Sabres Edge

By Tim Graham

When the Buffalo Sabres traded center Derek Roy on Monday, it reminded me of the time goaltender Martin Biron and I convinced Roy that I was on the verge of getting traded to Newsday.

I referenced the story in a tweet that generated a healthy response. People wanted to know the details. So, inspired by similar anecdotes I've been reading the past few days in Frank Deford's excellent autobiography "Over Time," here's just one of a thousand behind-the-scene stories I can tell from two decades hanging out in locker rooms.

A day or two before the NHL trade deadline in February 2007, I leaned against the wall in a nearly empty Sabres dressing room, waiting to interview a particular player. I don't recall who.

Biron and I were about five feet apart on opposite sides of the entryway. He was inspecting his leg pads at his locker stall. Roy sat at his locker way down the row to Biron's left. Jason Pominville was down the row of lockers to my right.

On the large, flat-screen television was a TSN show dissecting trade-deadline rumors.

Ever since Ryan Miller emerged as the franchise goalie, Biron's name frequently got bandied about as trade bait. He was anxious about getting dealt, and this time he would be -- to the Philadelphia Flyers. By this time, Biron and I had known each other for seven years and enjoyed many conversations never meant for the paper.

With my notepad in my back pocket and no recorder I asked Biron -- just two guys talking -- how he was holding up. He said something diplomatic, but he silently telegraphed, with a theatrical roll of the eyes, that he was stressing out. Then, in typical Biron fashion, he quickly tried to turn the situation into a joke.

"How are you hanging in there, Tim?" Biron asked. "Do you think you'll get traded this year?"

Those who know me are aware my sense of humor can be drier than powdered gin. So I deadpanned that my agent was hearing Newsday and the Boston Globe had called The Buffalo News about me and wanted to know what it would take to close a deal.

Biron, equally as sarcastic, started to express sympathy for my predicament. Roy hollered "Bulls---! Reporters don't get traded."

I gently informed Roy newspapers make trades all the time. "Yeah, that's true!" Biron chirped. I explained when NHL teams are about to make the playoffs, their local newspapers sometimes need to bolster coverage for the stretch run. Sometimes they have too many editors and need to acquire reporters. Or vice versa.

The New York Islanders, under Ted Nolan, had been one of hockey's most exciting stories that season and were gunning for a playoff berth. Newsday wanted go all-in. As for the Globe, I wasn't sure what its motive was because the Boston Bruins didn't look like a playoff team. Maybe the Globe needed to unload a contract or wanted me for depth.

Roy, about to turn 24 and in his fourth NHL season (counting the lockout), stared off in the distance and nodded his head, satisfied with this new bit of insight.

Unfortunately, the ruse wouldn't last long -- not nearly as long as the time I used a tape-delayed boxing match to persuade defenseman Alexei Zhitnik into thinking I was a legitimate psychic by predicting the exact round and method that massive underdog Corrie Sanders would whip Zhitnik's countryman and friend Wladimir Klitschko.

I shifted a glance to Pominville. I could tell he wasn't buying it, and he was about to say something.

Biron and I cracked. We told Roy we were just screwing with him.

Roy didn't think it was as funny as we did.

Brad Boyes is here to score goals and that's obvious. The one fight in his NHL career: Feb. 1, 2007 at the TD Garden -- a beatdown of former Sabres defenseman Toni Lydman. Check it out:

(And thanks to folks on Twitter to send me this via @BNHarrington)

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington) 

Hope all you DirecTV folks are happy now that you have Versus and you can see tonight's Sharks-Wild battle. Yawn. But iIf you have Center Ice, you've got a great night ahead. I'm starting at 7 with Boston at Atlanta and then moving to the 7:30 Philly at Ottawa game.

But the big one is at 8:30 when Phoenix travels to Chicago as the Coyotes -- yes, the run-by-the-NHL Phoenix Coyotes -- can move into first place in the Western Conference with a win. Amazing. The Coyotes have won nine straight while the Blackhawks are just 4-4-2 since the Olympic break. Five of those Phoenix wins are by shootout, including the last three. If they win tonight's game in a shootout, the Coyotes would be the first team in NHL history to do that in four straight games.

San Jose is also skidding, allowing 24 goals in losing all five games on its current road trip, and that's allowed Phoenix to keep climbing the standings.

