Patrice Bergeron of Bruins diagnosed with moderate concussion

Patrice Bergeron of Bruins diagnosed with moderate concussion

On Tuesday night, Patrice Bergeron was emotional, according to Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli. Rightfully so.

Chiarelli confirmed during a Wednesday news conference that Bergeron had suffered a moderate concussion in the 3-2 win over Ottawa. It is the fourth concussion of Bergeron’s NHL career. Bergeron’s neck is also sore.

Bergeron will not play on Thursday night at TD Garden against New Jersey. It is unknown when he will be cleared for game action.

“He was in very good spirits,” said Chiarelli, who spoke with Bergeron on Wednesday afternoon. “He was out walking today. He was annoyed at it. He was emotional [Tuesday] night.”

Bergeron suffered the injury in the second period. He and Colin Greening were racing for the puck near the Boston net. When Greening reached for the puck, the Ottawa forward’s right elbow thudded off the left side of Bergeron’s head, behind his ear.

Bergeron slid to the ice, dropped his stick, wavered slightly, then skated slowly toward the bench. He briefly touched his helmet with his right hand. Bergeron played only 9:06 on Tuesday.

“He sounded really good,” Chiarelli said. “I told him we’ll work together to get him back.”

Bergeron suffered a career-threatening concussion on Oct. 27, 2007. Flyers defenseman Randy Jones checked Bergeron facefirst into the Garden end boards. Bergeron hoped to return for the playoffs, but didn’t play again that season.

Bergeron suffered his second concussion on Dec. 20, 2008. Bergeron collided with Dennis Seidenberg when the defenseman was with Carolina. Bergeron was sidelined for 15 games.

Bergeron’s third concussion took place on May 6, 2011. In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux thumped Bergeron with an open-ice hit. Bergeron missed the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals against Tampa Bay.

Bergeron was wheeled off the ice after his first concussion. He needed help from his teammates to skate off the ice following his collision with Seidenberg. Bergeron left the ice on his own after the last two concussions.

Bergeron is the Bruins’ top all-around forward. He impacts the game in every area.

Bergeron centers Brad Marchand and Tyler Seguin on the team’s most consistent line. Bergeron is the club’s leading scorer (10 goals, 21 assists) and ice-time leader among forwards (19:14 per game).

Bergeron is the NHL’s best faceoff man, having won 61.5 percent of his draws. Coach Claude Julien often tabs Bergeron for critical defensive-zone faceoffs late in games. Bergeron logs regular even-strength shifts against top opposing forwards.

On the power play, Bergeron has served as the net-front presence on the No. 2 unit. He has two goals and two assists on the power play this season.

Bergeron is one of six regular penalty-killing forwards, usually skating alongside Marchand. Bergeron is averaging 2:12 of shorthanded ice time per game.

The magnitude of Bergeron’s injury prompted Chiarelli and the hockey operations staff to consider upgrades at center prior to Wednesday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. But it would have been impossible for the Bruins to acquire a center who could replicate Bergeron’s assets.

“You think about it,” Chiarelli said. “You see a player like Patrice go down, and you’re like, ‘There’s no way I’m going to replace him.’ There wasn’t that caliber of player. So, I’m not going to go around chasing it all day. I know our guys. You’ve seen across the league, [players] have picked up the rest of the teams when they’ve had injuries. I expect us to do the same.”

Following Bergeron’s departure on Tuesday, Rich Peverley assumed his shifts between Marchand and Seguin. Peverley had been centering Jay Pandolfo and Jordan Caron. Peverley will most likely stay with Marchand and Seguin on Thursday against the Devils.

Kaspars Daugavins, acquired on waivers from Ottawa on March 27, will make his Bruins debut on Thursday. Daugavins was on the left side for Ottawa, but Chiarelli said he can play center. Daugavins was also a regular penalty killer for the Senators before becoming a healthy scratch.

Daugavins could center Pandolfo and Jaromir Jagr. Jagr, a future Hall of Famer acquired from Dallas on Tuesday, will also make his Black-and-Gold debut on Thursday. Chiarelli said he will not promote a center from Providence.

Other reinforcements could also be arriving shortly. Chris Kelly skated for the third straight day on Wednesday. Chiarelli said he expects Kelly to be in uniform soon. Kelly hasn’t played since March 11, when he suffered a broken left tibia during a collision with former Ottawa teammate Chris Neil.

“That actually had some bearing to it today,” Chiarelli said of Kelly’s pending return on trade talks. “He’ll be back soon. I know you’d like more detail, but I’m satisfied with his prospective return date. He’ll be playing for us soon.”

The Bruins could also add Carl Soderberg. The Swedish forward has expressed interest in playing for the Bruins once his playoff run with Linkoping in the Swedish Elite League is over. Linkoping trails Skelleftea, 3-1, so Soderberg’s season could end on Friday.

“I’m not hanging my hat on this,” Chiarelli said. “I hope to get him, and if we get him, he will help us.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.04.2013

667694 Boston Bruins

Devils thumbnails

■ When, where: Thursday, 7 p.m., at TD Garden.

■ TV, radio: NESN Plus, NHL, WBZ-FM (98.5).

■ Goals: David Clarkson 12, Patrik Elias 10, Ilya Kovalchuk 10, Adam Henrique 10.

■ Assists: Elias 20, Kovalchuk 17, Marek Zidlicky 11.

■ Goaltending: Martin Brodeur (10-3-6, 2.27 GAA), Johan Hedberg (5-9-3, 2.73).

■ Head to head: This is the second of three meetings. The Bruins won, 2-1, in a shootout Jan. 29 in Boston.

■ Miscellany: The Devils are on a four-game losing streak . . . Kovalchuk will not play after suffering a shoulder injury March 23, but is expected back before the end of the regular season . . . The Devils acquired veteran forward Steve Sullivan from the Coyotes Wednesday for a seventh-round pick.

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.04.2013

667695 Boston Bruins

Wade Redden acquired by Bruins

By Kevin Paul Dupont

Globe Staff / April 3, 2013

One day after adding the legendary Jaromir Jagr and his 1,679 career points to their front line, the Bruins returned with another “let’s go retro’’ move on Wednesday, adding former premier defenseman Wade Redden to their back line.

Jagr, 41, has plenty of game left, while Redden’s game faltered before it was placed in mothballs a few years ago. The former No. 2 overall draft pick, age 35, will join the Bruins after recently finishing a two-year hitch in Hartford of the American Hockey League, the Rangers convinced his assets were too spent and his paycheck too high to justify keeping him with the Broadway varsity.

But now Redden, who joined the St. Louis Blues this season after being bought out in New York, has an opportunity to aid a spotty Boston back line that could use a healthy dash of Redden’s puck-moving skills of old when transitioning from defense to offense.

