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Derek Roy News & Rumors

Roy brushes aside trade rumors
January 10
Buffalo News
 
"Derek Roy has enough issues. The Buffalo Sabres' center has a balky shoulder that will likely keep him out of the lineup tonight in Toronto for the second straight game, he's on pace for his worst offensive season in six years and he's getting plenty of blame from fans for the team's continued struggles. Now there's this: Roy is the hottest name in the rumor mill if the Sabres make a trade. There are all kinds of rumors out there, most of them from little-known websites lacking much credibility. But it's quite a bit different when your name gets mentioned on "Hockey Night in Canada.""
Vanek, Roy hit Sabres milestone together
December 16
Buffalo News
 
"One is a kid from Ottawa who came up through the Canadian junior ranks. The other is an Austrian who played American college hockey and made Minnesota his adopted home. They were born 8 1/2 months apart in 1983-84 and have been teammates since 2004 in Rochester. Tonight in First Niagara Center is an intriguing game for the Buffalo Sabres, who host the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first time this season. But it's a milestone one for Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek, who will both play the 500th game of their NHL careers. Roy and Vanek, longtime linemates now playing apart, will become the 25th and 26th players to take the ice 500 times with the Sabres in the franchise's 41 seasons. "That's"
Stafford, Roy, Ennis on notice
December 14
Buffalo News
 columnist Bucky Gleason
"Lindy Ruff has had his moments this year, but one thing you can always count on is his ability to make himself clear. He has no qualms with identifying players by name and doesn't often mince words. He'll call a spade a spade, as he likes to say, when facing the harsh realites after a game. The reality Tuesday night was Drew Stafford's blown coverage, more than anything else, contributed to the Sabres suffering another loss at home. He was responsible for defenseman Jared Cowen and instead allowed him to roam freely for the winner in the Senators' 3-2 overtime victory in First Niagara Center. "Staff was supposed to stay with his guy," Ruff said. "He was with him at the top of the circle"
Pominville, Roy ready to go
September 12
Buffalo News
 
"A large number of the Sabres were on hand Monday at Park Country Club for the team's annual alumni golf tournament and there's good news on the injury front: Jason Pominville and Derek Roy both said they are 100 percent physically and ready to start full workouts with the team on Saturday. Pominville, you'll recall, missed the last two games of the playoff series against Philadelphia after suffering a severed tendon while Roy returned for Game Seven after missing more than four months with his torn quad. Roy was far from 100 percent for that game but said he was improving every day. He took a few weeks off when the series ended to get back to his regular regimen. For his part, Pominville"
Sabres back off saying Roy will play in Game 7
April 26
Philly.com
 
"Looking for a boost, Sabres coach Lindy Ruff emphatically said Sunday night that Derek Roy would suit up for Buffalo tonight in Game 7 for the first time since Dec. 23, when he severed his left quadriceps in a freak run-in with a skate. Ruff suddenly backpedaled yesterday when asked about the status of the Sabres center. "I don't even know if he's playing yet," Ruff told the Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald after the Sabres' skate yesterday in Buffalo. "I don't know what to expect. I was hopeful. I don't know. We'll see. I hope he can play. We'll see [this morning]." With Tim Connolly officially out of the lineup tonight, according to Ruff, with an apparent head injury suffered from Mike"
Ruff is playing games, but Roy is playing Game Seven
April 26
Buffalo News
 columnist Jerry Sullivan
"Given a night to reconsider, Lindy Ruff reverted to the usual mind games. After Sunday's loss, Ruff had said that Derek Roy would be returning to the lineup for Game Seven. "He's got to be ready," he said. But come Monday morning, Ruff was back in full playoff coach mode. When pressed for information, provide as little as possible. If someone asks if the sky is blue, go with green. If there's a sliver of doubt about a player's health, plead ignorance. "I don't even know if he's playing yet," Ruff said when asked what he expected from Roy tonight. "So I don't know what to expect." But you said Sunday he was playing, someone reminded the coach. "Well, I was hopeful," Ruff said. "But I don't"
Derek Roy says he's ready to play Tuesday
April 25
Buffalo News
 
"Derek Roy said he's 100 percent healed, and the Sabres center is ready to play Tuesday for the first time since needing quad surgery in late December. He comes back just in time, with the Sabres traveling to Philadelphia for Game Seven to decide the winner of their first-round series. "It's a great experience to go out there and know that all is on the line," Roy said today after practice in HSBC Arena. "It's going to be a moment that will last forever.""
Roy back on skates, is encouraged
March 31
Buffalo News
 