The Coyotes, of course, got much better at the NHL trade deadline and the acquisition of West Seneca native Lee Stempniak has really keyed their team.  Stempniak has nine goals since joining the Coyotes from Toronto. For those scoring at home, of course, that's nine more than Raffi Torres has since coming to Buffalo from Columbus. Hmmm, that deal seemed like a good idea at the time.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Clarke MacArthur hopped off the plane in Atlanta and right on to the Thrashers scoresheet with a goal -- assisted by Maxim Afinogenov, no less -- in his first game with his new team to help spark Thursday's 6-3 win over the Islanders. You can read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's game report with comments from MacArthur here.

Following the morning skate, MacArthur said "my time kind of went a little stale in Buffalo" and he was happy with the deal. No disagreement there. That link will take you to the Thrashers' video page, where you'll hear from both Mac and Max.

The Thrashers are 4-0-2 in their last six and 4-1-2 since trading Ilya Kovalchuk to the Devils. Hmmm. Interesting.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

What's that old saying? While the cat's away, the mice will play? That's kind of how Lindy Ruff seems to feel about his team's practice ethic while he was gone at the Olympics. Ruff cracked the whip today in HSBC Arena, barking for much of the 50 minutes for his players to be more vocal on the ice.

"Part of our play in the first 30 games stemmed from puck support, knowing where people are at, hearing another guy's voice, leaving the zone under control and being a five-man unit coming out of the zone," Ruff said. "Watching [Wednesday's 3-1 loss to the Capitals] again this morning, I would swear that have the team had muzzles on. That makes it tough. When you're under pressure, the only thing you can trust is somebody's voice and the fact he has to be in a certain place for us."

The Sabres have opened the post-Olympic break schedule with back-to-back losses and Ruff wants things turned around by Friday night's visit from Philadelphia.

"It's been two weeks off," he said. "I've been gone for 10 days of practice. And I don't care what you say. When the substitute teacher is there when you were a kid, you goofed off. We had four or five players missing. Now it's back to focus and determination to play the system and play it hard."

Click below to hear Ruff's complete session with the media, including his comments on Raffi Torres' first day with the team:

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Newly acquired Buffalo Sabres forward Raffi Torres spoke to reporters after practice today for the first time since joining the team Wednesday just before the NHL trade deadline.

Hear his comments and see a clip of Torres at practice in the audio and video below:

---Mike Harrington

The Sabres have just taken the ice for practice in HSBC Arena and Lindy Ruff has, in fact, shaken up his lines as he promised he would after Wednesday night's sleeper against the Capitals.

Newcomer Raffi Torres is here and will be wearing No. 17. He's on left wing with Derek Roy and Jason Pominville. The other lines are:

Thomas Vanek-Tim Connolly-Drew Stafford
Mike Grier-Tim Kennedy-Jochen Hecht
Adam Mair-Matt Ellis-Patrick Kaleta

We return you now to Bucky's live chat.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

You don't expect Ryan Miller or Lindy Ruff to mince many words and they didn't again Wednesday night following a mostly dreadful 3-1 loss to the Capitals.

Miller says he senses a crisis of confidence within the Sabres' system. Ruff seemed to indicate the same thing among the team's forwards and said he may blow the whole thing up and start his lines fresh Thursday in practice when Raffi Torres is expected to arrive from Columbus.

Hear the goalie and the coach making their sharp comments to the media about the game and the Torres trade at the links below. 

Ryan Miller

Lindy Ruff

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Here's our latest video updating you on the Sabres' acquisition of winger Raffi Torres from Columbus and the trade of Nathan Paetsch to the Blue Jackets and Clarke MacArthur to Atlanta.

You can visit BuffaloNews.com Live to watch a video with fan reaction.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Nothing new to report from HSBC Arena in the final hour before the NHL trade deadline. Here's a video look at the morning skate, wtih comments from Ryan Miller, Lindy Ruff and Alexander Ovechkin.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Here's Lindy Ruff's reaction to the Devils' acquisition of sniper Ilya Kovalchuk from Atlanta:

"They're getting a gifted goal scorer. They talked a little bit how they were hurting for goals and they went and got the biggest fish in the pond. When you realize you're having a tough time scoring goals, I don't think the adjustment will be that big (for Kovalchuk to play with coach Jacques Lemaire). With [Patrik] Elias out of the lineup, with the offense they've lost, that could make them pretty dangerous when you put a Kovalchuk in."

Believe it or not,the Devils Web site has compiled a minute-by-minute live blog of Kovalchuk's morning skate with his new team prior to tonight's game against Toronto.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Ilya Kovalchuk has, in fact, been dealt by the Thrashers to the New Jersey Devils. Stunner. The Devils give up rookie forward Niclas Bergfors, defenseman Johnny Oduya, prospect Patrice Cormier and a first-round draft pick. New Jersey also regains defenseman Anssi Salmela, who was a Devil last year before being dealt to Atlanta.

