Newcomer Paul Cotter proved his value, scoring again in Prague as the New Jersey Devils beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 for a sweep of their regular-season-opening series in the Czech capital.

Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves and Paul Cotter had an empty-netter and assist in their debuts with New Jersey as the Devils beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 in the NHL regular-season opener that was played in the Czech Republic capital.

The New Jersey Devils and the Buffalo Sabres will open the NHL regular season with matches on Friday and Saturday in Prague.

The Buffalo Sabres have fired head coach Don Granato, making him the seventh coach to be ousted during what’s grown into an NHL-record 13-season playoff drought.

The Red Wings aren’t dead yet.

Patrick Kane scored a tiebreaking goal late in the second period and James Reimer stopped 25 shots, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 4-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres in a matchup of teams vying for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Counted out a mere month ago, the Buffalo Sabres have suddenly inched back into the playoff race following an 8-3-1 run.

Alex Tuch scored the decisive shootout goal and the Buffalo Sabres overcame a two-goal deficit and a disallowed overtime goal in a 3-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers.

Fresh off adding center Casey Mittelstadt and defenseman Sean Walker, the Colorado Avalanche made two more moves by bringing in forward Yakov Trenin from Nashville and forward Brandon Duhaime from Minnesota.

Philadelphia Flyers coach John Tortorella lashed out at a beat reporter during his postgame news conference Wednesday night, questioning a report surrounding the trade of top prospect Cutter Gauthier on Monday.

The focus of blame in Buffalo is falling on coach Don Granato after the floundering Sabres were left embarrassed in a 9-4 loss to Columbus.

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart left Wednesday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres midway through the first period with what the club called a “mid-body injury.”.

The NHL has suspended Buffalo Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton for two games without pay for what it determined was an illegal check to the head of New Jersey Devils forward Nico Hischier on Friday night.

A person briefed on the matter tells The Associated Press the newly appointed chief operating officer of the NFL's Buffalo Bills and NHL's Buffalo Sabres has been fired along with the Bills' general counsel because the two were in a romantic relationship.

You’ve got Mark Howe, Kevin Hatcher, David Legwand, and so many others who were born in Detroit and had the chance to shine on the professional stage.

Ilya Lyubushkin is citing an anti-gay Kremlin law and fears of retribution at home in Russia for electing to not participate in the Buffalo Sabres’ pregame warmup on Pride night when players are expected to wear Pride-themed jerseys.

David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists just a few hours after signing a new contract and the surging Boston Bruins became the fastest team in NHL history to reach 100 points by beating the Buffalo Sabres 7-1.

The Detroit Red Wings have signed their captain, Dylan Larkin, to a reported 8-year extension, according to a report.

Tage Thompson finished off a hat trick by scoring in overtime to help the Buffalo Sabres beat the Washington Capitals 5-4.

Alex Tuch scored his second goal of the game in overtime, and the Buffalo Sabres rallied for a 4-3 victory over the NHL-best Boston Bruins for their sixth straight win.

Kyle Okposo scored three times, Casey Mittelstadt had two goals and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 for their fifth straight victory.

Sidney Crosby scored two goals, defenseman Kris Letang returned 12 days after the second stroke of his career and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-1.

Tage Thompson matched an NHL record by scoring four times in the first period and finished with five goals and an assist as the Buffalo Sabres won their third straight road game, 9-4 over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Jack Quinn scored the only goal in a shootout, Dylan Cozens had the second two-goal game of his career and the Buffalo Sabres held off the Detroit Red Wings 5-4.

Moritz Seider scored the tiebreaking goal with 6:06 to play and the Detroit Red Wings overcame a four-point game from Erik Karlsson to beat the San Jose Sharks 7-4.

Jack Eichel welcomed the boos in Buffalo this time by scoring three third-period goals and adding an assist in his second game against his former team as the Vegas Golden Knights routed the Sabres 7-4.

Jack Eichel says it still hurts to think about the icy reception the last time he was in Buffalo, in March.

Tage Thompson had three goals and three assists for a career-high six points to lead the Buffalo Sabres to an 8-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Dominik Kubalik had a goal and two assists as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Anaheim Ducks 5-1.

