PITTSBURGH — Unless trade talks take a significant shift before Wednesday's 3 p.m.

deadline, the Buffalo Sabres who play Wednesday in HSBC Arena should look nearly identical to

the Sabres who played Tuesday night.

Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier fielded and made phone calls the day before the NHL's

trade freeze, but none tempted him to make a swap.

"We've had conversations, but there's nothing close," Regier said before the Sabres lost to

the Pittsburgh Penguins, 3-2. "We'll keep working on it [today] and see where it goes, but

right now we don't have anything close to what our objective is."

Regier's objective is to build his team for the long term, not just for the final few months

of the season. He said most of the players being shopped are free agents at the end of the

season, and he's previously said that's not a route he'd prefer to go.

"Our focus has really been on seeing if we can do something for a longer term, beyond just

this stretch run, but including next season," Regier said in Mellon Arena. "For the ideals,

you're looking at a much bigger marketplace in the summertime. This is one opportunity when

ideally you'd like to improve yourself, but I think the great opportunity is during the

offseason and the summer. There's going to be more free agents at that time."

The Sabres have two key defensemen — Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman — who will

be free agents this summer. Regier said teams have inquired about some of his players.

"Yes, but we're not going to weaken our team," he said. "As much as I don't want to refer

back to the rentals, we're not going to trade players away that can help down the stretch,

either. If we do make a move in that direction it will be because we feel we have players

either internally or within the system in Portland that can improve our situation here.

"I think some kids are getting very close to be able to help us now."

The GM, who has made trades at or near all 11 of his trade deadlines, said asking prices

are high, but he still expects a high number of trades today. The Sabres host the Washington

Capitals four hours after the deadline.

"There's fewer sellers, and some of the fewer sellers are selling more," Regier said. "I

think there still will be a lot of player movement. How much of it in the end really matters,

probably not very much."

. . .

As soon as Sidney Crosby scored in overtime Sunday to give Canada the Olympic gold medal,

his stick and gloves went airborne in celebration. Where they landed, Crosby doesn't know.

The equipment used to score one of the most famous goals in hockey history is missing, the

Penguins' captain and Canadian folk hero said Tuesday.

"I don't have that stuff," Crosby said. "When they cleared the ice, I never got my stick or

gloves. Of all things, I got my mouthguard back.

"I don't know how it got away or where it ended up, but if I get it back one day, great. If

not, someone's got it somewhere."

What no one can take from Crosby is the feeling of standing in Canada Hockey Place and

watching his countrymen party and reclaim their spot atop the hockey world.

"I don't know if you could ever match that, as far as Canada being hockey," Crosby said.

"When we were just waiting for the medals and looking around, you just try to soak that up

because seeing everybody in red and white, and hearing people sing the national anthem, things

like that, you'll never experience anything like that. I think you really just try to enjoy

the moment and remember as much as you can. That was incredible seeing that."

Crosby already had an MVP award and a Stanley Cup ring to go with his Olympic moment. At

just 22, the question is what can he possibly do for an encore?

"Another one," he said. "You want to be a winner, for sure. I think there's other things

that define people besides championships, and I would hope that I'm more than that, but as a

player that's what you play for, that's what you work toward. You put everything you can into

working hard so you can have those opportunities."

. . .

Tyler Ennis, the Sabres' top prospect, has been named the American Hockey League's Rookie of

the Month for February. The 20-year-old forward had 17 points in 14 games as the Portland

Pirates moved from fourth place to first in the Atlantic Division during the month.

Ennis, the second of the Sabres' two first-round picks in 2008, leads AHL rookies with 19

goals and 59 points in 61 games.

Ennis, though, may not be in the mood to celebrate his honor. Reports out of Portland have

him listed as day-to-day after getting cross-checked in the face by an Albany player Sunday

night.

The Pirates, meanwhile, continue to be involved in talks about relocating to Albany.

Said Pirates managing owner Brian Petrovek to the Maine Hockey Journal: "No deals have been

reached there or here — yet."