Hey all, this is Melissa, your new Buffalo Sabres correspondent for NHL HotStove. With just over two months before training camp and preseason begins, teams are looking to the future and improving through free agency and – in some cases – trades.

The Sabres entered free agency with a handful of players to deal with, and as free agency began on July 1, they lost two key defense. Henrik Tallinder, who had been a member of the organization since being drafted in 1997, quickly signed a four year deal with the New Jersey Devils. The deal will pay him an average of $3.375 million per year. Defenseman Toni Lydman also signed with the Anaheim Ducks for a deal that will pay him $9 million over three years.

On the same day the Sabres signed defenseman Jordan Leopold who played with the Pittsburgh Penguins at the end of last season. Leopold signed for a three year, $3 million/yr contract. The 29-year-old knew current Sabres forward Thomas Vanek, and contacted him for advice before agreeing to sign with the Sabres.

The team later re-signed enforcer Cody McCormick, who played most of last season with the Sabres’ AHL team, to a one year, $500,000 contract. Young defenseman Mike Weber, who has a chance to play with the big club this season, accepted his qualifying offer, and the team also signed Derek Whitmore.

To the surprise of many fans, the team chose to resign goaltender Patrick Lalime to a one-year deal. There were talks that the team would not sign a goaltender, and instead bring up Jhonas Enroth from the AHL, but this new deal allows Enroth one more year of experience in the AHL before probably coming up to the NHL next season.

The Sabres lost left winger Philip Gogulla, as he decided to return home to play in Germany. Defenseman Mike Kostka is also reportedly not returning to the team. Both players were in Portland (AHL) last season.

The biggest splash in the team’s offseason thus far has been the signing of forward Rob Niedermayer to a one-year, $1.15 million deal on July 7. Niedermayer adds veteran experience to an otherwise fairly young team. He had 10 goals and 12 assists in 71 games last season with the New Jersey Devils. Niedermayer also won a Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07.

On July 16, the team announced that they have signed UFA Tim Conboy, who spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, to a one-year deal.

The Sabres are far from done this off-season. Hometown forward Tim Kennedy is taking the team to arbitration. The team is also taking Angola native Patrick Kaleta to arbitration, a rare move that ensures Kaleta will suit up for the blue and gold next season.

They also have a couple free agents still on their radar, including Raffi Torres, who was a disappointment with just five assists in 14 games with the team last season. Adam Mair, Matt Ellis, Jeff Cowan and Joe DiPenta round out the UFAs for the team. Mark Mancari, Matt Generous, Marc-Andre Gragnani and goaltender JP Lamoureux are all restricted free agents.

Melissa Kania
NHLHS Buffalo Sabres Correspondent
mkania@nhlhotstove.com
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