Anton Lundell scored twice, Aleksander Barkov had three assists and the Florida Panthers beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-2 to close a five-game homestand.

Dylan Larkin scored the tying goal in regulation and notched the winner 2:07 into overtime to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 comeback win over the Buffalo Sabres in snowbound western New York.

Tyler Bertuzzi had a goal and two assists, Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 22 shots for his fourth career shutout and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 to snap a four-game losing streak.

Cal Petersen stopped all 21 shots he faced in his first start in more than a month, Phillip Danault and Drew Doughty scored in the first period, and the Los Angeles Kings rolled to a 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Charlie Coyle scored on a wrist shot from the slot 34 seconds into overtime and Boston completed a 4-3 comeback victory over the Buffalo Sabres in the Bruins’ first game in 16 days.

New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff tested positive for COVID-19 hours before the Devils’ game against the Edmonton Oilers and was isolated from the team.

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The Washington Capitals-Philadelphia Flyers game scheduled for Tuesday night has been postponed.

The NHL is putting all teams on pause from Wednesday through Saturday.

The NHL says it made the wrong call in disallowing what would have been the Buffalo Sabres’ tying goal in the final minute of a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Friday night.

Trevor Zegras flipped a pass over the net to set up the go-ahead goal, Anthony Stolarz made 25 saves and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-0.

Lucas Raymond scored 26 seconds into overtime to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

Alex Ovechkin scored his 741st career goal to tie Brett Hull for fourth on the NHL’s all-time list and help the Washington Capitals to a 5-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Tyler Bertuzzi and Lucas Raymond went to work in the 3rd period to suddenly swing the Red Wings into a 3-3 tie with the Sabres.

Moritz Seider scored 3:45 into overtime, Tyler Bertuzzi had two goals and two assists, and the Detroit Red Wings rallied to beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3.

NHL forward Jack Eichel arrives in Vegas with a set of questions for the Golden Knights.

The Jack Eichel era in Buffalo is over.

The Detroit Red Wings announced a 23-man roster including 13 forwards, eight defenseman, two goalies and an additional player on injured reserve ahead of the 2021-22 NHL season.

The Detroit Red Wings will start the preseason Sept. 29 against the Blackhawks in Chicago.

The Detroit Red Wings start training camp at the end of September.

Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel has failed his pre-training camp physical and has been placed on injured reserve.

The Detroit Red Wings start training camp at the end of September.

Four people with direct knowledge of the player’s decision have told The Associated Press that Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel is changing agents while in the midst of a long-standing dispute with the team over how to treat a neck injury.

Single-game tickets for the 2021-22 Detroit Red Wings season are now on sale.

The Detroit Red Wings have signed left wing Tyler Bertuzzi to a two-year contract extension.

The Detroit Red Wings have selected defenseman Shai Buium at 36th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft on Saturday.

The Buffalo Sabres have selected University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power at 1st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft.

University of Michigan dominates start of NHL draft with defenseman Owen Power and forward Matthew Beniers becoming the first teammates selected first and second overall since 1969.

The Buffalo Sabres have the first pick in an NHL draft on Friday night.

Here is the Detroit Red Wings 2021-22 preseason schedule.

The Detroit Red Wings are protecting seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft on Wednesday.

The NHL’s top-ranked draft prospect, defenseman Owen Power, says he is leaning toward playing his sophomore season at Michigan next year rather than turning pro.

The Buffalo Sabres have removed the interim tag from Don Granato and named him the team's full-time coach.

Hockey Hall of Fame center Gilbert Perreault has been saddened by the death of his Buffalo Sabres linemate and close friend Rene Robert.”.

The Buffalo Sabres won the NHL draft lottery and the expansion Seattle Kraken jumped up the order to take the No. 2 pick Wednesday night.

I think it’s safe to say he’s a world class playmaker, first and foremost.

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel says there is a disconnect between him and the team that has been there since he was sidelined by an injury in March.

Detroit Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who missed most of the season due to a previously undisclosed injury, has undergone successful back surgery, the team announced Wednesday.

Tristan Jarry stopped 27 shots and the Pittsburgh Penguins jumped into second place in the East Division standings with a 3-2 win over Buffalo, eliminating the Sabres from playoff contention.