Big questions from this view how a loose goal scorer like Kovalchuk will fit in with a master of boring, defensive hockey like Devils coach Jacques Lemaire. Seems like a rental for the stretch. Would Kovalchuk really sign long term with New Jersey?

The Devils are one point ahead of the Sabres in the battle for second in the Eastern Conference. I was totally not a proponent of the Sabres getting Kovalchuk but it will be interesting to see what move Darcy Regier has in response.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

Stuff breaking all over the place as we head toward the 7 p.m. faceoff between the Sabres and Senators.  Follow along:

1). The Thrashers have told Ilya Kovalchuk he's getting traded and it looks like sooner rather than later, well before the March 3 deadline. There's a lot of desperate teams in the East, like the Bruins, Flyers and Rangers, would would take on a rental. Lots of talk about the Kings too. Forget about the Sabres and throw out the money. The first time Kovalchuk took a 90-second shift and floated up and down the ice without backchecking, Lindy Ruff's head might implode. Not a guy to fit this system.

2). The Blue Jackets have fired Ken Hitchcock and named Claude Noel their interim coach. Bummer. I was planning to chat up Hitchcock Saturday morning when the Sabres got to Columbus after his summer week in Calgary on the Team Canada staff with Ruff. Hitchcock got the Jackets to the playoffs for the first time last year but they're a disaster this season, largely because Steve Mason couldn't duplicate his Calder Trophy form in goal. Why today? The cynic in me says the Jackets did it on Ohio State football recruiting day so it wouldn't get much attention in their town.

3). Might Claude Julien be next? The Bruins are 0-6-2 in their last eight games -- their worst stretch since the 1955-56 season -- and in danger of missing the playoffs after winning the East last year. Last night's 4-1 loss to the red-hot Capitals left them 12th in the East and they've scored just 12 goals in those eight games. Think Kovalchuk might help? Guess Daniel Paille hasn't.

4). Speaking of the Caps, they go for their 12th straight win tomorrow against the Rangers. They have six games left before the Olympic break and if they win them all, they would tie the NHL record of 17 set by the 92-93 Penguins. Where would No. 18 potentially be? In their first game after the break. March 3. In HSBC Arena. The night after the Sabres open the post-Oly period in Pittsburgh. Ooof.

5). Major boo an hour ago to the IIHF, which announced the pools and pairings for the World Junior Championships here next year. The U.S. and Canada are not in the same pool and may not meet at all. Bummer. That US-Switzerland game on New Year's Eve doesn't have the same cachet as a potential US-Canada. The schedule runs Dec. 26-Jan. 5 with no game on Jan. 1 (the Sabres may try to sneak in a home game there).

7 pm update:  A clarification from the Sabres -- the pools are not arbitrary. IIHF rules mandate the defending champion (US) is the No. 1 seed in Pool A and the silver medalist (Canada) becomes the No. 1 seed in Pool B. That, of course, means that they can't meet until the medal round. Still, it would be pretty horrible if a World Championship was held in Buffalo with no US-Canada matchup.

---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)

When I talked to Ales Kotalik on Monday, he made it clear his preference was to stay with the Sabres. But he knew he was heading into unrestricted free agency and that made it possible he could be dealt.

When it actually happened just before the deadline Wednesday, Kotalik said he was "shocked" to learn he was going to Edmonton. Strangely enough, he joined his new team Thursday in a very familiar venue -- Scotiabank Place in Ottawa, where the Oilers met the Senators

"I was in Buffalo for a long time," Kotalik said. "The first couple hours [after the trade], it was a pill that was tough to swallow. It continued until late night. Right now, you jump in with the guys and it feels better. I just have to get used to wearing a different sweater now."

Kotalik was a good guy and always interesting to talk to. He had a deep persepctive on himself and the game. He's been in the Sabres organization since he was drafted nearly 11 years ago and Lindy Ruff seemed a little emotional Thursday in talking about their good-bye conversation.

Kotalik, however, was also a frustrating player to watch. You always thought he could do more with that big body. And even one of his greatest talents -- his accuracy in shootouts -- came with a big asterisk. If he had done more in the first 65 minutes of the game, the thinking went, maybe the team wouldn't have even been in the shootout!

