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Buffalo Sabres Executive Office

Buffalo Sabres Coaching Staff

TerryPegulaowner

LindyRuffhead coach

TheodoreBlackpresident

JamesPatrickassistant coach

JimCorsigoaltender coach

DarcyRegiergeneral manager

KevynAdamsassistant coach

DougMcKenneystrength & conditioning

coach

KenSawyersenior advisor

TeppoNumminenassistant coach

CliffordBensonsenior advisor

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Welcome ........................................................................1Executive & Coaching Staff .....................................2Coaches Corner ..........................................................5Welcome to “Leino-Ville” ......................................6-7“Love for Lokomotiv” .................................................9Sabres Headshots ...................................................12Game Preview ...........................................................13Sabres Roster ............................................................ 14Opponent Roster ...............................................15-16Quick Hits....................................................................19SabreKidz Page ........................................................20By the Numbers .......................................................21Moment in Time .......................................................23

Sabres Family ............................................................24Sabres Ticket Information .....................................26Sabres Regular Season Schedule ....................27Scorecard ...................................................................28

Executive Editor ..............................................................Chris BanduraAssistant Editors ........................................................Marc HeintzmanContributor.................................................................................Jeff BakerSenior Graphic Designer .....................................................Vicki SitekTeam Photographer ............................................................Bill WippertPhotography Contributions ...............................Getty Images/NHLI, .............................................................Samantha Hicks, Ron Moscati

©Buffalo Sabres. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the Buffalo Sabres & NHL is expressly prohibited.

What have you been up to since you retired as a player?

I’ve spent a lot of time with my family. My three kids are in school here in Clarence so I’ve been re-ally busy. I spend a lot of time help-ing them get ready for school and all of their hobbies. I also worked as a scout with Team Finland and did some scouting for the Vancou-ver Olympics. I was there helping the team and I did the same thing with the Finnish National Team last year as well.

Teppo NumminenAfter being a player for so long, how was the transition into being a scout and a coach?

You have to learn to watch the games differ-ently. When you’re playing, you’re just playing and having fun. You really have to concentrate when you watch from above and there might be a situation that you miss that you wouldn’t have missed as a player. So it’s just a different perspective as a coach, looking from the bench or from high above.

What are you most looking forward to as a coach?

Just helping the players with small little things that I see from upstairs and giving them ideas on how to improve and get better. It’s a lot of talking to them, helping them and supporting

them. It’s a long year and the players need somebody they can go to for questions. I’m here to help them and be that support.

Any favorite memories as a Sabres player?

All the playoff games. Especially the run against Carolina in the ’06 Conference Finals. It was so close there in game seven. I’ll always remember all the playoff series I played in, they were all re-ally special.

What are your thoughts on the team playing in your native Finland?

It was exciting. I think it was a real good for the league and for the players to get a chance to go over there and play in an exciting atmosphere.

assistant coach

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Just six months after playing the villain in Buffalo with the Phila-delphia Flyers, Ville Leino should return to a hero’s welcome this season with the Sabres. After all, Leino had silenced the crowd in Buffalo this past spring by scoring the game-winning goal against the Sabres in overtime of Game 6 of the Eastern Confer-ence Quarterfinals.

“It was definitely one of the bigger goals of my career,” he admitted. “The Flyers won the series, so I guess that makes it even bigger.”

Leino, whom the Sabres ac-quired as a free agent on July

1, reflected on the quick transi-tion from foe to friend in the eyes of

Sabres fans.

“Everything happens pretty fast going from one team to another. People are nice here and you feel like you are part of the organi-zation right away,” Leino said. “At this point, it’s not that awkward anymore. People have been so good to me here.”

For Leino, the offseason was all about trad-ing places. After playing left wing throughout his NHL career, he has returned to the cen-ter position that he thrived in back in Finland, embracing the challenges that come with the once-familiar territory.

“There are more defensive responsibilities for a center,” said Leino, who spent the pre-season centering a line between Tyler Ennis and Drew Stafford. “Hopefully I can make more plays, have the puck a little more and organize the game for my line.”

By Jeff Baker

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The natural center hasn’t always been the center of attention.

Leino’s odyssey to the National Hockey League began with six seasons in the SM-liiga, the elite professional league in Finland. His big break finally came in 2008, when he scored 77 points in 55 games with Jokerit Helsinki to win the Lasse Oksanen trophy as the league’s best regular season player.

Joining previous winners such as Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas (2005) and Anaheim Ducks center Saku Koivu (1995) made Leino more confident that he could compete at the next level.

“They’re pretty big players in the NHL,” he said. “Tim Thomas was pretty much the best player in the league last year. When you win that award, it’s good for your confidence.”

Scoring a highlight-reel goal on your first NHL shot is also good for your confidence.

Undrafted, Leino finally broke into the league with the Detroit Red Wings in 2009. And just like legendary Sabres enforcer Rob Ray, Lei-no scored on his first shot in his NHL debut.

