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Welcome home, Derek Grant.
Last month, Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray lost the veteran center on a waiver claim by the Nashville Predators. Today, Murray re-claimed Grant off waivers. Grant became expendable when the Preds traded for grinding forward Vern Fiddler on Saturday.
On Monday, Murray assigned Grant to the Rochester Amerks.
Grant (6’3…, 212 lbs. ) signed with the Sabres as a free agent on July 2, 2016 after spending the 2015-16 season in the Calgary Flames’ organization, where he split his time between Calgary and the Stockton Heat (AHL). The Abbotsford, British Columbia native played in 35 games for the Sabres and tallied three assists before being claimed by Nashville on Jan. 11. He recorded one assist in six games for the Predators.
In 81 career NHL games, Grant has seven assists and 30 penalty minutes. Grant scored his first career goal when he was first claimed off waivers by Nashville. Unfortunately, the goal was disallowed after video review.
Drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round (119th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Grant has also posted 162 points (88G, 74A) and 174 PIMs in 292 career AHL games.
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The Buffalo Sabres continue their February grind tonight in Newark.
It's the ninth of an NHL-high 19 sets of back-to-back games this season, which will continue in Buffalo Tuesday night against San Jose.
The Sabres are 4-2-2 in the first game of back-to-back sets and 3-4-1 in the second game so far this season. Buffalo’s point breakdown in previous back-to-back sets this season is:
Four points (2), three points (2), two points (1), one point (1) and zero points (2).
Dan Bylsma has a serious decision to make.
Which goalie will he start against Taylor Hall and the Devils?
Anders Nilsson is 4-1-1 in 7 career appearances vs. New Jersey, with a .953 save % and a 1.98 GAA.
Robin Lehner is 5-1-1 with a .928 save percentage so far in 2017.
In his last start, the Big Swede nailed down a 4-0 shutout of his former team the Ottawa Senators. Lehner made 37 saves to seal his first shutout of the season. In seven starts against his former team, Lehner is 3-0-2, with a 1.18 GAA and .961 save %.
In his last two starts, Lehner has made 79 saves on the 81 shots he faced.
A regulation win tonight will move the Sabres (52 points) into a 13th place tie with the Devils ( 54 points).
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Evander Kane has 10 points (5G, 5A) in his last 12 games. Kane hasn’t gone three games without recording a point since mid-November.
Ryan O’Reilly has 13 points (3G, 10A) in 14 games since returning from an absence due to an appendectomy.
Cody Franson has six points (2G, 4A) in his last seven games, including four points (1+3) in his last four road games.
Jack Eichel has logged four two-point games in his last nine outings.
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Evander Kane has eight points (3G, 5A) in his last five road games. With a point tonight, he’d have points in six straight road games for the first time in his career.
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With seven points (4G, 3A) in his last six road games, Brian Gionta is riding his longest road point streak since he posted points in a career-best eight straight road games from March 21 to April 18, 2006.
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Tim Murray has signed defenseman Justin Falk to a one-year contract extension worth $650,000.
Falk will be available for the Vegas expansion draft.
Since joining the Sabres as a free agent on July 1, 2016, Falk (6'5", 222 lbs.) has appeared in 35 games for the team, posting three assists and averaging 13:11 of ice time per game. The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team has signed defenseman Justin Falk to a one-year contract extension worth $650,000.
Since joining the Sabres as a free agent on July 1, 2016, Falk (6'5", 222 lbs., 10/11/1988) has appeared in 35 games with three assists and averaging 13:11 of ice time per game.
A fourth-round pick (110th overall) in the 2007 NHL Draft, Falk has recorded 27 points (2+25) in 206 games during parts of seven NHL seasons with Buffalo, the Columbus Blue Jackets, the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild. The Snowflake, Manitoba native has added 42 points (9+33) in 270 AHL games during six AHL seasons, including 10 games with the Rochester Americans in 2016-17.
A fourth-round pick (110th overall) in the 2007 NHL Draft, Falk has recorded 27 points (2+25) in 206 games during parts of seven NHL seasons with Buffalo, the Columbus Blue Jackets, the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild. The Snowflake, Manitoba native has added 42 points (9+33) in 270 AHL games during six AHL seasons, including 10 games with the Rochester Amerks in 2016-17.
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Keep an eye on the Vancouver Canucks.
With 52 points, the Canucks are chasing a Western Conference playoff berth. They enter Monday's slate of games five points out of a playoff spot.
The Canucks continue to window shop for a scoring power forward. Canucks GM Jim Benning has been patiently searching the marketplace for a power forward who can score at even strength and in the PP.
The Evander Kane for Ben Hutton trade rumors died down on November 24 when the latter signed a two year contract extension of two years and $5.6M.
Hutton had been linked to the Buffalo's Sabres since last July. Tim Murray has been looking to add a top four left shot D who can play 22+ minutes per game at 5v5 and on the PO.
Hutton and Sabres #1 D Rasmus share the same player agent.
Hutton practiced on Sunday and then again on Monday morning. Hutton was paired with Nikita Tryamkin in Monday.
In January, Hutton suffered a hairline fracture of a finger and was forced to sit out 11 games.
The 6'2" 210 pound D has scored 4 goals and 7 assists in 41 games played this season. Hutton has one power play goal and 6 PPP.
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Speaking of young defenseman generating a tremendous hockey buzz before the March 1 NHL trade deadline, say Hello to Brandon Montour.
The 22 year old abrantford, Ontario native and Anaheim Ducks blue chip D prospect scored his first NHL goal in Tampa inn Saturday night.
Montour is a two time AHL All Star and is frankly too good a player to be riding buses in AHL San Diego. The Ducks are blessed to have two bombers in Montour and Shea Theodore maturing nicely in their AHL incubator.
Time is up. Both Montour and Theodore are seemingly wasting their time dominating opponents on a nightly basis in The A.
Bob Murray is not going to be trading Cam Fowler, Sami Vatanen, Hampus Lindholm, Josh Manson nor Kevin Bieksa any time soon.
Bob Murray will have trade either Montour or Theodore in order to score a top six power forward who can light the lamp.
The Ducks are on an east coast roadie right now and Montour and Theodore are attracting a lot of attention.
The Ducks are still clamoring to add another top six forward who can score at even strength and in the PP.
Keep an eye on Buffalo, where the Ducks will play on Thursday night.
I've been telling you for months about a Kane for Theodore or Montour opportunity.
Both Montour and Theodore are on this eastern roadie, which will atop in Manhattan Tuesday night before puddle jumping to Buffalo in Thursday night.
The Colorado Avalanche have been scouting the Ducks quite a bit lately, too.
Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog can certainly deliver the good to Bob Murray and the Ducks.
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The Philadelphia Flyers are scratching second-year defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere tonight. It's the third straight benching for "Ghost" and the fifth health scratch of the season for the star defender.
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SportsBusiness Journal compiled TV ratings information for 21 U.S.-based NHL clubs.
Twelve of the teams posted ratings declines.
The Colorado Avalanche have seen the largest decline, down a whopping 57%, as the club is tanking this season away to improve their odds of winning the NHL draft lottery.
Nine teams saw their TV ratings increase over last season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, whose ratings are up 110% after the team reeled off 16 straight victories earlier this season. While the New Jersey Devils have struggled, their acquisition of star winger Taylor Hall has boosted their ratings 58 percent.
The Buffalo Sabres are the top of the NHL TV ratings food chain.
The Sabres once again have the NHL's highest TV ratings. Sabres games on MSG are averaging a 6.43 rating, down a smudge from 2016-17.