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel will miss the rest of the season with a herniated disc in his neck.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning went into the NHL trade deadline without much money to make a move.

The Washington Capitals have made a blockbuster deal to acquire Anthony Mantha from the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL's trade deadline.

The banged-up Boston Bruins are getting a boost for their late-season playoff push by acquiring forward Taylor Hall in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.

Henrik Lundqvist says a checkup last week showed inflammation around his heart, a setback that will prevent the 39-year-old goaltender from playing for the Washington Capitals this season.

Buffalo Sabres celebrate a goal by center Curtis Lazar (27) during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Buffalo, N.Y., Wednesday, March 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Linus Ullmark stopped 31 shots and the Buffalo Sabres snapped an 18-game skid — the NHL’s longest in 17 years — with a 6-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night. It was the first win for Buffalo since a 4-1 victory at New Jersey on Feb. 23, and ended an 0-15-3 streak. The Sabres also snapped a 0-9-2 home skid, one short of matching a franchise record set during the 1990-91 season. After Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov scored 3:50 into the second period, Buffalo responded by closing the period with goals from Fogarty and Casey Mittelstadt.

Buffalo Sabres interim head coach Don Granato looks on during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Thursday, March 18, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Buffalo Sabres interim coach Don Granato and assistant Matt Ellis are headed back to work after being cleared from the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. The Sabres announced Granato and Ellis are traveling to join the team in Boston after spending a night in self-isolation in Pittsburgh. That led to general manager Kevyn Adams stepping in to coach the 4-0 loss, which extended the Sabres franchise-record winless skid to 0-14-2. 9 Minnesota Duluth, the two-time defending national champion, in a Midwest Regional semifinal. AdThe game will be ruled a no-contest and Minnesota Duluth will advance to the next round.

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___Buffalo Sabres interim coach Don Granato and assistant Matt Ellis have been placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. The development leaves general manager Kevyn Adams taking over behind the bench for Buffalo’s game at Pittsburgh on Thursday night. This marks the second time the Sabres have been hit by COVID-19 in two months. Buffalo’s season was paused for two weeks in early February after nine players and then-coach Ralph Krueger were placed in the protocol. The university said the team went through seven rounds of testing in the seven days leading up to its departure for Albany on Wednesday.

BUFFALO, NY - MARCH 21: referee Tim Peel #20 waves off a goal as the Buffalo Sabres face the the Montreal Canadiens during their NHL game at First Niagara Center on March 21, 2012 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images)The NHL has decided to fire a game official who was caught on audio saying he “wanted to get” a penalty against the Nashville Predators during the team’s game Tuesday night against the Detroit Red Wings. https://t.co/mrnDc61W5P pic.twitter.com/tKsg2SwGh8 — NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 24, 2021The Predators won, 2-0. Both teams received three penalties, then the Predators got a fourth for putting the puck over the glass. Nashville was 1-2 on the power play while Detroit came up empty in three power play opportunities.

The postponement of the game was the 38th overall this season for coronavirus-related reasons, and first to involve the seven-team all-Canadian North Division. The 10 players listed matches the most since Feb. 21. A total of 157 NHL players have now spent at least one day in the COVID-19 protocol this season. The NHL on Friday postponed two Bruins games after four more Boston players entered the COVID protocol, for a total of five. Sweeney said the players were driven separately back to Boston from Buffalo after that game was postponed.

The Boston Bruins had four players added to their list, which resulted in the league postponing their next two games. Boston’s David Pastrnak, Jake DeBrusk, David Krejci and Craig Smith joined Sean Kuraly, who entered the protocol a day earlier. The five players on one team are the most since the Philadelphia Flyers had five on Feb. 23. A total of 153 players have spent at least one day in the protocol since the NHL season began publishing its list on Jan. 13. ___The NHL has paused the Boston Bruins after four more players entered the league’s COVID protocol.