A premier puckhandler and passer during his days with Ottawa, where he sometimes partnered with Boston captain Zdeno Chara, Redden is a candidate to help the Bruins improve a somewhat disjointed back end that at times struggles to make quick, efficient passes. He also becomes yet one more stick carrier to help improve the club’s ever-struggling power play, although GM Peter Chiarelli made clear during a late-afternoon news conference Wednesday that Redden arrives with no such lofty expectations.

“I really don’t want to put any pressure on him in that regard,’’ said Chiarelli, addressing the media on trade deadline moves for a third time in a week. “He’s more of a heady player . . . that first pass. He’s a terrific passer, first pass, vision. He can play on the power play, but that’s not why we acquired him.’’

Instead, Redden will arrive here (possibly today) for insurance, a “depth’’ player, at a time when the Bruins are just beginning to see some encouraging signs from defensive prospect Matt Bartkowski (nearly dished last week for Jarome Iginla) and while rookie blue liner Dougie Hamilton continues to cut his teeth as the club’s premier puck-moving defenseman of the future. It could be that Boston’s puck-moving deficiencies are fully resolved by that duo. If not, then Redden, with his 455 career points in 1,017 games, at least offers an AARP alternative.

“Wade’s strength has always been his head, and his vision, and his sense,’’ noted Chiarelli, who left Ottawa in the summer of 2006, two years prior to Redden departing for his huge payday with the Rangers. “Maybe sometimes you lose your legs in that, but usually you can keep the other stuff.’’

Boston fans of a certain age will remember another aged defenseman, Brad Park, making a lot of hay here in the late-’70s and early-’80s, long after his wonky knees began to crumble. But Park, a Hall of Famer (896 points), was still vital and only 27 when he arrived early in the 1975-76 season. And he was 2-3 years younger than Redden is today when he was still spinning Garden magic. with knees wrapped, paper-clipped, and braced.

Redden’s acquisition price was minimal, a a seventh-round pick that could inflate to a sixth if he suits up for one playoff game this spring. The long-forgotten Filene’s Basement built an institution on that kind of pricing. With nothing left on the rack at Wednesday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, Chiarelli tossed Redden in his cart and raced for the register.

“Wade obviously had played in Ottawa when I worked in Ottawa,’’ noted Chiarelli, who didn’t look nearly as spent as a week before when explaining what went awry in his attempt to land Iginla. “I had to get the band back together with him and Chara. I talked to Wade and told him he’d be part of our depth here — and he was excited to come.’’

In 23 games with St. Louis, the smooth-skating Redden , favorite son of Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, scored only two goals and had five points. For the two years Redden spent in the AHL, noted Chiarelli, it was as if he had beenincarcerated jailed per the consequences of his limited game and the big bucks the Rangers handed him in the summer of 2008. Now he’s here. Boston in the springtime. With a chance to show if there’s at least a little bit of spring left in his step.

. . .

The Bruins also acquired minor league forward Rob Flick from the Blackhawks for Max Sauve. Flick, 22, will report to Providence. The center had three goals, two assists, and 97 penalty minutes for Rockford, Chicago’s AHL affiliate. Flick was selected in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. Sauve, the Bruins’ second-round pick in 2008, had 10 goals and 13 assists in 52 games for Providence.

667696 Boston Bruins

Wade Redden to travel to Boston Thursday, doubtful for game

by Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff April 3, 2013 05:35 PM

Wade Redden, acquired from the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, is planning to travel to Boston on Thursday, but Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli didn’t think Redden would play against New Jersey.

The Bruins will not recall a center from Providence for Thursday’s game to replace Patrice Bergeron (concussion). Kaspars Daugavins has played center, and he and Jaromir Jagr will make their Bruins debuts against the Devils.

Thursday’s possible lineup:

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Nathan Horton

Brad Marchand-Rich Peverley-Tyler Seguin

Jay Pandolfo-Kaspars Daugavins-Jaromir Jagr

Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Dougie Hamilton

Matt Bartkowski-Dennis Seidenberg

Andrew Ference-Johnny Boychuk

Tuukka Rask

Anton Khudobin

* Chiarelli said Chris Kelly (broken left tibia) will be playing soon. Chiarelli didn’t disclose a specific timetable for the center’s return. Kelly skated Wednesday for the third straight day.

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.04.2013

667697 Boston Bruins

Bruins acquire Wade Redden from St. Louis

April 3, 2013 03:32 PM

By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff

The Bruins have added to their defense by acquiring Wade Redden from the St. Louis Blues for a draft pick. Redden is the veteran left-shot defenseman the Bruins needed heading into the stretch run. Comcast SportsNet New England first reported the deal.

Redden has two goals and three assists in 23 games this season, averaging 14:59 of ice time. He projects to be a depth defenseman who could assume some power-play shifts. Redden is averaging 0:50 of power-play ice time.

The 35-year-old Redden was teammates in Ottawa with Zdeno Chara and Chris Kelly.

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.04.2013

667698 Boston Bruins

Bruins trade Max Sauve to Chicago for Rob Flick

By Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff

The Bruins have traded 2008 second-round pick Max Sauve to Chicago for forward Rob Flick.

Flick was selected by Chicago in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. The 22-year-old has three goals and two assists in 51 games for Rockford, Chicago’s AHL affiliate. Flick has 97 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Flick will be a size upgrade over the perpetually injured Sauve.

Sauve scored 10 goals and 13 assists for Providence this season. Sauve is a fast and skilled wing, but has never been able to stay healthy.

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.04.2013

667699 Boston Bruins

Patrice Bergeron has concussion

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Steve Conroy

While Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli held a press conference to discuss yesterday’s trade deadline, he also delivered the most pertinent news with regard to his team’s immediate future.

And it wasn’t good.

Chiarelli announced that center Patrice Bergeron suffered a concussion — the fourth of his career — in the second period of the B’s 3-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday at the Garden.

Chiarelli described the concussion as “moderate” but warned that brain injuries are hard to gauge. He gave no timetable for a Bergeron return.

“I talked to him about an hour ago and he was in very good spirits. He was out walking,” Chiarelli said at his 5 p.m. press conference. “He was annoyed at it, and he was emotional (Tuesday) night. I asked him if I could update the media and he said, ‘Sure.’ . . . He sounded really good and I told him that we’ll work together in getting him back.”

Bergeron was injured while defending against Ottawa’s Colin Greening, who inadvertently caught him in the back of the head behind the left ear with his elbow. Bergeron got up slowly and skated off the ice. He did not return.

Chiarelli said the Bergeron injury had him thinking about obtaining more help up front, but he decided against it.

