The Minnesota Wild has joined the list of NHL teams that are laying off or cutting the pay of employees because of the lockout, but the Buffalo Sabres do not plan a reduction in staff or salaries at the present time.
With little to do because of the lack of hockey, the Wild announced it will cut employees' pay 20 percent next month and have them work four-day, 32-hour weeks. The NHL imposed similar rules on its workers last month, while Calgary, Florida, St. Louis, Columbus and Ottawa have also implemented rollbacks.
The Sabres have not discussed trimming hours or employees. If the labor dispute between the league and the NHL Players' Association eliminates the 2012-13 season, it's possible the work force would be re-examined.
In place of their normal hockey-related jobs, Sabres employees have spent time doing charity work or learning how the organization works. They built wooden benches Tuesday for Heritage Center in Cheektowaga and helped package meals for Western New York and Hurricane Sandy-affected families earlier this month. They also attended "Sabres University," a program of classes taught by employees in the team's various departments.
---John Vogl
