Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

It’s Buffalo Sabres day on PHT

Winnipeg Jets v Buffalo Sabres

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 22: Steve Ott #9 of the Buffalo Sabres stretches prior to playing against the Winnipeg Jets at First Niagara Center on April 22, 2013 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Sean Rudyk/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Throughout the month of August, PHT will be dedicating a day to all 30 NHL clubs. Today’s team? The Buffalo Sabres.

Things haven’t exactly gone how owner Terry Pegula hoped they would when he bought the team. Instead of challenging for and winning a Stanley Cup, the team has missed the playoffs the last two seasons.

Now the team enters a season where they’re still not sure how long they’ll have Ryan Miller and Thomas Vanek to kick around. Both guys are unrestricted free agents after the season and will have trade rumors floating around them all year. Who said Buffalo was a boring place?

Offseason recap

Instead of diving head-first into the free agent pile, GM Darcy Regier instead bought out forward Nathan Gerbe (who signed with Carolina afterward). One deal Regier did make was with New Jersey to bring back Henrik Tallinder to try and recapture the chemistry he had with Tyler Myers. Considering how many more years and dollars they’ve got committed to him, it’s not the worst move to make.

In the NHL Draft they went with big Finnish defender Rasmus Ristolainen who may end up challenging for a job in the NHL right away. Buffalo’s blue line is a crowded house, but they love Ristolainen’s style.

All eyes will stay on Miller and Vanek, however. Buffalo better hope they show something in the new Atlantic Division to make both guys think about staying in Western New York.

Related:

Introducing: PHT’s ‘Team of the Day’ summer series

Follow @JoeYerdonPHT