"Whether he ends up playing this season or not, injured Buffalo Sabres center Derek Roy continues to be encouraged with his rehabilitation. Roy has skated lightly three times in the last week, and had his first major workout Wednesday prior to the Sabres' optional morning skate in HSBC Arena. He was on the ice for nearly a half-hour and spent the last 15 minutes or so firing pucks at the net at both ends of the ice. Roy was the only player on the ice during the workout. He was the team's leading scorer with 35 points in 35 games when he suffered a torn quad tendon Dec. 23 against Florida. He had surgery a few days later, with a recovery time listed of 4-6 months. "It's been nice to get on"
Sabres' Roy looking at a possible return in May
March 19
Buffalo News
 
"Derek Roy admits it's a long shot -- but that's infinitely better than no shot. The Buffalo Sabres center was thought to be lost for the season in December when he needed surgery to repair a torn quad tendon. He is rapidly improving, however, and hopes to be on the ice again this spring. "It's a long shot, but I'm trying to get ready for the playoffs," Roy told The Buffalo News this week. "It's something to shoot for. Probably second round would be the best-case scenario." Roy attended Tuesday's game against Carolina and was walking fine. He needed crutches following the surgery and then dropped to a cane, but he is now strolling unaided. Coach Lindy Ruff said the center could be back by"
Niedermayer gets larger role with Roy out
December 28
Buffalo News
 
"The NHL schedule said the Buffalo Sabres had to move on Monday night without the gone-for-the-season Derek Roy. It wasn't easy. "It's hard for all of us to deal with but especially for me as a friend and a linemate," Thomas Vanek, Roy's longtime winger, said before the game against the Calgary Flames. "I've played with him a long time now it seems like. It's tough. We feel bad for him. It seemed like a nothing play and now he's done. He was having a great year." Roy, Buffalo's leading scorer with 35 points in 35 games, was knocked out with a torn quad tendon by a hit Thursday night from Florida's Dmitry Kulikov. He will have surgery this week. "I heard right after the game it wasn't"
Sabres' top scorer Roy out for the season
December 25
Buffalo News
 
"The offensively challenged Buffalo Sabres have a new challenge to meet, and it's a whopper. The team's leading scorer, Derek Roy, needs surgery on a torn quadriceps tendon and will miss the rest of the season. General Manager Darcy Regier announced Friday that the center will have surgery in the next few days, with an expected recovery time of four to six months. "You lose someone like Derek, and it leaves a pretty big hole in your offensive lineup," Regier said. "I think we're going to have to, as a team, the coaches and players are going to have to dig in and support and find ways to win." Roy was hurt early in the first period of Thursday night's 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers in HSBC"
Derek Roy likely out longterm after suffering a left knee injury
December 24
Buffalo News
 
"Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau has caused quite a stir in the hockey world the last week for his wildly profane dressing room tirade aired on HBO's "24/7" that was filmed during a recent game against the Florida Panthers. Too bad the HBO cameras weren't in HSBC Arena on Thursday night. The Buffalo Sabres could have provided them plenty of footage during their troubling 4-3 loss to the Panthers, a game that saw them wipe out a 3-0 deficit but then lose anyway despite a 48-29 advantage in shots on goal. And the news gets even worse for a Buffalo team that heads into the Christmas break mired in 12th place in the Eastern Conference: Leading scorer Derek Roy will likely be out for"
Roy recovers from head, elbow ailments
November 26
Buffalo News
 
"The Buffalo Sabres center was dealing with an ocular migraine throughout the 1-0 loss to Pittsburgh. It started just before the opening faceoff and caused vision problems and even some dizziness. On top of that, Roy was crushed in the left elbow by a Tyler Myers shoot-in during the first period that made his arm numb. After all that, Roy took part in practice Thursday in a non-contact role in HSBC Arena. But he said he should be fine for tonight's visit from the Toronto Maple Leafs. Roy, who has no history of headaches, said this one struck him during coach Lindy Ruff's pregame speech. "I couldn't really see and it's tough to go out there when you can't see," Roy said. "The doctor said it"
Sabres should have nixed rumors
November 26
Buffalo News
 columnist Bucky Gleason
"The Sabres wonder why people were so suspicious about Tim Connolly suffering a mysterious welt under his eye during Ryan Miller's annual "Catwalk for Charity," but they should take a share of the blame for wild rumors racing across town that suggested Derek Roy decked him. Let's get this straight:A professional athlete who can stickhandle in a phone booth somehow fell down . . . while practicing a skit for a charity event . . . left practice a day later with a strange groin injury . . . and was unavailable to the media. That's some coincidence. Well, a team source confirmed that's exactly what it was. Apparently, Connolly really did take a spill and bopped his head off of a carpet. The"
Roy working his way into elite company
November 16
Buffalo News
 columnist Jerry Sullivan
"Apparently, Derek Roy went underground after last year's playoff loss to the Bruins. He actually seemed surprised to hear he was a prime target of public derision after the Sabres' distressing first-round ouster. "You know, I didn't even know that," Roy said with a chuckle. "Thanks for that." Roy didn't need to hear or read it. He knew his performance against the Bruins wasn't up to his or the organization's standards. He figured the critics were howling, and he couldn't blame, them. The question was what to do about it. "Obviously, that playoff was not great for me," Roy said Monday before the Sabres beat the Canucks, 4-3 in overtime, in HSBC Arena. "I missed a lot of chances. Our top"
Sabres' Roy wraps up productive preseason
October 4
Buffalo News
 
