Patrick Kaleta might finally be put out of his misery today.

Kaleta, who has missed the past three games and seven of the last nine because of injuries, could return to the lineup when the Buffalo Sabres host the Tampa Bay Lightning. Putting on his uniform would certainly lighten the right winger's mood.

"I don't like this whatsoever. I'm miserable," Kaleta said Tuesday. "I just don't like sitting out and watching my team go out and battle. You feel secluded."

Kaleta skipped the past three outings after suffering a leg injury Dec. 27 in St. Louis. That setback came in his return from a head and neck injury suffered Dec. 16 in Ottawa. He practiced on the fourth line in HSBC Arena alongside Clarke MacArthur, Matt Ellis and Adam Mair.

"It's something that if I needed to I could play through it," Kaleta said. "I've been better. It's my first practice in a long time. Obviously, I'm going to have to work a little bit to get my conditioning back, but that's the least of my worries right now.

"I said if I needed to I could suck it up and quit being soft."

Coach Lindy Ruff would say only that Kaleta is an option for the Lightning.

"He had a good day [Monday] and an even better day [Tuesday], so he should be available for us," Ruff said.

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Defenseman Nathan Paetsch, placed on waivers Monday, cleared and practiced with the team. Ruff said the team had not decided whether to send the veteran to Portland of the American Hockey League or keep him in Buffalo.

Ruff, though, ideally would like to carry only six blue-liners on his roster. He has eight, with Paetsch at the bottom behind seventh D-man Andrej Sekera. Ruff said Paetsch needs to skate, and the Pirates could provide that opportunity.

"We need to get him playing," Ruff said. "We've got too many bodies here. Knock on wood, we've been lucky with getting back to healthy again. With that many men in the wings, it makes it a little tough at times."

Paetsch is hoping to follow Mair's route. The forward was waived earlier this season but remained with the team and has been a key contributor lately.

"I've kind of got to act like nothing happened," Paetsch said. "It's not like I'm that far out of the lineup. Guys have had injuries. I've gone in there, and I feel like I've played well and contributed.

"I understand it's a business, and management has to do what is best for the team. It's a difficult situation. It's not a position anyone loves to be in, but as of now I'm still here, and that's the best thing for me."

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Ruff admitted one of the toughest parts of coaching is dealing with slumps. He also conceded it's something that will never go away.

Drew Stafford, Jochen Hecht, Jason Pominville and Tim Connolly all ended dry spells recently, but Ruff said the cycle continues.

"We've got Tim out of a funk, and now we move on to the next one," Ruff said. "The next is Thomas [Vanek], it's Clarke MacArthur, it's making sure Derek Roy gets back on track again. Then once we get them back on track, we'll be on to the next guy again. It just seems like it goes that way."

Ruff had a one-on-one chat at practice with Vanek, who has gone three games without a point.

"I'm not going to sit here and say I'm happy with where my game is at and where my stats are at, but overall we're winning," Vanek said. "That's a good thing."