focuses on task at hand – The Buffalo News
It’s a big season for the team but an even bigger one for Gaustad, one of the more popular players among the fan base.
Sabres Kaleta Working Hard To Reduce Injuries – WGR 550
It’s hard to believe, but Buffalo’s own Pat Kaleta has been a professional hockey player for five years. It seems like only yesterday he blasted his way on to the team.
Sabres Hecht Resting Head Injury – WGR 550
Jochen Hecht hasn’t been practicing this week with a head problem.
Sabres Links:
Kotalik fights for spot with Sabres – Niagara Gazette
When the Sabres open the regular season against Anaheim on Oct. 7 in Finland, Kotalik fully expects to be playing his 543rd NHL contest.
Derek Roy for Captain of the Buffalo Sabres? – BSN
After the first period with the “C” on his sweater, Roy had 1 assist, was a +1, had a .667 faceoff percentage (one of the talking points of the Montreal RDS broadcast team during that intermission), and his 5:45 time on ice trailed only Pominville’s 5:55 for forwards.
9/22 Recap: Henley takes mo’ back to Q – SabresProspects.com
Updates on Sutch, Shipley, and Henley.
NHL Links:
Banana thrown at Flyers’ Simmonds in pre-season game – CBC
Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds says he has experienced racism throughout his life and hopes what happened during a shootout loss against the Detroit Red Wings Thursday night wasn’t another example of it.
Shelley’s hit earns wrath of Leafs, Shanahan – The Globe and Mail
Flyers tough guy handed 10-game suspension by NHL disciplinarian for blind-side check that broke Boyce’s nose
Jody Shelley suspended 5 games Video – NHL VideoCenter
Brenden Shanahan gives the first of many video explanations of hockey’s most recent suspension.
Proteau: My NHL predictions: East – THN
After running down his picks for the West last week, Adam Proteau tells you who he thinks will make the playoffs in 2012.
McKenzie: Russian Yakupov tops pre-season Draft Rankings – TSN
After four straight years of Canadians going first overall, the 2012 NHL Entry Draft may turn out to be revenge of the Euros.
Tomas Hyka can’t be signed, will return to juniors and enter 2012 Draft – Broad Street Hockey
Tomas Hyka will be sent to back to his junior club in Gatineau today after the Philadelphia Flyers learned that they cannot sign him to an entry-level contract, despite saying they were interested in doing so less than 24 hours ago.