“It crossed my mind,” the GM said. “But we’ve got a good group. We added a terrific player (Tuesday in Jaromir Jagr). We added a useful player the other day in (Kaspars) Daugavins, we’re a well-coached team, we defend well, we’re going to improve our offense. You see a player like Patrice go down and there’s no way I’m going to replace him because there wasn’t that caliber of player, so I’m not going to go around chasing it all day.

“And you’ve seen it across the league where teams have picked it up when they’ve had injuries, and I expect us to do the same.”

The Bruins can’t afford to lose Bergeron for any length of time. He is the team’s best two-way forward and has been their most consistent player. He leads the B’s with 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) and a plus-23 rating, and he is the NHL leader in faceoff win percentage at 61.5.

Chiarelli wouldn’t divulge how the team will replace him in the lineup, but he does not plan to call up a center from Providence.

The least disruptive move would be for Tyler Seguin to move to center and Jagr to play on the right wing with Brad Marchand on the left. Chiarelli also said Daugavins could play center somewhere in the lineup.

As for Bergeron’s past concussions, the most recent was in Game 4 of the Bruins’ sweep of the Flyers — on a blow delivered by Claude Giroux — during their march to the 2010-11 Stanley Cup. After a long layoff between series, Bergeron missed the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals but played in every game the rest of the way.

The first concussion he suffered cost him nearly the entire 2007-08 season when he was hit from behind by the Flyers’ Randy Jones on October 27, 2007.

He returned the following year but missed 15 games when he suffered a concussion on a hit from current teammate Dennis Seidenberg, then with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.04.2013

667700 Boston Bruins

Bruins add D Wade Redden to the mix

By Steve Conroy / Boston Herald

In a move that added to the team's defensive depth, the Bruins obtained St. Louis defenseman Wade Redden for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2014.

The 35-year-old Redden played with Zdeno Chara for the Ottawa Senators and, ironically, it was the Sens' decision to keep Redden and sign him to a two-year deal in the summer of 2006 that essentially forced Chara into free agency and to the Bruins.

Redden later signed a big contract with the New York Rangers but, after fitting in poorly with the Blueshirts, he and his $6.5 million cap hit were buried in the minors until Redden was bought out after last fall's lockout ended.

He signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Blues, with whom he has 2-3-5 totals and is minus-2 in 23 games.

He had some very productive numbers in his time with the Sens, his most productive year being 2005-06 — B's GM Peter Chiarelli's last year as assistant GM in Ottawa — when he had 10-40-50 totals and was plus-35.

The conditional seventh-rounder becomes a sixth-round pick in 2014 if Redden plays in one or more games during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Bruins had the distinction of making the first trade of the day, but it was just a minor league deal as they sent speedy but oft-injured center Maxime Sauve, their second-round draft pick (47th overall) in 2008, to the Chicago Blackhawks for center Rob Flick (4th rounder in 2010), who has 3-2-5 totals and 97 PIMs for Rockford in the AHL.

Perhaps the biggest deal that could directly affect the Bruins is the one made by the Ottawa Senators, a possible first-round opponent for the B's. With Robin Lehner playing well and Craig Anderson coming back from injury, the Sens traded goalie Ben Bishop to the Tampa Bay Lightning for for Calder Trophy candidate Cory Conacher.

The biggest deal of the day had the struggling New York Rangers, in what would seem like an acknowledgment that they lost their edge without the likes of Brandon Prust and Brandon Dubinksy, shipping the highly talented Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Derick Brassard, scrappy Derek Dorsett (currently out for the season with a broken collarbone), defenseman John Moore and a sixth-round draft pick.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.04.2013

667701 Boston Bruins

Wade Redden adds to depth on ‘D’

Thursday, April 4, 2013

By: Steve Conroy

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has been known to swim in familiar waters and, at yesterday’s NHL trade deadline, he took another plunge.

With the clock winding down toward the 3 p.m. deadline, Chiarelli obtained defenseman Wade Redden, who enjoyed some of his best NHL seasons with the Senators while Chiarelli was an assistant GM in Ottawa, from the St. Louis Blues for a conditional late-round draft pick in 2014.

“I had to get the band back together,” said Chiarelli, who already has defenseman Zdeno Chara and center Chris Kelly with him from those old Senators teams.

If Redden plays one or more playoff games for the B’s this year, the Blues will receive a sixth-round pick, if not it’s a seventh-rounder.

Redden will be traveling to Boston today but most likely won’t play in tonight’s game at the Garden against the New Jersey Devils. He was happy to be joining friends in Chara, Kelly and Chiarelli.

“I’m excited for sure,” Redden said. “Obviously they’re great teammates, and Peter was obviously thought highly of when he was in Ottawa with us. He’s done a great job there in Boston, too, since he’s been GM. I really know what they’re all about and what kind of people they are, so I’m definitely excited to be going to a team like that.”

While he was once one of the NHL’s better offensive defensemen, the 35-year-old Redden is considered a depth acquisition and could well be in and out of the lineup, especially whenever Adam McQuaid returns from his shoulder injury. Chiarelli also said he’d like to see a little more of Matt Bartkowski, but with the condensed schedule, Redden will almost surely get a shot to play at some point.

“Wade isn’t the player he used to be, but he’s a very smart player,” Chiarelli said. “He can help us in certain ways.”

Redden played an indirect part in the rebuilding of the Bruins.

Back in the summer of 2006, the Senators were faced with two of their top defensemen, Redden and Chara, becoming unrestricted free agents. Ottawa could only sign one of the players and chose to make it Redden. Chara subsequently signed with the Bruins, who had Chiarelli coming in as their new GM (because of an agreement with the NHL, he was forbidden to conduct any business at the time that Chara signed on July 1, 2006).

While Chara went on to win a Norris Trophy and Stanley Cup with the B’s, Redden had a much different career arc. He re-upped with the Senators for two years, then signed a massive deal with the Rangers, which New York would soon regret. The Rangers would eventually bury him, and his $6.5 million cap hit, for two years in the AHL

When the new CBA was finally signed, the Rangers were allowed to buy him out in January and he signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Blues, where he had 2-3-5 totals in 23 games.

“It was kind of a funny year all around, I guess, with the lockout and my situation after being away from it for two years (while in the AHL),” Redden said. “But right off the bat it was exciting to come back, and it felt really good to be back. I played my 1,000th game six games in, so it was kind of a real high right off the bat. And then it settled in and I was just kind of getting my feet under me after that.

“Lately I’ve been feeling pretty good. . . . I was happy with what I was able to do here and how I felt. Obviously, I’m excited to be back and looking forward to Boston now.”