The Sabres fired coach Ralph Krueger on Wednesday, March 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Firing Buffalo Sabres coach Ralph Krueger on Wednesday represents just the beginning of what could become Kevyn Adams’ major overhaul of an overpriced, underperforming team in the midst of a 12-game skid. The Sabres are starting fresh yet again with Krueger becoming Buffalo’s sixth coach fired in just over eight calendar years. AdKrueger is the third NHL coach fired this season, after Montreal dismissed Claude Julien and Calgary replaced Geoff Ward with two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Darryl Sutter. “There has to be pride that goes with putting on a Buffalo Sabres’ jersey.”The Sabres have lurched from one crisis to another this season.

Ovechkin matched Phil Esposito for sixth on the NHL list with his 717th goal and the Washington Capitals beat the Buffalo Sabres 6-0 on Monday night. Vitek Vanecek stopped 23 shots for his first NHL shutout and improved to 4-0-1 against the Sabres. Backstrom’s 11th goal of the season came in his 984th game with the Capitals, passing Calle Johansson for second-most games in franchise history. Hutton made 24 saves for Buffalo, which is 0-9-2 in its past 11 games, the third-longest skid in team history. AdThe Sabres recalled center Rasmus Asplund from the taxi squad and sent defenseman Brandon Davidson to the taxi squad.

New York Islanders' Cal Clutterbuck (15) passes the puck away from Buffalo Sabres' Jack Eichel (9) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury that is not yet considered season-ending. Coach Ralph Krueger on Saturday was unable to provide a fixed timetable except to say Eichel is “out for the foreseeable future." The update came after Eichel traveled to see a specialist over the past two days to further determine the severity of the injury. He missed the first week of training camp after sustaining an upper-body injury during a pre-camp on-ice workout in Buffalo. Eichel also missed two games last month with a lower-body injury.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Mathew Barzal and Scott Mayfield each had a goal and an assist and the New York Islanders beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Saturday for their fourth straight victory. New York beat Buffalo for the fifth straight time this season, outscoring the Islanders 19-7 in those five meetings. Cal Clutterbuck extended the lead at 8:45, sending a wrist shot past Hutton for his second goal this season. AdMayfield made it 4-1 with his second goal of the season at 15:29, firing another high shot past Hutton. IRON MENThe Islanders have three players with consecutive game streaks of last 250 games: Lee 292, Brock Nelson 269 and Barzal 256.

The Flyers were spurred by a replenished lineup in which four players returned after spending two weeks in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. They included Scott Laughton, who scored a breakaway goal to make it 3-0 late in the second period. Elliott improved to 5-1 this season and upped his career record to 15-2-2 with four shutouts against the Sabres, including a 40-save outing in a 3-0 win on Jan. 19. Elliott chalked up his dominance to opening his career with Ottawa, Buffalo’s traditional Atlantic Division rival. The Sabres dropped to 2-6-1 in their past nine and played their second game without captain Jack Eichel, listed as day to day with a lower body injury.

Buffalo coach Ralph Krueger still wasnt ready to say whether high-priced forward Jeff Skinner will resume playing after a three-game benching. Except to say it's not a disciplinary issue, Krueger has declined to detail the reasons behind his decision regarding Skinner. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres enter the weekend dealing with injuries to two key players and uncertainty as to whether coach Ralph Krueger is going to end the benching of high-priced forward Jeff Skinner. Krueger would only say Skinner would be available to play Saturday. As for Ullmark, Krueger said the goalie is still being evaluated to determine the severity of the injury he sustained in the first period against the Devils.

(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Atlantic Coast Conference will expand use of KINEXON SafeTag contact tracing devices by equipping players, coaches and Tier 1 personnel for its upcoming men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. SafeTags measure proximity between users to provide school medical officials with contact tracing data when an individual tests positive for COVID-19. All 15 ACC schools used the devices inside team facilities during the regular season to mitigate the spread of the virus. An ACC release stated that the technology identified several high-risk close contacts of a positive case within the league. Bars, restaurants and music venues will also be able to close two hours later, at 2 a.m., instead of at midnight.

“I’m feeling quite well but, of course, scarred by the experience.”The first month of the NHL's pandemic-shortened season has been a bumpy one. From Jan. 13 through Saturday, 120 players from 26 of 31 teams have spent at least one day on the COVID-19 list. Minnesota and New Jersey are scheduled to return Tuesday, while the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently have seven players on the NHL COVID-19 list, are on pause until at least Thursday. AdThe NHL had 22 players on the COVID-19 list on Jan. 30, and that number ballooned to a season-high 59 on Friday. Rapid tests return results within a half hour and augment the PCR daily tests which were already taking place.

