The Associated Press is reporting that the NHL's annual pre-draft scouting combine is moving to Buffalo for the next two years.

John Wawrow cites two sources familiar with partnership between the Buffalo Sabres and the NHL.

The Sabres are expected to make the formal announcement at a 1pm presser in Monday.

NHL senior vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell is scheduled to attend the announcement.

Campbell is in charge of overseeing the combine, which had previously been held outside of the Toronto.

The Sabres have been aggressively pursuing that scouting combine for the past two years.

The $172 million HARBORCenter comples will play host to the event.




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The Buffalo Sabres have called a news conference for 1pm EDT Monday afternoon. The team is expected to make a "major announcement".

As I told you Saturday night, the Sabres have been linked to hosting the 2016 NHL Draft.

According to chatter , the NHL Draft will be held at First Niagara Center and HARBORCenter in Buffalo. The 2014 NHL Draft took place in Philadelphia. The Connor McDavid draft will occur in Aaron Ekblad's barn in Sunrise, Florida.

Hosting the NHL Draft can have a huge impact on the host city's economy. Buffalo is a very advantageous site to host the draft due to its easy access and proximity to the Toronto media market.

I remember working on the draft floor at The Aud at the Eric Lindros draft in 1991. I loved the experience of interviewing the drafted players and the dignitaries from their respective NHL teams. The Sabres also hosted the draft in 1998 at the new arena.

The Sabres organization have also made a proposal to the NHL to become the permanent host site of the NHL Scouting Combine. The HARBORCenter will be a natural destination to house and host the draft and scouting combine due to its brand new, state of the art amenities which will include: 200 new hotel rooms, restaurants, conference rooms, dual ice pads.


The NHL Scouting Combine has been held in a Toronto convention center ball room.

Its time to take it to the next level in Pegulaville.



More to come.....



In attendance at the presser will be:

Colin Campbell, senior executive vice president of NHL Hockey Operations
Ted Black, president of the Buffalo Sabres
John Koelmel, president of HARBORCENTER
Jody Lomeo, president and CEO of Kaleida Health
Byron Brown, Mayor of Buffalo

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