AMHERST – The trade rumors, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Robyn Regehr said, don’t bother him. They’re part of being an NHL player around the trade deadline, which hits Wednesday.
“If you want to know any more about them, I think you’re asking the wrong Regehr right now,” the 32-year-old veteran, an unrestricted free agent this summer, said this afternoon after the Sabres practiced inside the Northtown Center.
Of course, Regehr was referring to Sabres general manager Darcy Regier.
Regehr the player has a no-trade clause, something he waived to come to the Sabres from Calgary in June 2011.
He acknowledged he’s chatted with Regier recently.
“I’ve talked with him, more mainly just about the team and where we’re at and what kind of things we need to do to improve,” Regehr said. “That was the main part of the conversation.”
Has Regehr started thinking about his future, though?
“You’re always thinking and preparing yourself for different situations,” Regehr said. “Right now, what I’m really trying to think about is my game. That’s the main focus right now. To say I didn’t think about it a little bit, I’d be lying to you. That’s just the reality of the situation. It’s not something I’m focused on.”
Meanwhile, Sabres captain Jason Pominville, who has a limited no-trade clause, bristled at the suggestion he could be dealt, saying rumors don’t affect him.
“It makes no sense to me right now,” Pominville said. “Again, I have a contract that has a clause in it. I haven’t been asked anything. So I’m not worried about it. I just got to go out there and play, and if something happens, I’ll worry about it.”
Pominville believes most rumors are made up by people seeking attention.
“I think you hear your name from people who want more followers on Twitter,” he said. “They’ll come out and say different things. I mean, you hear your name here and there, but where are those things really coming from? I think we really just got to worry about playing. There’s going to be rumors every year. That’s the way it is. That’s the nature of the sport.”
In other news, interim Sabres coach Ron Rolston said slick winger Thomas Vanek (muscle strain) is doubtful for Saturday’s home tilt against Washington. Vanek missed his fifth game this season Thursday. He didn’t practice today.
Check back for a full story later.