Kotalik was immediately inserted on Edmonton's first line with fellow Czech Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff. Yes, I said the first line. Maybe the Oilers think they'll catch lightning in a bottle. Hey, didn't Steve Bernier look like a future all-star in his first couple games here last year? But the more likely scenario is Kotalik has a good game here or there, scores on the power play every so often and then disappears a lot too.

Post your thoughts on Kotalik's career and his departure in the comments section. And click below to see his chat with Edmonton reporters Thursday in Ottawa.

---Mike Harrington

Just left HSBC Arena a few hours ago it seems and we're back again for the Sabres' first practice with new goaltender Mikael Tellqvist on the ice. Newly acquired center Dominic Moore was supposed to be here as well but he is NOT on the ice. No official word yet but the scuttlebutt in the building is that he has some work visa issues being taken care of. (POST-PRACTICE UPDATE: Moore said he expects to have his visa issues taken care of to play tomorrow.)

Tellqvist served as the backup goaltender last night against Montreal and got big cheers when he was shown on the HD board sitting on the bench during the game. Moore was driving in on the QEW listening on radio and got to the building during the third period. He had a brief meet-and-greet with Lindy Ruff, Darcy Regier and his new teammates after the game.

Tellqvist spent several minutes before practice working with goaltending coach Jim Corsi on some drills. Seems like they're trying to give him a crash course on playing the HSBC Arena boards. You have to figure Tellqvist plays either Friday here against Phoenix or Saturday in Ottawa. Ruff likes to put goalies in against their old teams, and what better way to start Tellqvist off against the team that dealt him yesterday?

Hit refresh on this post a couple times over the next hour and I'll provide some updates from practice on the lines and such.

UPDATE I: Moore will be wearing No. 17 and not No. 23 as you may have been hearing elsewhere. Tellqvist wore No 32 last night and is expected to keep that.

UPDATE II: The lines on the ice look like this: Vanek-Connolly-Stafford, Hecht-Gaustad-Pominville, Paille-Roy-Afinogenov, Ellis-Mair-Kaleta. The spares are MacArthur and Peters. Not having Moore here is a difficult problem. Now he'll have to be slotted on a line during tomorrow's morning skate, not the best proposition. Will be interesting to hear what Ruff has to say about this one afterwards.

UPDATE III:  Ruff said he may use Moore at center and move Derek Roy to left wing. Ruff also said Patrick Lalime is going too well and he will start Friday but that Tellqvist definitely has a chance to play Saturday in Ottawa.

---Mike Harrington

After a long day, Darcy Regier finally spoke to the media for about 15 minutes this evening to recap Deadline Day. We've relocated upstairs to the press box to give you the following summary as we head toward faceoff of the Sabres' game against the Habs.

---Mike Harrington

------------------------------------

---Mikael Tellqvist is here and dressed as the backup to Patrick Lalime. He's wearing No. 32. Bet he makes his first Buffalo start here Friday night -- against his old team as the Phoenix Coyotes will be in town. Jhonas Enroth is here but will not dress. He will return to Portland in the morning.

---Dominic Moore is not available tonight.  Regier did not talk to him until after 6 p.m. to welcome him to the organization because the league's trade registry was so backed up by moves that took place as the 3 p.m. deadline approached. Regier also said the trade of Ales Kotalik to Edmonton was not confirmed until about 6:15.

---Regier confirmed that Portland defenseman Mike Weber is out for the season because he will be having surgery on his shoulder in Buffalo on Thursday.

Some questions to Regier:

Did you overpay for Connolly: "He's healthy now. We expect him to be healthy. If you look at the marketplace in the summer, there's very few short-term contracts so that's what he gave back to the club (a two-year deal). We think he's one of the top players at his position in the National Hockey League. .. . The bet for us is obviously on his health. It's one that ownership was willing to make, one that I was willing to make on the management side."

On Connolly's contract not being insured: "We don't expect to attempt to insure it. It's there similar to the last contract. It's a bet that ownership was willing to take and a statement in our belief in him and when you look at the marketplace, what's available out there.

On making the playoffs still being the No. 1 goal: "That's the game. That's what you're trying to do. First and foremost, the goal is to make the playoffs. ... That hasn't changed from the start of the year. There's no shift (in philosophy). I think this is a very capable group. I expect to be in the playoffs at the end of the year."

Were you a buyer or seller at the start of the day: "We didn't come into this planning to be a seller, I can tell you that. I didn't know if we were going to be able to be a buyer."