Bruins notes

The Bruins had the distinction of making the first trade of the day, but it was just a minor league deal that sent speedy but oft-injured center Maxime Sauve, a second-round draft pick (47th overall) in 2008, to the Chicago Blackhawks for center Rob Flick (a fourth-rounder in 2010), who has 3-2-5 totals and 97 penalty minutes in the AHL this season. Flick returns some size to the organization after the loss of Lane MacDermid and prospect Cody Payne the previous day in the Jaromir Jagr deal.

“Sauve’s been injured quite a bit, but he’s a good kid and probably deserved an opportunity with another organization,” Chiarelli said. . . .

Chiarelli, though optimistic, wouldn’t give a timetable on a return by Kelly from a broken tibia.

“He’ll be playing for us soon,” Chiarelli said.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.04.2013

667702 Boston Bruins

NHL deadline nears to pick up play

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Stephen Harris

The Bruins could add Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla and Wayne Gretzky to the roster and not go far in the playoffs if they play less-than-sound hockey like they did in Tuesday night’s 3-2 win against the Ottawa Senators, which, indeed, is the way they have played much of this season.

The ills aren’t guaranteed to be cured by the arrival of the 41-year-old Jagr, who will don a B’s jersey this morning and debut tonight at the Garden against the New Jersey Devils.

It seems certain that Jagr will help on the ice. After all, he walks through the door and becomes, with Brad Marchand, the team leader with 14 goals. How could he not help, considering that on many nights this season the Bruins have had maybe half of their 12 forwards playing and competing at optimum levels.

If that compete level and quality of performance don’t improve, dramatically and consistently, over the final 13 regular-season games, will the B’s really look like a serious Stanley Cup contender?

“We have 13 games left,” general manager Peter Chiarelli yesterday at his post-trade deadline press conference. “That’s not many, so it’s time to start thinking about ramping up. It’s easy to think about it; to do it is hard. That’s what our goal and objective is now.”

These days in NHL circles it’s trendy to talk about a team’s “culture” and “identity.” In theory, the Bruins are rich in those regards. This is a team with a legacy of sound team defense, toughness and hard work. It is a team which prides itself on being hard to play against.

But the Bruins haven’t been at their best frequently this year, and they haven’t been particularly hard to play against.

“There was even inconsistency while they were winning earlier,” one NHL pro scout said. “That has lingered around the whole year. That record they had early — what was it, 17-4 (17-3-3) or whatever? — it was deceptive. They had guys who weren’t pulling their weight, or guys who weren’t showing up. You could count on one hand the number of games when they had everything going.”

Will the arrival of Jagr wake up the team?

“I probably would have taken Iginla over Jagr, but after that, he’s a great acquisition,” the scout said. “I think the guys are just going to be excited that he’s in that room, which means a lot. That’s a big thing. When he steps in that room, as the player and the guy that he is, I think he’s going to have a big impact. When he was with the Flyers, you saw how (Claude) Giroux and (Scott) Hartnell and guys like that spoke so highly of him, with what he did for the young guys there, how he led by example and his work ethic and everything. He took that into Dallas also. So he’s definitely committed.

“I don’t think you’re getting a guy almost at the end of his career who isn’t hungry to win.”

By adding Jagr without subtracting any roster players, the Bruins did pretty well in a difficult trade market. Defenseman Wade Redden, picked up from St. Louis just before yesterday’s 3 p.m deadline, likely has something to offer on the ice as a likely No. 6 or No. 7, and certainly does add something off the ice as a highly experienced leader.

On Deadline Day, there were really only four or five teams realistically out of playoff contention and thus willing to discard players. It was an unusually slow trade market.

“The most difficult trade period I’ve been part of in my time in hockey,” Chiarelli said. “At the end there weren’t really a lot of players available.”

The sub-par quality of their play notwithstanding, the Bruins are still regarded as one of the NHL’s top teams.

But it was the Pittsburgh Penguins who struck it rich in the trade market, acquiring forward Brenden Morrow from Dallas, defenseman Doug Murray from San Jose, Iginla from Calgary and, yesterday, forward Jussi Jokinen from Carolina. That’s four useful talents that made an already-strong team significantly more so.

“Well, they’re a lock, right?” Chiarelli said facetiously after the Bruins lost Iginla to the Pens last week.

Well, assuming that Pittsburgh star center Sidney Crosby isn’t out long with his broken jaw, it may turn out that the Penguins were a lock. But the B’s, assuming they rediscover their missing identity, are somewhat better positioned with Jagr to make a deep postseason run.

Ottawa made one of the best moves of Deadline Day, sending unneeded goalie Ben Bishop to Tampa Bay for outstanding rookie center Cory Conacher. The Senators view rookie Robin Lehner, who stopped 47 shots Tuesday night at the Garden, as their future franchise guy and have No. 1 Craig Anderson returning from injury. So the Senators moved Bishop to a team for which he should play, and got the 5-foot-8, 180-pound Conacher, who plays a lot like Marchand and will make Ottawa even more of a high-compete-level team.

The Bruins can learn something from how the overachieving Senators play. They have 13 games to apply those lessons.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.04.2013

667703 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres continue to clean house

Trade of Pominville is biggest step yet

BY: John Vogl

Published: April 3, 2013, 10:42 PM

Updated: April 4, 2013, 12:41 AM

It’s been a rough couple of years for the Buffalo Sabres and their fans. It’s going to get worse.

The struggling Sabres have committed to rebuilding through youth and NHL draft picks. The overhaul began in earnest Wednesday when Buffalo traded captain Jason Pominville to Minnesota for two prospects and a pair of picks.

Sabres owner Terry Pegula had a three-year plan to win the Stanley Cup when he purchased the team in February 2011, but the dismantling of the roster has put thorns through that rosy outlook.

“It is going to involve rolling back a little bit organizationally,” General Manager Darcy Regier said in First Niagara Center. “It’s really difficult to put an exact timeline on it. Obviously, you want it to be as short as possible, but you’re going to have to accumulate the players, develop the players.

“It’s difficult standing here right now to say it’s going to be a year or two years. We’re going to work as hard as we can at this and get it done as quickly as possible.”

The Sabres began selling veterans over the weekend when they shipped out defensemen Jordan Leopold and Robyn Regehr. Buffalo accumulated six draft picks in the three deals: a first-round selection this June; four second-rounders (one this year, two in 2014 and one in 2015); and a conditional fifth-round pick this year.

“It will provide us with an opportunity to stock the shelves pretty well,” said Regier, who conceded not every player selected will be successful, possibly extending the rebuilding time. “I’m not going to use the ‘R’ word, but it allows us to continue to draft and develop players and build the organization.

