The Buffalo Sabres have made their first round of cuts this morning, nothing affecting the Portland Pirates, by sending nine players back to their respective junior clubs.

Forwards:
Riley Boychuk (Portland, WHL)
Cedrick Henley (Val d’Or, QMJHL)
Steven Shipley (Niagara, OHL)
Kevin Sundher (Chilliwack, WHL)
Gregg Sutch (Mississauga, OHL)

Defensemen:
Corey Fienhage (Kamloops, WHL)
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc (Rimouski, QMJHL)
Matt MacKenzie (Calgary, WHL)
Mark Pysyk (Edmonton, WHL)

Henley, who is the older brother of Lewiston Maineiacs forward Sam Henley, is expected in the lineup this weekend against the Maineiacs when they travel to Val d’Or.

The Sabres also released goaltender Zane Kalemba from his tryout.

With those moves, the Sabres now have 49 players are left in camp with a hectic preseason schedule upcoming as they play five games in seven nights including the Kraft Hockeyville game in Dundas, ON.

After the game on Tuesday, it’s expected that Buffalo will make their first round of cuts of players heading to Portland in preparations of Pirates training camp getting underway by the end of the week.

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The Sabres are also in discussions with Zack Kassian according to his agent, who spoke with the Associated Press, about signing the 19-year old.

Paul Krepelka told the Press by phone that he optimistic that both side could come to an agreement by sometime next week. Kassian wouldn’t be eligible to play in Portland because he plays in the CHL and he’s 19-years old, but it would have an effect of the Pirates roster if he were to make the Sabres roster out of training camp, forcing potentially either Nathan Gerbe or Tyler Ennis back to the minors.

Talks with the Sabres had been suspended since May when Kassian was charged with assault for allegedly punching a man at a bar in Windsor, Ont.

Sabres have yet to comment on the report.