The Big 12 announced late Thursday that Saturday’s home game against TCU and next Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma have been postponed in accordance with the league’s interruption guidelines. With the latest changes, Baylor’s next scheduled game is at home Feb. 13 against No. AdThe NHL is releasing the names of players who are “unavailable” to the club for practice, travel or games due to virus protocols. ___West Virginia is boosting home attendance to 2,800, or 20% of capacity, for the men’s basketball game Feb. 13 between the 17th-ranked Mountaineers and No. ___Thursday’s women’s basketball game between No.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Carter Hutton (40) makes a save during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Buffalo Sabres are the latest NHL team to be shut down because of players in COVID protocol. The league has announced the Sabres are shut down through at least Feb. 8 after two players were added to the COVID-19 protocol list. Buffalo played New Jersey twice over the weekend, and the Devils are off through at least Feb. 6 with 10 players on the list. They are immediately isolated, not permitted to access club facilities, or to have direct contact with players or personnel. ___The NHL has postponed Tuesday's game between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders because of travel and weather-related concerns linked to coronavirus protocols.

Four games were postponed because of players testing positive or quarantining under the COVID-19 protocol. DePaul’s previously postponed game at St. John’s on Jan. 2 has been rescheduled for Feb. 20. Major League Baseball last week proposed a one-month delay in starting spring training due to the coronavirus pandemic. ___The Cleveland Indians will not be allowing fans to watch their spring training workouts in Arizona due to the COVID-19 pandemic. AdThere has not yet been a decision on whether fans will be able to attend spring training games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (9) carries the puck past New Jersey Devils forward Yegor Sharangovich (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Jack Eichel scored in a shootout, Linus Ullmark made 31 saves and the Buffalo Sabres beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Saturday. Victor Olofsson, Tobias Rieder and Eric Staal also scored to help the Sabres improve to 3-0-2 in their past five games. AdJanne Kuokkanen, Ty Smith and Andreas Johnsson scored for New Jersey in former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s first trip to Buffalo since taking over the Devils this offseason. Buffalo’s top free-agent acquisition assisted on two goals, tying Eichel for the team lead with nine points in eight games. RUFF’S RETURNRuff served as a Rangers assistant and Stars head coach since being fired by the Sabres in 2013.

(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON – Jakub Vrana had a goal and an assist, Vitek Vanecek made 24 saves through overtime and the short-handed Washington Capitals beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in a shootout Friday night in their home opener. Vanecek was perfect in the shootout to pick up his second victory of the season as defenseman John Carlson scored the shootout winner. Buffalo rookie Dylan Cozens scored his first NHL goal on a top-shelf snipe past Vanecek in the second period. Eric Staal and Riley Sheahan each scored his first goal since joining the Sabres. Linus Ullmark made 29 saves and was spotless in the shootout until Carlson beat him.

Zdeno Chara is no longer in Boston after the Bruins captain signed with Washington. And the Sabres made an even bigger splash in free agency by landing 2018 NHL MVP Taylor Hall in October. Hall, for example, signed a one-year, $8 million deal with Buffalo by realizing the free-agent market was going to be tight. Oilers general manager Ken Holland chalked it up to the new economic realities facing the NHL. “It’s salary-cap related, which is related to the pandemic, which has given us a hard, flat cap for the foreseeable future,” Holland said.

The team said the UWM logo will be on the team’s home, away, and practice helmets during the entirety of the 2021 season. UWM named exclusive mortgage partner of #RedWings & Little Caesars Arena; Will feature branding on Red Wings' player helmets, along with on-ice logos, in-arena signage, and extensive digital branding. More » https://t.co/FARpkdVjH7 pic.twitter.com/S4yLU8EEda — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 4, 2021The UWM logo will replace the “Detroit Red Wings” woodmark that has been on the helmets for decades. UWM will also have a sponsored presence on the Detroit Red Wings Radio Network.”Helmet ads have been resisted for years by NHL teams, the league, the players, and yes, the fans. The American Hockey League (AHL), where Red Wings affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins play, has been allowing such helmet ads for years.