“There’s very few organizations that haven’t had to endure some pain in order to win.”

The loss of Pominville will be felt immediately. Not only do the Sabres lose a popular leader who was fourth on the team in scoring, but neither prospect acquired in the deal – Swedish forward Johan Larsson, 20, and Canadian goaltender Matthew Hackett, 23 – will play for Buffalo. They have been sent to the minor-league club in Rochester.

“It’s not fun being where we are,” said Regier, whose team entered Wednesday’s schedule 25th in the 30-team league. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a fan or you’re in my position, there’s no enjoyment out of it. But there is an opportunity. What we’re going to do is seize on the opportunity.”

More well-known, established players are expected to depart. Leading scorer Thomas Vanek, who does not want to be part of a lengthy rebuild, and goalie Ryan Miller have one year left on their contracts. That makes them prime trade targets.

“It will continue after the season,” Regier said of the revamping. “To what extent has yet to be determined.”

Regier said he had no plans to trade Pominville until Tuesday night. Minnesota initially inquired about the right winger three weeks ago, but talks evaporated quickly.

Pominville had a modified no-trade clause, and he could provide a list of eight teams to which he could not be traded. Regier asked him for the list earlier this week just in case a team called prior to Wednesday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.

“Jason Pominville may have been at the bottom of the list of players that I wanted to move,” said Regier, who phoned Pominville with the news before filing the trade with the league. “I felt bad because when I’d asked him for the list there was nothing going on. Within a few days, he’s been traded. I took him through that and just thanked him for everything.”

Pominville spent 11 years in the Sabres organization, including the last two as captain. He played 578 games for Buffalo, recording 185 goals, 271 assists and 456 points.

“Everything he represents as a player you can multiply by a big number as a person,” Regier said. “Extremely grateful for everything he’s done and wish him only the best.”

Larsson and Hackett were preparing to take part in the Wild’s morning skate prior to facing the San Jose Sharks when the trade was finalized.

“It’s been kind of a weird day,” Larsson said by phone. “We’re in San Jose right now, and I just stepped on the ice and they took me off, then we go from there.”

The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder can play center and wing. He was the captain of the Sweden’s world junior team and won a gold medal.

“I’m kind of an all-around player, play hard, work hard, play physical and make some plays,” said Larsson, who appeared in one NHL game. “I didn’t know so much about Buffalo, but I’m really excited to come there and play. I hear they have a good crowd.”

It’s a crowd accustomed to lean times and and should expect them to get leaner.

“If you don’t have a foundation of players with which to add free agents to, you’re not likely to be successful, and we weren’t,” Regier said. “It didn’t work, so we did make a shift.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667704 Buffalo Sabres

Regier cleaning up his own mess is messed up

BY: Bucky Gleason

Published: April 3, 2013, 12:53 PM

Updated: April 4, 2013, 12:49 AM

Darcy Regier didn’t want to use the R-word while announcing that Jason Pominville had been traded to Minnesota for two prospects and two draft picks Wednesday. The coy general manager didn’t need to get specific. Anyone listening understood he was talking about some derivative of rebuilding.

Reloading, retooling, reworking, reconstructing, take your pick.

If the Sabres were smart, they would reach into their bowl of alphabet soup for a few more R-words. Here are two in particular that carry a nice ring: Replace Regier.

They’re infinitely cleaner and far more sensible than the choice words fans are using – words that begin with other letters. The Sabres have had too few W’s and way too many L’s, which is why so many fans are getting increasingly PO’d. By the sounds of things, it’s going to get worse.

Regier deserves no criticism for the trade itself. He picked up a first-round pick, a second-round pick plus prospects Johan Larsson and Matt Hackett from the Wild. Overall, it’s a pretty good haul for a guy who had one full season remaining on his contract with a team going nowhere.

Larsson is a 20-year-old forward whom the Wild hoped would be a dependable third-line player in the NHL, perhaps a second-liner. They had concerns about Hackett’s mental toughness, but the goaltender showed flashes of brilliance last season.

Draft picks always come with a degree of uncertainty, but Regier figured he would increase his odds for hitting on a few players if he had more opportunities. He’s playing the percentages. By itself, it makes sense.

The real issue is the reason Regier was forced to trade his captain in the first place. He needs a new foundation because the one he built has crumbled under a mountain of his mistakes. The plan now calls for beginning at the bottom. Check the standings, and you’ll see that the Sabres aren’t far from their starting point.

“It’s no fun being where we are,” Regier said. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan or you’re in my position. There’s no enjoyment out of it. There’s an opportunity. What we’re going to do is seize on the opportunity.”

The difference between him and the fans, of course, is that he’s getting paid for not doing his job while fans are paying him to not do his job. Their loyalty, which hasn’t wavered no matter how many times he botched decisions, will be tested.

Regier called it “rolling back,” which was his way of convincing you that the Sabres need to pull their truck in reverse in order to plow forward. They want to draft and develop players with the idea they can supplement their roster through trades and free agency when the right opportunity comes along.

The timeline? No timeline.

The so-called core? No core.

Regier for years sold fans on the notion that Pominville was part of a collection of players who would lead them to greatness. It included Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford. Let’s not forget Paul Gaustad and Derek Roy, who have since been traded. Wait, I almost forgot Jochen Hecht. He’s still here, for some unknown reason.

“We tried to add to that,” Regier said, “and it didn’t work.”

He’s right. It didn’t work. In fact, it failed miserably because Regier put his money on the wrong players or failed to acquire the right players around them or, more accurately, a combination of both. The Sabres have missed the postseason three times in five years, soon to be four in six.

Obviously, it didn’t work.

Lindy Ruff was sent packing this season and rightfully so. He should have been fired last year, when it became evident his players muted his message. Regier should have been kicked to the curb with him but instead received a contract extension. He sounded like a man Wednesday who would be in charge of the rebuilding project.

Just so we’re straight, the same man who made the mess is now in charge of cleaning up the mess and, if he sticks around, will have an opportunity to make another mess. Seriously, that’s messed up.

Remember, when Terry Pegula purchased the team just more than two years ago, he expected to win the Stanley Cup in three. Now, they’re worse than when he arrived. Yes, they have regressed.

The R&R Railroad continues chugging along to destinations unknown with Ruff being replaced by Ron Rolston and getting basically the same results. Now that the Sabres can’t get much worse, it’s only a matter of time before the slightest improvement is sold as monumental progress. It’s ridiculous.

Certainly, someone would suggest that it’s all good because at least the franchise survived the worst R-word in the dictionary: relocation. Here’s a dose of reality: Gary Bettman was never going to allow that to happen based on its fan base and geographic advantages. In truth, there would have been a rebellion.

