Two current Sabres have some history with newly acquired Brad Boyes: Tim Connolly and Steve Montador both starred with Boyes on the 1998-99 Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. Connolly was that team's leading scorer with 68 points (34-34) in 46 games while Boyes had 60 points (24-36) in 59 games. Montador was the team's top defenseman with 42 points (9-33) and 114 penalty minutes in 61 games.
Current Pittsburgh Penguins tough guy Mike Rupp was also on that Erie squad. The head coach was Paul Theriault, one of Ted Nolan's former assistants with the Sabres.
This is the second time Boyes has been part of a trade involving the Sabres. On March 9, 2004, Boyes was in a three-way deal as he went from San Jose to Boston for Jeff Jillson. The Sharks then traded Jillson and a ninth-round draft pick to Buffalo for Curtis Brown and Andy Delmore, and flipped Delmore back to Boston for future considerations.
After playing in last night's game in Calgary -- and having his tying goal with three minutes left wiped out by a high stick -- you would imagine Boyes will most likely join the Sabres for their morning skate Tuesday in New York. It remains to be seen, however, if Connolly and/or Montador will be there. They are both unrestricted free agents after the season and seem like possibilities for several teams, although Darcy Regier said Saturday and confirmed again last night that the Sabres are looking to buy and not sell. We'll see today.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