FILE - Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) plays against the Buffalo Sabres during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, in this Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, file photo. Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will miss the start of training camp due to an illness, and there is no timetable for his return. (AP Photo/David Banks, File)CHICAGO – Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews will miss the start of training camp because of an illness, and there is no timetable for his return. “The Chicago Blackhawks organization and our medical staff will provide all necessary resources to help him return to playing hockey. “The health and privacy of all our players is paramount to the Chicago Blackhawks organization,” Bowman said.

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2020, file photo, Arizona Coyotes left wing Taylor Hall (91) is shown during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, in Glendale, Ariz. Forward Taylor Hall surprised many in turning down numerous contending NHL teams which courted him, and instead sign with the Buffalo Sabres in free agency. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Taylor Hall refused to buy into the negativity surrounding the Buffalo Sabres, and instead focused on the positives. And though Taylor acknowledged receiving longer-term offers from numerous teams, he settled on a one-year test-run contract with Buffalo. “Obviously, I’m betting on myself, but I’m betting that the Sabres can improve and have a good hockey season.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres are banking on Taylor Hall to turn what was a long and unsettled offseason into a far brighter immediate future. Buffalo became the surprise team to win the Hall free-agency sweepstakes by signing the 10th-year forward and six-time 20-goal-scorer to a one-year, $8 million contract Sunday night. The deal came together after the Sabres made landing Hall their top priority in free agency, with second-year coach Ralph Krueger playing an integral role. Krueger was an assistant in Edmonton during Hall's rookie season, and then spent the 2012-13 lockout shortened year as the Oilers coach. The Sabres entered free agency about $26 million under the NHL’s salary $81.5 million cap, and are currently projected to have about $14 million of space available following Hall’s addition.

And for the Detroit Red Wings, who had the best shot at landing the 1st overall pick in the lottery, that meant they were shoved down to 4th overall. The top draft pick surely would either got to the lowly Red Wings or a desperate Senators organization. Heres another look at those odds heading into the lottery:Detroit Red Wings (.275) -- 18.5 percent chance for No. 1 pickOttawa Senators (.437) -- 13.5 percentOttawa Senators (from San Jose Sharks, .450) -- 11.5 percentLos Angeles Kings (.457) -- 9.5 percentAnaheim Ducks (.472) -- 8.5 percentNew Jersey Devils (.493) -- 7.5 percentBuffalo Sabres (.493) -- 6.5 percentQualifier Team A -- 6.0 percentQualifier Team B -- 5.0 percentQualifier Team C -- 3.5 percentQualifier Team D -- 3.0 percentQualifier Team E -- 2.5 percentQualifier Team F -- 2.0 percentQualifier Team G -- 1.5 percentQualifier Team H -- 1.0 percentGood luck to you, Qualifier Team A. The Red Wings entered the 2019 draft lottery with the fourth-best chance of getting the No.

The 2020 NHL Draft Lottery will be held in phases starting with the First Phase on Friday, June 26. How the draft lottery will goIt will consist of three drawings and include the seven teams whose season ended and eight placeholder positions. The eight potential losing teams from the qualifiers will be represented in the First Phase of the draft lottery as unassigned picks. 1 pickOttawa Senators (.437) -- 13.5 percentOttawa Senators (from San Jose Sharks, .450) -- 11.5 percentLos Angeles Kings (.457) -- 9.5 percentAnaheim Ducks (.472) -- 8.5 percentNew Jersey Devils (.493) -- 7.5 percentBuffalo Sabres (.493) -- 6.5 percentQualifier Team A -- 6.0 percentQualifier Team B -- 5.0 percentQualifier Team C -- 3.5 percentQualifier Team D -- 3.0 percentQualifier Team E -- 2.5 percentQualifier Team F -- 2.0 percentQualifier Team G -- 1.5 percentQualifier Team H -- 1.0 percentTop prospectsWinger Alexis Lafreniere, out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), is expected to go first overall. Follow updates from the First Phase lottery drawing here: