Sabres notebook
Butler back in lineup as Tallinder sits
DETROIT — The goal of any player who gets called up to the NHL is to play so well that it's almost impossible to send him back down. Hey, Chris Butler ... mission accomplished.
The Buffalo Sabres rookie was back in the lineup Saturday night in Detroit, and there was no doubt why. He's earned the ice time. He's been one of the Sabres' best defenseman in his 10 NHL games, and he's forcing coach Lindy Ruff to scratch two healthy blue-liners every night. Against the Red Wings, Henrik Tallinder joined usual press box attendee Nathan Paetsch.
Ruff said prior to the season his ideal blue line setup would be six defensemen, and they carried Paetsch as a spare. Butler came up while Craig Rivet was injured, and the 22-year-old is playing like he belongs.
"Right now I want to use those seven guys," Ruff said. "That isn't an easy decision. It's tough for Hank. We may look at trying to get a little bit of a rotation, but I think the fact that Butler has played so well, he's got to go back in. If we're going to keep him here, he's got to play. At the same time, I can't lose the other guys in the process."
Butler sat out Friday's 2-1 shootout victory over the New York Rangers. Tallinder, meanwhile, was minus-1 in the game and played the fewest minutes of the Buffalo defensemen, 13:54.
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Large groups of Sabres fans infiltrated Joe Louis Arena for the game, as Buffalonians drove to Hockeytown or chartered buses. Meanwhile, one of the Red Wings has season tickets in Buffalo — just not for hockey.
Detroit winger Kirk Maltby has been a Bills season-ticket holder for three seasons, though he didn't make it to any games this season. The 36-year-old lives just west of Hamilton, Ont., and will become a regular in Ralph Wilson Stadium when his hockey career is over.
"I'm a Bills fan," Maltby said. "I got the opportunity to get some good seats, and I'm from Cambridge, and when we go home or whatever I'll be able to go to some games. I got them because when I'm done playing, I'll have them. All my buddies use them now."
He said the Bills' late-season collapse was hard on him and communications manager Todd Beam, a Buffalo native, because teammates ripped their choice of teams.
Presumably, none of them were fans of the winless Detroit Lions.
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Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has followed the recent success of Sabres forward Matt Ellis, who played parts of the previous two seasons in Detroit before being waived in February 2008.
"Matt Ellis is a quality, quality man," Babcock said. "We talked about signing him again this year, and with Matt, he can always sign with us. But it's about what's the best opportunity for him."
Ellis played his first 51 NHL games with the Red Wings. While Babcock would love to have him back, don't think that he's lamenting the forward's success elsewhere.
"Not one bit," Babcock said. "I think it's just the opposite. I think it's gratifying. It's like [former assistant] Todd [McLellan] going on and coaching in San Jose. To me, that's what it's all about. It's about you having a model franchise, and you develop people — whether that be management, scouting, coaching or players — and you hope that people are attracted to them because they do a good job."
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The Sabres did not get a power-play opportunity in Friday's game, the first time that had happened since a 3-1 win in Washington on Dec. 27, 2003. It was the first time the Rangers weren't whistled for an infraction since 1999.
"It was one of those games where they didn't call a lot," said Ruff, whose team had only two penalties. "I can't remember a game where we didn't get a power play. It's different. You totally waste a power-play meeting that day."