"Derek Roy just never seemed down about his struggles during last season's playoffs. Sure, he was as bummed as anyone that the Buffalo Sabres lost in the first round, but despite a no-goal performance he bucked conventional wisdom and felt he had a good series. He tossed out the list of excuses at his disposal -- he lost high-scoring linemate Thomas Vanek to injury, pucks were bouncing off posts instead of finding twine -- and went on his way toward the summertime. Fact is, though, Roy needs to produce for the Sabres to succeed. The six-game loss to Boston proved that. He's their top center, and it's up to him to be a catalyst for the offense. Based on a stellar preseason, he's ready. Roy"
Sabres' Roy looks for way to melt cold streak
February 1
Buffalo News
 
"The not-so-subtle hints have been making their way into Lindy Ruff's chats for a couple of weeks. Derek Roy, the Buffalo Sabres' coach said, needs to play better. No one has to tell Roy. He's fully aware. The center enters tonight's game against Pittsburgh in Mellon Arena on another cold streak. Roy has no goals in the last eight games and only one in the last 13 outings. The slump should be over. Roy and Thomas Vanek worked a perfect give-and-go during Friday's 2-1 victory over Boston, with Roy staring at an empty net. He missed. For a guy with a total of 60 goals during the previous two seasons, it was tough to handle. "The other night I missed an empty net, and that doesn't happen," Roy"
Sabres fail to cash in on their scoring chances
November 28
Buffalo News
 
"Derek Roy, Thomas Vanek and the Buffalo Sabres had their chances. They could be seen shaking their heads on the bench. Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals had their chances. They could be seen hugging, high-fiving and receiving ear-piercing standing ovations from their fans. Any guesses which team ended its winless streak Wednesday night? The Sabres failed to score for the second time this season, and their skid reached four games as the Capitals earned a 2-0 victory in Verizon Center. The Sabres are just 0-3-1 since a three-game winning streak. The Sabres had opportunities to score and get back to the right side of the win-loss ledger. But, as has been the case over the past 11"
Roy's line letting chances go by the boards
November 5
Buffalo News
 
"Every game, often more than once, the glorious scoring opportunity arises. Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek create a two-on-one, or Drew Stafford joins them for an even better odd-man rush. And every game, often more than once, the chance fades without a goal. The Buffalo Sabres' most potent scoring line is creating anxious moments for goaltenders on a nightly basis. The goalies, though, get to exhale in relief when no shots come their way. The trio has eight goals this season on, oh, about 200 opportunities. OK, so it's not that many. But they've come away empty way more than they've celebrated. "We could have had eight the other night," Roy said Monday in HSBC Arena. "We hit two posts, missed"
Roy's line letting chances go by the boards
November 3
Buffalo News
 
"Every game, often more than once, the glorious scoring opportunity arises. Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek create a two-on-one, or Drew Stafford joins them for an even better odd-man rush. And every game, often more than once, the chance fades without a goal. The Buffalo Sabres' most potent scoring line is creating anxious moments for goaltenders on a nightly basis. The goalies, though, get to exhale in relief when no shots come their way. The trio has eight goals this season on, oh, about 200 opportunities. OK, so it's not that many. But they've come away empty way more than they've celebrated. "We could have had eight the other night," Roy said Monday in HSBC Arena. "We hit two posts, missed"
Roy to see another side of Ruff at worlds
April 14
Buffalo News
 
"Derek Roy insists his relationship with Lindy Ruff is fine. And the Buffalo Sabres' leading scorer said he's looking forward to playing for his coach again when Team Canada heads to the World Championships in Switzerland. Roy led the Sabres in scoring this year with 70 points but took plenty of heat from Ruff late in the season in games and in practices as both he and Thomas Vanek went into scoring slumps. "We definitely get along OK. He just wants some of his top players to do well and he's hard on them so it can reverberate throughout the team," Roy said Monday. "The younger guys can take notice of that and try to work harder. "He's pushing us to be better players and individuals. He"