Stillman joins Sabres, could debut Thursday in Boston

Riley Stillman was inside KeyBank Center as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks for the Buffalo Sabres' final game of last season, when a passionate crowd filled the building to honor Rick Jeanneret during the final call of his Hall-of-Fame broadcast career.
The Sabres twice erased third-period deficits that night before winning on Casey Mittelstadt's goal in overtime. It was the second time they had come back against Stillman and the Blackhawks that season, and the experience left a mark.
"They're a team that we didn't want to play against," Stillman said. "The skill and the talent and the ability of the guys to buy into each other and want to win for each other - you look down the bench from the visiting team and a guy scores, they're just as happy and they had nothing to do with it, right?
"It's a team that wants everyone to be successful and wants everyone to grow and get better as a group. It's intimidating as a visitor and exciting coming in here to have that opportunity."

Those memories fueled Stillman's excitement on Wednesday as he joined the Sabres at KeyBank Center, less than two days removed from being acquired in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks. Stillman did not practice due to the ongoing immigration process but did spend time with his coaches and teammates.
"You can see he's very excited," Sabres coach Don Granato said. "He was head-to-toe in Sabres gear and ready to work out and get going."
Granato outlined the upside of adding Stillman to the defensive depth chart earlier this week. Stillman shows a tendency toward wanting to play an aggressive, gritty game and, at 24 years old, the Sabres believe he has the capacity and appetite for improvement.
Granato said Stillman could make his Sabres debut as early as Thursday night in Boston, should the immigration process allow. The Sabres will be without Rasmus Dahlin, who skated on his own Wednesday but remains day to day, for the third straight game.
"I'm not worried at this point yet that he's been out of practice or away from it too long," Granato said. "I think the adrenaline, excitement can compensate for that in the short window."

Stillman described his game as a blend of old school and new school. He enjoys delivering hits and blocking shots and has fought seven times in the past two seasons. But he is also eager to play in a system that promotes aggressive decision making by its defensemen.
"I think it's something that I can bring, that sort of on-your-toes mentality, the aggressiveness and stuff like that," Stillman said. "So, I'm excited to see and get adapted here in the next little bit and hopefully throw myself at it."
Buffalo is Stillman's fourth NHL stop. He began his career with Florida, which drafted him during the fourth round in 2016, then spent a season and a half with Chicago. He was acquired by Vancouver in October.
"It's exciting to come to a group that's young and coming and in the right direction and in the hunt for a playoff spot," he said. "I mean, it's fun playing hockey that matters every night and I'm just ecstatic to be here."
Here are more notes from Wednesday's practice at KeyBank Center.
1. Granato said he does not expect Dahlin to play at home against Tampa Bay on Saturday in addition to missing Thursday's game in Boston.
"I don't want to rush him back with the type of issue he's dealing with," Granato said. "So, I don't expect him back Saturday, but I don't have any feedback on (Dahlin's skate) this morning yet."
2.Stillman was greeted by familiar faces upon his arrival in Buffalo. His father, Cory, was a longtime NHL forward who won his second Stanley Cup alongside Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams as members of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, when Riley was 8 years old.
"We talked today, actually, some old memories of when I was kind of buzzing around the room as a kid folding towels and hanging out with the trainers and doing all that stuff and picking his brain," Stillman said.
Cory Stillman was also teammates with Jeff Skinner during Skinner's rookie season in 2010-11.
3. The Sabres visit the Bruins at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Coverage on MSG begins at 6:30 p.m.