Sabres notebook
Curtain may fall on Numminen today
Teppo Numminen couldn’t say for sure if today might be his last National Hockey League game. But 21 years and 1,371 games after his debut with the old Winnipeg Jets, it’s very possible the 40-year-old defense-man will take the ice for the final time when the Sabres host Boston in HSBC Arena.
“A lot of things have happened the last couple of years and you’ve got to step back and gather your thoughts, talk with your family and see where you want to go,” Numminen said Friday following an optional skate in the Amherst Pepsi Center. “You need more time to put it all together and make those decisions.”
Numminen has played 56 games this year in a bounceback season after heart surgery in September 2007. The team’s Masterton Trophy nominee, he has two goals, 14 assists and a minus-6 rating.
“You hit 40, every game is like your last game,” Numminen said. “I’ll just try to make the best of it, enjoy it, play hard like you always do. I know it’s going to be the last game of this season.”
Numminen was a regular for the first three months of the season before suffering a minor jaw fracture Jan. 17 against Carolina. He returned to the lineup Feb. 4 but has mostly been a healthy scratch since late February, losing his spot in the lineup to rookie Chris Butler.
Today’s game, in fact, will mark just the fourth time in the season’s final 23 games that Numminen will play.
“It’s great to be back in the league, be back healthy and be back playing,” Numminen said. “I really enjoyed this year doing the things I love. In that way, it was really an enjoyable year. . . . The last four years [playing in Buffalo] has been my only choice and I’ve been really glad and happy I’ve been able to play here. A lot of great memories. It’s been great, been special.”
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Thursday’s win at Carolina gave the Sabres a final record of 18-17-6 on the road, one game below last year’s figure of 19-16-6 but tied for seventh in the Eastern Conference with 42 points. The Sabres are 22-15-3 at home and their 47 points rank just 11th in the East.
The Carolina victory allowed Buffalo to close with three straight road wins; until they had the streak, they had gone 4-9-3 away from home and not posted back-to-back wins since shootout victories at Dallas and Florida on Jan. 15 and 19.
The Sabres finished even in goals (122-122) on the road but had great seasons away from home on special teams.
They entered Friday third in the NHL in road power plays (23.8 percent) and sixth in road penalty killing (82.4). At home, they’re just 17th on the power play (18.3) and 15th in penalty kills (81.4).
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Ruff wouldn’t confirm it officially but acknowledged the likely plan for Butler is to return the rookie to Portland after today’s game so he can join the Pirates for the American Hockey League playoffs.
Portland entered play Friday night needing one point in its last two games to clinch its berth. Butler was called up by the Sabres on Dec. 18 and stayed the rest of the season. In 46 games, he has one goal, four assists and a plus-9 rating that’s second on the team.
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Now that the Sabres are officially eliminated, it’s likely Ruff will hear from officials from Hockey Canada about a possible coaching role for the upcoming World Championships in Switzerland. But there was no news on that front Friday.
“I’m not commenting on anything right now,” Ruff said. “I’m going to finish the season tomorrow.”
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