Nathan Gerbe and Mike Weber are gone to Portland while Tim Kennedy and Tyler Myers are set

to start the season in Buffalo with the Sabres.

Weber and Gerbe were sent back to the American Hockey League this morning as the Sabres

made their final roster moves to get to the NHL's 23-man limit in preparation for Saturday's

season opener against Montreal.

With Toni Lydman (hand) skating on his own and Drew Stafford (concussion) skating in a

non-contact capacity, the Sabres will initially keep the 6-foot-8 Myers on defense rather than

send him back to junior hockey. Kennedy, meanwhile, has been skating on a line with Clarke

MacArthur and Jason Pominville.

Myers can play nine games for the Sabres before he must stay in Buffalo or be returned to

Kelowna of the Western Hockey League.

"I'm going to look at him as one game at a time and I don't think I'm going to get too

anxious one way or the other," said coach Lindy Ruff. "There's no guaratnee he'll be in the

opening lineup for Saturday. Obviously, he's played very well for us and is a very serious

consideration."

"It feels really good," said Myers, 19. "They still have that window to decide but I'm

excited to be here."

Kennedy, the South Buffalo native who starred at Michigan State and played one game for the

Sabres last year, had an impressive training camp and led the team with a plus-four rating.

"It's really good to be here, a lot of hard work over 22 years," Kennedy said. "To grow up

in Buffalo and have it happen is pretty special. But the hard work is not over. I don't want

to make the roster now and be sent down in two or three weeks because I played bad. So I have

to keep working hard and stay around the whole year."

Meanwhile, the Sabres placed Adam Mair on the injured/non-roster list. He is skating in

non-contact roles and has yet to take a physical.