On dealing Ales Kotalik: "He's just a first-class person, first-class player and I thaink him for everything he's done for the team. It was an opportunity for us to get a center man who can play in different roles (Moore is an excellent faceoff man and Ruff is expected to use him on both special teams units as well).

On the lack of a deal for Maxim Afinogenov: "I have tried to trade Max. I wasn't able to trade Max. Max is a good player. I still believe in him as a player. Lindy is going to give him an opportunity to play and we'll go from here."

On the Moore trade being a reaction to the flurry of deals by other Eastern Conference clubs: "It wasn't a reaction to other teams. It's about our own needs, what we need to do and that was our focus."

On whether Moore is a rental player or a player the Sabres may look to sign longterm after the season: "Our intention is to bring Dominic in for the balance of the year. I'd leave it open as to what happens from there."

Darcy Regier says don't jump to any conclusions about Ryan Miller's status based on today's acquisition of Mikael Tellqvist. Miller's high ankle sprain still has him out of practice with no return date set and just over a month left in the season to go. But the GM emphasized today his No. 1 goaltender will be back.

"We have an understanding of what is the best-case scenario, which isn't out that far,"Regier said. "We have a worst-case scenario."

So I asked if that worst-case is out for the season. Regier said no.

"Not where we're standing now," Regier said. "He will play. It's just a question of when."

---Mike Harrington

Be sure to check out Jerry Sullivan's thoughts on Tim Connolly's new deal by going to the Sully on Sports blog.

With Tim Connolly not on hand, the local media encircled Henrik Tallinder when he came off the ice after today's pregame skate. Here's some of what he had to say about possibly getting dealt in the next four hours:

"I have no idea about any rumors. Whatever happens, happens. I'm here for a game today. If not, there's a trade so we'll see. Anyone is expendable so I'm not surprised.

"I'm not nervous but you never know what to expect. It's part of the business I guess. I've never been traded before so we'll see what happens."

"I've learned to like this community. I like it here but it's nothing I can do anything about [if a trade happens]. It's not easy. I'm here to play hockey and I've done that so many times. I know what to do. I've been through some trade deadlines before so we'll see."

---Mike Harrington

The Ottawa Senators figure to be busy today and they've struck first by dealing Antoine Vermette to Columbus for goaltender Pascal LeClaire and by signing defenseman Filip Kuba to a three-year deal, taking him off the market. Columbus needs forwards -- how does the deal for Vermette impact the Jackets' interest in Tim Connolly?

(Info should be coming fast and furious today. Be sure to refresh your browser or click "main" at the top of the blog if you're within a post to get the latest information).

---Mike Harrington

As it turns out, you can't read much into the roll call from the Sabres' morning skate because it's an optional. Not on the ice are Tim Connolly, Derek Roy, Paul Gaustad and Craig Rivet.

Three names also floated in trade talk -- Maxim Afinogenov, Ales Kotalik and Henrik Tallinder -- are all skating.

Lots of media on hand whenver Montreal is in town but that's even more the case today. Crews from TSN and The Score are in the building beaming live reports on the trade deadline back to Canada.

Speaking of the Canadiens, Carey Price is going to make his first start in goal since Feb. 19 tonight because Jaroslav Halak stayed home with the flu.

---Mike Harrington

Greetings from what figures to be a looooooong and interesting day in HSBC Arena. The NHL trade deadline is at 3 p.m. and the Sabres have a huge game against Montreal at 7:30. Keep it here for all the latest trade talk and follow Bucky Gleason's live chat, scheduled to start in the 1 p.m. range. Some quick hits:

---TSN is reporting that the Ducks have chosen to keep Chris Pronger 

---The Leafs held out Dominic Moore and Nik Antropov from last night's overtime loss to the Devils but defenseman Tomas Kaberle reinjured his hand and is probably not going to be on the market today. GM Brian Burke said in that linked Toronto Star story that he had yet to receive an offer for Kaberle.

(By the way, the Leafs tied the NHL record last night by playing in their seventh straight overtime game. They're 4-0-3 in that stretch, going 2-1 in OT deciding goals and 2-2 in shootouts.).

---Mark Recchi of Tampa Bay was held out of action last night. He's likely to get moved today and it will be interesting who might put in a waiver claim for 42-year-old Gary Roberts.

---The Sabres' morning skate begins at 10 a.m. Keep it here for an attendance update. If someone is not on the ice, it's likely a sign that a deal is imminent.

---Mike Harrington

While we're on the subject of Connolly -- and is Mike Milbury about the goofiest analyst there is in the game or what? -- Sully and I had a spirited talk during his chat Wednesday and in the press box during the game about trading the Sabres' red-hot center. Sully presents his argument again in his column this morning.

