Thomas Vanek drove Jason Pominville to the airport Thursday morning. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Darcy Regier’s strong words stuck with Thomas Vanek. Prior to Saturday, the general manager had never publicly made any of his Sabres available to other teams during his long tenure. At that point, four days before trade deadline, the slick winger knew major changes could hit the Sabres.
Sure enough, Regier dealt captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday for two prospects and two draft picks.
It could just be the first of several major moves.
“Now with Jason …
Thomas Vanek wants to talk to management. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – After trading captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild, general manager Darcy Regier said the Sabres’ reconstruction could take some time.
Slick winger Thomas Vanek recently said he “would probably look in the other direction” if the Sabres had a two- or three-year plan.
So, did Wednesday’s deal, coupled with earlier trades of defensemen Jordan Leopold and Robyn Regehr, change Vanek’s mind?
“Probably, I mean, obviously we gave up three good players in the last week, got a lot of picks …
Jason Pominville became a Sabres regular in 2005-06. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Instead of trading captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild before the deadline Wednesday, the 13th-place Sabres could’ve tried staying in the playoff chase and acquiring another player to make a run at eighth place, general manager Darcy Regier said.
But the Sabres, whose owner, Terry Pegula, has spent tens of millions of dollars pursuing his championship dream, no longer embrace that kind of philosophy.
They’ve started thinking long-term.
“The preference is to build for a Stanley Cup versus a playoff …
Luke Adam spent more than a year in the minors. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldPITTSBURGH – One day this winter, Luke Adam finally had enough. The 22-year-old cleared his head and stopped wondering about his future with the Buffalo Sabres.
In just a few months last season, Adam suffered a stunning decline, morphing from a first-line NHL scoring threat into a forgotten AHL player repeatedly bypassed for recalls.
But fretting wasn’t helping Adam’s career.
“That’s what got me in trouble,” Adam said Tuesday prior to the Sabres’ 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins inside Consol Energy Center, …
Jason Pominville has played 577 games with the Sabres. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldPITTSBURGH – Following the Buffalo Sabres’ morning skate, captain Jason Pominville politely declined to say whether he has given general manager Darcy Regier a list of eight teams he wouldn’t like to be traded.
Pominville sure sounded like he has submitted a list, though.
“I don’t want to answer by yes or no, but what I can say is Darcy has a job to do, and for him to be able to that in my case, in guys that have these kind …
Robyn Regehr crunched Milan Lucic on Sunday, his last Sabres appearance. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldPITTSBURGH – Robyn Regehr’s absence from Buffalo Sabres practice Monday morning inside the First Niagara Center raised eyebrows.
With Wednesday’s deadline approaching, had the veteran defenseman waived his no-trade clause and been dealt?
The 32-year-old was just enjoying a maintenance day off the ice.
Shortly after practice ended around noon, Regehr walked into the dressing room and said he couldn’t “say yes or no right now” about ditching his no-trade clause again, which he waived in 2011 to leave Calgary.
But Monday night, the …
Robyn Regehr has a no-trade clause. ©2013, Dam Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – The Sabres traded defenseman Robyn Regehr to the Los Angeles Kings tonight for two second-round picks, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported.
It was widely believed the 32-year-old would waive his no-trade clause to join a contender. The veteran, an unrestricted free agent following the season, had previously waived it to join the Sabres in 2011 from Calgary.
Regehr said earlier today inside the First Niagara Center before the Sabres left for Pittsburgh he hadn’t waived his no-trade clause and the media …
Robyn Regehr tangled with David Krejci on Sunday. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Robyn Regehr was simply enjoying a maintenance day from practice this morning. The Sabres defenseman, the subject of trade speculation with Wednesday’s deadline approaching, hasn’t waived his no-trade clause, he said.
Regehr said the media would have to ask general manager Darcy Regier about the plans for his team.
“From there I think we can make our decision,” Regehr said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.
Regehr couldn’t “say yes or no right now” about waiving his no-trade clause, something …
Robyn Regehr has a no-trade clause. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – Cue the trade speculation.
Sabres defenseman Robyn Regher, a 32-year-old veteran among the best rental players believed to be available before Wednesday’s trade deadline, isn’t practicing this morning inside the First Niagara Center.
Regehr, an unrestricted free agent following the season, has a no-trade clause, something he waived in 2011 to come to the Sabres. Many believe Regehr would waive it again.
Stay tuned for more details.
Wingers Ville Leino (muscle strain) and Steve Ott are also absent. Leading scorer Thomas Vanek …
Ville Leino, who scored twice Saturday, skates away from Troy Brouwer. ©2013, Dan Hickling, Olean Times HeraldBUFFALO – An agitated Ron Rolston mostly offered short, vague answers to questions about the Sabres’ woes following a 4-3 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday before a capacity crowd of 19,070 fans inside the First Niagara Center.
The reeling Sabres had just blown a 3-1 third-period lead, and the interim coach was in no mood to give any insight into their third straight loss.
A sampling:
Almost 20 games into his tenure, does he have major questions about the Sabres’ …