BUFFALO – Given their weak standing as Wednesday’s trade deadline approaches, the Sabres must listen to “anything and everything” available to them, general manager Darcy Regier.
“I am listening. I have talked to all 30 GMs over the last, if I say week, it certainly takes in all of them,” Regier said tonight prior to the Sabres’ tilt against the Washington Capitals inside the First Niagara Center. “I’ll continue to try to figure out ways we can be better, not just for the rest of this year but, more importantly, for the future.”
Regier was speaking after trading defenseman Jordan Leopold to the St. Louis Blues for a second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick that could turn into a fourth-rounder in June’s NHL Entry Draft.
The 32-year-old Leopold, who had two goals and eight points in 24 games, will be an unrestricted free agent following the season. He signed a three-year, $9 million contract with the Sabres in July 2010.
“He’s obviously a good player,” Regier said. “His contract’s up at the end of the year. Where we are as an organization and as a team, it’s an opportunity to get something that’s more focused on the future.”
Could Regier envision himself trading franchise goalie Ryan Miller or captain Jason Pominville?
“We have to be open to everything, and we have to be open to that as well,” Regier said. “You’re looking to get a group of top players that are going to play together, not on a one-year basis, but, going forward, (a) multi-year basis. And so that’s our focus, and it could involve any players, and I think the players are aware of that.”