His theory is that Connolly is a UFA after the season and he's playing so well that his value has never been higher so you should deal him now. I think Sully had a little too much wine and cheese at his Super Bowl party.

Connolly and Ryan Miller are reasons 1A and 1B (pick your order) the Sabres have been playing so well during 2009. What kind of message are you sending to your fans and your team trading one of your top guys now?

When Brian Campbell was dealt last year, the Sabres were going nowhere, there were other defensemen (namely Andrej Sekera) who could fill some of that role and Campbell was playing lousy anyway. There's no one ready to replace Connolly right now and if you make the playoffs, who knows what happens?

Yes, it appears the Sabres aren't equipped for a deep run right now but they should be adding parts, not subtracting. Trade Connolly now? I say no way, no how.

What do you think?

---Mike Harrington

Still feeling sour over last night's meltdown against Montreal? Check out these nuggets. They won't make your mood any better.

---The Bruins have scored twice in the second period and have a 2-0 lead over Ottawa. Twenty minutes left for the Senators to give Buffalo some help.

---Habs center Saku Koivu and defenseman Mark Streit will both miss tonight's game in Toronto with foot injuries suffered when they took shots from Ales Kotalik in the opening minute of the first period Friday. Both recovered to play the entire game -- with Koivu making the key play from behind the net on the Habs' overtime goal and Streit assisting on the final three Montreal tallies -- before their pain grew overnight.

---The Sharks clinched the Pacific Division title with last night's 3-1 win over the Ducks. So for those keeping a Brian Campbell scorecard, San Jose is 14-0-2 since he was acquired from the Sabres at the trade deadline and he has 15 points (2-13) in those games. The Sharks are unbeaten in regulation in their last 18 games (16-0-2). Any Steve Bernier sightings lately?

---Mike Harrington

In the wake of the trading deadline and two days off, I have a lot on my mind to unload this morning as the Sabres prep for tonight's game against the Canadiens.

---Even before we saw Steve Bernier play Wednesday night, you had to like what Darcy Regier got for Brian Campbell. But Regier took the deal from the Sharks at 11:30 a.m. If he had waited closer to the 3 p.m. deadline, could he have squeezed even more from San Jose or someone else? Look at the haul Atlanta got from Pittsburgh in exchange for Marian Hossa just under the wire.

---Speaking of Hossa, how sick do you think the Pens feel that he hurt his knee in his first game Thursday and will be out at least a week? Yikes. How about Brad Richards giving the Stars five assists in his debut Thursday?

---Less than two months later, the Ice Bowl already has a remember-them feel. Both goal scorers in regulation (Campbell and Pittsburgh's Colby Armstrong) were dealt at the deadline.

---Former Campbell defense partner Jaro Spacek had an interesting thought Wednesday about how Campbell will find it tougher in the Western Conference. Sure enough, in his first game Wednesday in Columbus, Campbell (left) got mugged by BlueJackets center Rick Nash and new defense partner Douglas Murray had to jump in and rescue him.

---The Sabres' three-year offer was a joke and Campbell's tears were genuine but it's hard for me to get all misty-eyed when a guy simply can't take $17.75 million. Especially when he keeps insisting the players' union didn't put any pressure on him. Right. All the tears we saw the last two weeks were the sign of a tormented guy getting squeezed on both sides, from his own emotions and the demands of his union and agent.

---Wow, was that Hockey News cover with Campbell in a Sharks jersey prophetic or what? Couple weeks ago in New York restaurant, Campbell ran into some Sharks players and old buddy Joe Thornton joked with him to come over and meet his new teammates. Wishful thinking at the time.

---The Sabres got manhandled in December in Anaheim and LA and their toughness was certainly in question. No questions anymore, especially with what we saw in the late going of Wednesday's slugfest against Nashville. Adding Bernier certainly helps in that area and so does Nolan Pratt's regular turn on defense. And how would you like to be playing against a fourth line of Adam Mair, Patrick Kaleta and Andrew Peters? Keep your head up!

---We don't see the Predators much at all, in person or on TV. Fine with me. What a bunch of chippy hacks.

---Speaking of the Ice Bowl, it's the last time we saw Maxim Afinogenov on the ice. Isn't it kind of odd to you that he's suddenly healthy two days after the deadline? The way he'd been playing before he got hurt, the Sabres would have almost certainly been looking to unload his bloated contract.

---Mike Harrington

(Photo: Associated Press)