In the end, Regier had no choice but to send Pominville on his way like so many other good ones who left town for all of the wrong reasons.

They have been grossly mismanaged for years. Regier is in his 16th season and is still learning lessons the hard way, but his mistakes come without repercussion.

I’ll say it again: managing a hockey team isn’t about spending the most. It’s about spending the wisest. And with the Sabres not getting a bang commensurate with the buck, he has been exposed. It doesn’t take much for a general manager to lose leverage, as Regier found out this season.

Veterans in particular look around, assess the future, and start looking for the door if they don’t like the view. My guess is Pominville would have rather stayed in Buffalo if the Sabres had a real chance of winning. But when it became obvious, he handed over his list of teams for the Sabres to avoid and landed in Minnesota.

He’s not the first good player to leave town, and he’s not going to be the last. Vanek already stated he doesn’t want to be part of a long rebuilding project. He and Miller are signed through next season and are set to become unrestricted free agents. They’re reaching a stage in their careers where they want to win the Cup.

I’ll forever be convinced that they made that run from near the bottom of the Eastern Conference to the No. 7 playoff seed in 2010-11 because players were inspired about Pegula’s pending arrival. They expected big changes. Instead, he adhered to the status quo and ended up with an uninspired team that put together a string of listless efforts.

But what the heck? That’s just my opinion. It’s based on in this R-word: results.

Regier gets a reward.

Fans deserve a refund.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667705 Buffalo Sabres

Flurry of deals occur at deadline following relatively quiet day

NEWS Staff and wire Reports

Published: April 3, 2013, 12:32 PM

Updated: April 3, 2013, 12:33 PM

The NHL’s trade deadline day was quiet until the final hour, when a handful of players, including Sabres captain Jason Pominville, were exchanged.

At about the time Pominville was being sent to Minnesota, the New York Rangers traded 31-year-old forward Marian Gaborik to the Columbus Blue Jackets for center Derick Brassard, defenseman John Moore, forward Derek Dorsett and a sixth-round pick.

Gaborik has nine goals and 10 assists in 35 games this season and has one year left of a contract that carries a cap hit of $7.5 million.

Brassard has seven goals and 11 assists this season and Moore, a first-round choice in 2009, has one point in 17 games.

In a deal announced late, New Jersey acquired 38-year-old forward Steve Sullivan from Phoenix for a seventh-round draft pick. He played for the Devils for parts of two seasons at the start of his NHL career from 1995-97. Sullivan signed with Phoenix as a free agent during the offseason and had some good stretches with the Coyotes, scoring five goals with seven assists in 33 games, though he hadn’t registered a point in the last 10 games.

The Coyotes also traded center Matthew Lombardi to the Anaheim Ducks for left wing Brandon McMillan. Lombardi (four goals, eight points in 21 games) returned to Phoenix this season after being traded from Toronto during training camp. He missed 12 games early in the season with an upper-body injury and didn’t provide the Coyotes with the scoring punch they had hoped and was a healthy scratch March 25 after failing to register a point in seven straight games.

In another late deal, the Toronto Maple Leafs bolstered their defense by acquiring Ryan O’Byrne, 28, from the Colorado Avalanche for a fourth-round draft pick in 2014. O’Byrne has a goal and three assists in 34 games this season for Colorado, which currently owns the worst mark in the NHL. He goes to a team in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Also, the Washington Capitals sent Filip Forsberg, the 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft, to the Nashville Predators for forwards Martin Erat and Michael Latta. Erat has four goals and 17 assists this and has two seasons remaining on a contract with a cap hit of $4.5 million per season. The 31-year-old has 163 goals and 318 assists in 723 NHL games. Latta was a third-round pick in 2009 and has 35 points in 69 games this season for the Milwaukee Admirals.

Forsberg totaled 33 points in 38 games with Leksand of the Swedish League. He is only 18 years old.

Also, San Jose acquired forward Raffi Torres from Phoenix for a third-round draft pick and the Columbus received Blake Comeau from Calgary for a fifth-rounder and sent goalie Steve Mason to Philadelphia for goalie Michael Leighton and a third-round pick in 2015. Torres has played for the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes. He has been traded three times at the deadline.

One player of note who was not moved was Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo. He was long rumored to be a target of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He will continue to split games with Cory Schneider.

Toronto Star columnist Damien Cox tweeted that Luongo said, “My contract … , that’s why I’m still here.”

Luongo’s contract runs through 2021-22 at a cap hit of $5.33 million per season.

The Tampa Bay Lightning made the first big deal on NHL trade deadline day, acquiring goaltender Ben Bishop from the Ottawa Senators for rookie winger Cory Conacher and a fourth-round pick in the early afternoon. Bishop has filled in well with Ottawa while starter Craig Anderson was recovering from an injury.

Conacher, the former Canisius College star, had nine goals and 15 assists in 35 goals for Tampa Bay. He was the American Hockey League’s MVP last year and also named the league’s top rookie – a season capped by him helping the Lightning’s then minor-league affiliate in Norfolk win the Calder Cup championship.

Bishop has appeared in 13 games with the Senators this season, posting an 8-5 record, a .922 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average.

“It’s always a little shocking,” Conacher told Bruce Garioch of the Ottawa Sun. “A new start in Ottawa. I’m excited to go to Ottawa.

“I’m going to go there and try to help the team win. I’m excited.”

Conacher is from Burlington, Ont., and will make his Senators debut Friday night against the Sabres in Buffalo.

The Carolina Hurricanes shipped Jussi Jokinen to Pittsburgh for a conditional pick. Jokinen, 30, scored 30 goals in 2009-10 but slipped to six this year and had been placed on waivers.

The morning produced no activity of note, with the biggest news being that Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff didn’t want to be traded and that he would retire at the end of the season.

There were several minor deals. St. Louis sent defenseman Wade Redden, who has played in 1,017 NHL games, to Boston for a conditional seventh-round draft pick next year that becomes a sixth-rounder if he plays in at least one game during this year’s playoffs. He has two goals and three assists in 23 games this season.

In another deal involving the Bruins, Chicago sent Rob Flick to Boston for Maxime Sauve, and then Nashville shipped defenseman Scott Hannan to San Jose for a conditional sixth/seventh-round pick. Sauve has Sabres connections in that he’s the nephew of former Buffalo goaltender Bob Sauve and son of ex-Sabres forward J.F. Sauve.

Also, winger Jerred Smithson was sent by Florida to Edmonton for a midround pick.

Two players were picked up on waivers. Winnipeg grabbed Mike Santorelli from Florida Panthers and Philadelphia took Adam Hall from Tampa Bay. Hall had been acquired Tuesday with a seventh-round draft pick for Marc-Andre Bergeron.

