TORONTO — It's time to start thinking about the future of the Buffalo Sabres. Nathan

Gerbe received evidence Wednesday he's likely to be part of it.

The first-year pro was named the outstanding rookie in the American Hockey League. Gerbe has

27 goals and 26 assists in 54 games for the Portland Pirates, and his average of 0.98 points

per game is tops among AHL rookies.

The 21-year-old winger joins Donald Audette (1990) and Mika Noronen (2000) as the only Sabres

prospects to earn the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award. Gerbe was selected in the fifth

round of the 2005 NHL entry draft. He played 10 games for the Sabres and registered one

assist.

***

Brad May remembers seeing players reach the 1,000-game mark and thinking what an

accomplishment it is. Suddenly, there he was Wednesday, playing in his 1,000th game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs winger was honored in his hometown before the opening faceoff, then

skated against his first team in the milestone game. The 37-year-old played his first 425

contests with the Sabres, beginning in 1991. May was the talk of the dressing rooms, hallways

and corridors of Air Canada Centre.

"Being celebrated is really neat," May said. "All my teammates and different phone calls I've

gotten, guys saying, "What an accomplishment.' I've always thought that of others, but you

don't really see that when you're just living it, just doing it."

Former teammate Rob Ray presented May with a framed photo of his "May Day" goal and a piece of

Memorial Auditorium courtesy of the Sabres' organization. The Leafs, who acquired May in

January, gave him a watch, a silver stick and donated $10,000 in his name to two charities.

It wasn't a coincidence May's 1,000th game came against the Sabres. Toronto coach Ron Wilson

scratched May from Tuesday's visit to New Jersey so he could be honored against the team that

selected him in the first round of the 1990 draft.

"I've never been happier to sit out a game," May said.

May entered Wednesday with 127 goals, 160 assists and 2,164 penalty minutes in his 17-year

career. In addition to the Sabres and Leafs, he has played for Vancouver, Phoenix, Colorado

and Anaheim.

"It's not necessarily the games. It's the memories," May said. "Being back in Buffalo, it's

Matthew [Barnaby] and Robby and Bobby Boughner and Gord Donnelly. I found myself thinking,

Where's Derek Plante today? Where's Brian Holzinger? Jason Dawe? Rob Conn? I'm thinking of all

these names and the guys you've played with, it's amazing. And that's only Buffalo and that

short time. Then you've got your other teams.

"I'm still playing, and they're not. Why? I don't know, but it's been fun."

***

The Sabres play their final road game of the regular season tonight when they visit the

Carolina Hurricanes. They're merely meeting one of the hottest teams in Hurricanes history.

Carolina brings a franchise record-tying nine-game winning streak into RBC Center. The

Hurricanes have also been unbeatable at home with a team-record 12-game winning streak.

***

Sabres center Matt Ellis played for the first time in nine games, taking the place of injured

Clarke MacArthur. Center Tim Connolly and defenseman Craig Rivet dressed against the Leafs

despite skipping practice Tuesday with injuries.