Christian Ehrhoff apparently will be the first member of the Buffalo Sabres to secure a job during the lockout.
Ehrhoff is in Germany finalizing a deal with the Krefeld Pinguine of the German elite league. Krefeld's advisory board is meeting to determine how it will cover the insurance for Ehrhoff, who is in the second year of a 10-year, $40 million deal with the Sabres.
The defenseman is expected to practice with the Pinguine on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, 20 players in the Sabres' organization, plus unsigned Jochen Hecht, gathered for practice in Amherst today. Retired Sabres Andrew Peters and Jay McKee led the drills for the 90-minute session.
"I’m being serious about it," Peters said in Northtown Center at Amherst. "Jay’s being serious about it. I want to help contribute to these guys staying in shape during this lockout period."
The list of Sabres who skated: Mike Weber, Steve Ott, Jordan Leopold, Matt Ellis, Brayden McNabb, Zemgus Girgensons, Andrej Sekera, Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek, Luke Adam, Marcus Foligno, Robyn Regehr, Drew Stafford, Cody McCormick, T.J. Brennan, Drew Schiestel, Adam Pardy and goaltenders Jhonas Enroth, David Leggio and Connor Knapp. Tyler Ennis and Tyler Myers did off-ice workouts.
The players are hopeful that the lockout, which started Sunday, is a short one -- though they know it's unlikely.
"Of course we’d like to be playing," Leopold said. "The owners unfortunately want a lockout, but that’s their choice right now. There’s still some time here, and hopefully it will allow us to get something done."
---John Vogl