There were significant trades leading up to deadline day.

The biggest names to move were high-scoring wingers Jarome Iginla and Jaromir Jagr.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got Iginla from Calgary for two prospects and a first-round pick, and he scored his first goal with his new team against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. They also picked up Brenden Morrow and a third-round pick from Dallas for defenseman Joe Morrow and a fifth-round pick.

The Boston Bruins picked up Jagr from Dallas for two prospects and a second-round pick.

Dallas also traded center Derek Roy, who was acquired from the Sabres in the offseason for winger Steve Ott, to Vancouver for a second-round pick and a prospect.

The Rangers added size on the wing with a trade for Ryane Clowe, sending a second- and a third-round pick plus a condition fifth-rounder to the San Jose Sharks. Clowe is a power forward but has not scored a goal this year.

The Kings acquired veteran defenseman Robyn Regehr from the Sabres on Monday, two days after Buffalo traded blue-liner Jordan Leopold to St. Louis. The Blues also added defenseman Jay Bouwmeester from Calgary shortly after picking up Leopold. The Flames received two prospects and a first-round pick.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667706 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres' Regier reiterates need to focus past this season on deadline day

By John Vogl

The Sabres' impressive win over Pittsburgh apparently has not changed Darcy Regier's plan for his team.

The general manager told Sabres.com this morning that this trade deadline day is different for him because he's looking toward the future instead of this season.

"It’s different because we’re where we are in the standings and where we are given the shortened season," Regier told the team website. "Our focus has moved to next season and even beyond that. It changes how we view our current lineup, our current roster, and it changes … we’re moving the timeline down a little bit."

The Sabres beat the Penguins on Tuesday, 4-1, to snap the Pens' 15-game winning streak. Still, Buffalo is just 14-17-6 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with 11 games remaining.

The Sabres will be sellers today, but it remains to be seen how the trade market reacts.

"I have no idea," Regier said of what will happen. "That’s not … I know some of the players that are in play. I know what teams are generally looking for, so you have a sense of the market, but whether those deals actually are consummated, it’s too hard to know right now.

"Depending whether you’re buying or selling, there’ll be a reference to other trades, but ultimately it comes down to how badly a team wants a player and how open a team is to trading a player. That will drive the price."

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667707 Buffalo Sabres

Larsson's 'weird day' starts with leaving Wild's morning skate, ends with Sabres and Amerks

April 3, 2013 - 7:12 PM

By John Vogl

Johan Larsson was in his Minnesota Wild gear today, ready to take part in the morning skate. The session didn't last long.

The Wild and Sabres agreed to a trade that sent Larsson to Buffalo as part of a deal for Jason Pominville, so Minnesota took the forward off the ice to prevent injury.

"It’s been kind of a weird day," Larsson said by phone this evening. "We’re in San Jose right now, and I just stepped on the ice and they took me off, then we go from there."

Larsson's next stop is Houston to gather his belongings, and he anticipates being in Rochester on Thursday evening. The Sabres said they will have him play for the Amerks.

"I’m excited to come there," said the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder. "I’m kind of an all-around player, play hard, work hard, play physical and make some plays. You come over here you have to bear down every time. I’ve been practicing a lot of that and keep practicing on it, but I’ve improved a little bit."

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667708 Buffalo Sabres

With trade to Sens, Canisius' Conacher gains in standings, gets earlier trip back to Buffalo

April 3, 2013 - 6:39 PM

By Mike Harrington

Cory Conacher is losing out on the Florida sun but he got a big jump in the standings and a much shorter trip to games for his family.

The former Canisius College star was traded Wednesday by the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Ottawa Senators for goalie Ben Bishop in one of the more interesting trades on deadline day.

Oddly enough, Conacher's debut with the Senators will come here Friday night against the Sabres. He had been scheduled to play the Buffalo homecoming game with Tampa on April 14. Conacher left Tampa Wednesday on a flight to Boston to join the Senators.

"I was counting down the days when I was with Tampa and the Tampa team play Buffalo in about a week. And now I get to play them sooner," Conacher said on Team 1200 Radio in Ottawa before boarding the flight.

"So it's going to be a lot of fun to go to Buffalo to see some old friends from school, my old coach as well. It's going to be a fun little trip there, a fun start to my Ottawa career and hopefully we get a win there."

Click below to hear the entire Conacher interview

Cory Conacher

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667709 Buffalo Sabres

Regier puts focus on rebuilding Sabres' foundation with trade of Pominville (with audio)

April 3, 2013 - 5:49 PM

By John Vogl

Darcy Regier says maybe the Buffalo Sabres could have enjoyed another late surge and sneaked into a playoff spot. But the odds of winning the Stanley Cup this season were extremely slim, so the general manager was determined to look toward the future.

"The preference is to build for a Stanley Cup rather than a playoff spot," Regier said today after trading captain Jason Pominville to Minnesota for two prospects and a pair of draft picks, including a first-round selection this June. "It's no fun being where we are. There's no enjoyment, but there is an opportunity."

Pominville, who went to the Wild along with a fourth-round pick in 2014, is the third veteran to depart Buffalo during the past week. He joined defensemen Robyn Regehr and Jordan Leopold, who combined to net the Sabres three second-round picks and a conditional fourth.

"This will give us the opportunity to stock the shelves," Regier said.

It's an immediate step back, however. Pominville had 10 goals and 25 points for the Sabres. Aquisitions Johan Larsson, a forward, and Matt Hackett, a goaltender, will report to the Rochester Americans.

The Wild made an initial inquiry about Pominville about three weeks ago, Regier said, but the interest quickly disappeared. The captain has a modified no-trade clause in which he can submit a list of eight teams to which he cannot be traded, and Regier asked Pominville for it just in case any talks resumed.

The Wild called Tuesday night, Regier said, and the deal (which includes Buffalo getting Minnesota's second-round selection in 2014) came together today.

While Regier said he did not want to bring up the "R" word -- rebuild -- it's clear that is the Sabres' path since they lack, in the GM's words, a "foundation."

"You want to make the painful period as short as possible," said Regier. "It's really difficult to put an exact timeline on it. It's difficult standing here to say it's going to be a year or two."

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667710 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres' Larsson, known as 'The Bull,' has shown improvement as scorer

April 3, 2013 - 4:46 PM

By John Vogl

New Sabres acquisition Johan Larsson is known as a defensive forward, a powerful center/winger who goes by the nickname of "The Bull" in his native Sweden. He's begun to add finesse, too.

Larsson, a 20-year-old who is coming to Buffalo as part of the deal that sent Jason Pominville to Minnesota, had 12 goals in 49 games during his last season in the Swedish league. In the American Hockey League this year, Larsson recorded 15 goals and 37 points in 62 games.

"Johan is a player that has continued to get better since he was a young player first being evaluated for the draft," his agent, Craig Oster, said about the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder. "He’s not a tall player but extremely stocky, very, very strong. I think his nickname in Sweden is 'the Bull.'

"He’s demonstrated at different times a little bit more of a scoring touch than people had originally anticipated.

"He can play center, wing, penalty killer. If I had to categorize him, responsibly defensive forward who can also chip in offensively and has some offensive creativity."

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667711 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres trade Jason Pominville to Minnesota for prospects Johan Larsson, Matt Hackett, two picks

April 3, 2013 - 3:32 PM

By John Vogl

It's official: The Sabres have made a significant alteration to their franchise, shipping captain Jason Pominville to the Minnesota Wild.

The Sabres will receive Johan Larsson, a 20-year-old center/winger who has played one NHL game. Larsson was captain of Sweden's world junior team. He was a second-round pick in the 2010 draft. The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder had 15 goals, 22 assists and 37 points in 62 minor-league games this season.

He's been categorized as a responsibly defensive forward who can also chip in offensively.

The Sabres also will receive goaltender Matt Hackett, a 23-year-old who was picked in the third round in 2009. He has played 13 NHL games, including one this season. In his career, he is 3-7 with a 2.64 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

Hackett was 19-20-3 with a 2.66 and .907 save percentage with the Wild's minor-league club in Houston. He's 6-2, 173 pounds.

TSN reports the Sabres have also received Minnesota's first-round pick this year and a second-round selection in 2014. The Wild gets Buffalo's fourth-round selection in 2014.

Pominville had spent his entire 11-year pro career in the Sabres' organization, including the past two seasons as team captain. The right winger has 10 goals and 25 points in 35 games this season. The 30-year-old has 185 goals and 456 points in 578 games with the Sabres.

He has one year remaining on a contract that pays $5.3 million annually.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667712 Buffalo Sabres

Tampa trades former Canisius star Conacher to Ottawa for goaltender; Sens visit Buffalo on Friday

April 3, 2013 - 2:24 PM

By John Vogl

Cory Conacher, the former Canisius star who was named MVP of the AHL last season, is on his way to Ottawa.

Tampa has dealt the forward to the Senators, along with a fourth-round pick, in exchange for goaltender Ben Bishop. The Sabres host Ottawa on Friday.

The 23-year-old Conacher has nine goals and 24 points in 35 games to garner consideration for NHL Rookie of the Year. He has just two goals in the last 17 games.

Tampa Bay has been in dire need of goaltending, though, and Bishop was in a logjam with the Senators behind injured Craig Anderson and prospect Robin Lehner. Bishop, 21, is 8-5 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667713 Buffalo Sabres

List of Sabres' deadline deals under Darcy Regier

April 3, 2013 - 10:58 AM

Darcy Regier is busy every year around the trade deadline. Here are the moves made by the Sabres' general manager.

2-4-98 Acquired Geoff Sanderson from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Brad May and a third-round draft pick in 1999.

3-24-98 Acquired Paul Kruse and Jason Holland from the N.Y. Islanders in exchange for Jason Dawe.

3-11-99 Acquired Stu Barnes from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Matthew Barnaby.

3-23-99 Acquired Joe Juneau and a 1999 third-round draft choice (Tim Preston) from the Washington Capitals in exchange for Alexei Tezikov. Traded Mike Wilson to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Rhett Warrener and a 1999 fifth-round draft choice (Ryan Miller). Traded Derek Plante to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 1999 second-round draft choice (Michael Zigomanis).

3-10-00 Acquired Chris Gratton and a second-round draft choice in 2001 from Tampa Bay in exchange for Wayne Primeau, Brian Holzinger, Cory Sarich, and a third-round selection in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Acquired Doug Gilmour and Jean-Pierre Dumont from Chicago in exchange for Michal Grosek.

3-13-01 Acquired RW Donald Audette from Atlanta for C Kamil Piros and a fourth-round pick in 2001 NHL Entry Draft; acquired Steve Heinze from Columbus for a third-round draft pick in 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

3-19-02 Acquired C Bob Corkum from Atlanta for a fifth-round pick in 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

2-25-03 Acquired C Jakub Klepis from Ottawa in exchange for RW Vaclav Varada and a fifth-round draft pick in 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

3-10-03 Traded C Stu Barnes to Dallas for C Mike Ryan and Dallas’ second-round draft choice in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft; Traded RW Rob Ray to Ottawa for future considerations.

3-11-03 Acquired C Daniel Briere and Phoenix’s third-round selection in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft for C Chris Gratton and Buffalo’s fourth-round choice in the 2004 Entry Draft.

3-08-04 Acquired Brad Brown and a sixth-round selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft from Minnesota in exchange for a fourth-round selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

3-09-04 Acquired Jeff Jillson and a ninth-round selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft from San Jose in exchange for Curtis Brown and Andy Delmore; Acquired Mike Grier from Washington in exchange for Jakub Klepis.

3-09-06 Traded G Mika Noronen to Vancouver in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

2-27-07 Acquired C Dainius Zubrus and D Timo Helbling from Washington for Jiri Novotny and Buffalo’s first-round selection in the 2007 Entry Draft; acquired G Ty Conklin from Columbus in exchange for Buffalo’s fifth-round selection in the 2007 Entry Draft; acquired D Mikko Lehtonen from Nashville in exchange for Buffalo’s fourth-round selection in the 2007 Entry Draft; trade Martin Biron to Philadelphia for their second-round selection in the 2007 Entry Draft.

2-26-08 Acquired Steve Bernier and a first-round selection in 2008 Entry Draft in exchange for Brian Campbell and a seventh-round selection in 2008 Entry Draft.

3-4-09 Acquired G Mikael Tellqvist from Phoenix in exchange for a Buffalo’s fourth round selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft; Acquired C Dominic Moore from Toronto in exchange for Buffalo’s second round selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft; Acquired Edmonton’s second round selection in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for RW Ales Kotalik.

3-3-10 Acquired RW Raffi Torres from Columbus for D Nathan Paetsch, second-round pick; traded RW Clarke MacArthur to Atlanta for third- and fourth-round picks.

2-28-11 Acquired LW Brad Boyes from St. Louis for second-round pick.

2-27-12 Acquired C Cody Hodgson and D Alexander Sulzer from Vancouver for RW Zack Kassian and D Marc-Andre Gragnani; traded C Paul Gaustad and fourth-round pick to Nashville for first-round pick.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.04.2013

667714 Buffalo Sabres