On an odd-man rush, Leino did his best Denis Savard impression with a 180-degree spin-o-rama. With his back turned to the goalie, he calmly finessed a backhand into the net. The savvy play proved that the Finn-ish forward could finish around the net.

“It felt pretty amazing,” he said with a smile. “You never know what to expect for the first game. I’ll remember that for a long time. It was something that I’ll never forget.”

Leino continued to make his mark as a skilled offensive threat by finishing his rookie year with an impressive five goals and four assists in just 13 games.

After a disappointing start to the 2009-10

campaign, Leino was part of a midseason trade to the Flyers. He became an integral part of their playoff run to the Stanley Cup Fi-nals, averaging more than a point per game during that postseason with seven goals and 21 points over 19 games.

Leino carried that momentum into the 2010-11 regular season and finished with a solid 19 goals and 53 points.

“Every year that you get to the playoffs, you get more experience,” he reasoned. “After finishing the season with the hardest games that can possibly happen on planet Earth, it makes it a little bit easier to play the regular season games.”

Leino says life is also a little easier now that the Sabres have brought fellow Finn Teppo Numminen on board as an assistant coach.

“Teppo is a gentleman and a great person,” he said fondly. “For me, it’s a big thing that we can talk Finnish every now and then. The players really respect him.”

The Savonlinna, Finland native was very ex-cited about kicking off the season at home during the NHL Premiere series in Europe, especially against Anaheim’s Teemu Se-lanne, whom he respects greatly.

“Teemu and Jari Kurri were the two big names in Finnish hockey,” he explained. “It was amazing because I’ve lived in Helsinki for the past five years. There were a lot of friends and family there, a lot of people that I know.”

Leino’s ability to produce big goals and as-sists will help the team with its only goal: win-ning the Stanley Cup. All the while, Sabres fans hope that he can significantly increase the population of Leinoville, the newest town in Hockey Heaven.

“Everything happens pretty fast going from one team to another. People are nice here and you feel like you are part of the organization right away...”

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The wives and girlfriends of the Buffalo Sabres are joining wives of players from all 29 other NHL teams in an effort to raise money for the families af-fected by the plane crash that claimed the lives of members of the Lokomo-tiv Yarsolavl (KHL) hockey team earlier this month.

“The Sabres’ wives and girlfriends are very proud to support the ‘Love for Lokomotiv’ program,” said Kristi-na Regehr, wife of Sabres defenseman Robyn Regehr. “100 percent of the proceeds will go directly to the victims’ families. We encourage our fans to support a cause that has hit home to many of us in the hockey community.”

“Love for Lokomotiv” is a fundraiser spearheaded by Kodette LaBarbera (wife of Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Jason) and Katerina Jokinen (wife of Calgary Flames center Olli) and supported by the significant others of play-ers from all 30 NHL teams.

Bracelets will be sold to raise money at www.loveforlokomotiv.com, with all proceeds going to the families of the victims. The bracelets come in three different varieties: Adult bead-ed bracelets ($50), children’s beaded bracelets ($25) and red silicone bracelets that read “Love for Lokomo-tiv” ($10).

Sabres’ Wives & Girlfriends Support

“Love for Lokomotiv”

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JhonasEnrothgoaltender

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ChristianEhrhoffdefense

10

RobynRegehrdefense24

PatrickKaletaright wing

36

TylerMyersdefense

57

JordanLeopolddefense

3

Marc-AndreGragnanidefense

17

ThomasVanekleft wing

26

MattEllisleft wing

37

TylerEnnisleft wing

63

MikeWeberdefense

6

DrewStaffordright wing

21

PaulGaustadcenter28

NathanGerbeleft wing

42

LukeAdamcenter72

CodyMcCormickcenter

8

BradBoyesright wing

22

JasonPominvilleright wing

29

AndrejSekeradefense44

DerekRoycenter

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VilleLeinocenter23

RyanMillergoaltender

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JochenHechtcenter55

Coaching Staff: Head Coach Lindy Ruff, Asst. Coach James Patrick, Asst. Coach Kevyn Adams, Asst. Coach Teppo Numminen, Goaltender Coach Jim Corsi, Strength & Conditioning Coach Doug McKenney.

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• OlliJokinenscoredagoalandanassist whileMiikkaKiprusoffmade22saveson 24shotsinCalgary’s5-2homewinover Buffalolastseason.TheFlameshavenot losttotheSabresinregulationintheirlast fivemeetings(3-0-2).

• TheSabreshavewonsevenstraight homegamesagainsttheFlames.Ryan Millermade25savesandJasonPominville scoredthegame-winningshootoutgoal whenthesetwoteamslastmetinBuffalo.

• SabresdefensemanRobynRegehr wasacquiredinanoffseasontradewith theFlames.Regehrplayed826games withCalgaryover11seasons,thesecond- mostgamesplayedinfranchisehistory behindJaromeIginla.

Previous meeting: CGY5-2,Dec.27,2010

Previous meeting (home): BUF2-1(SO),Nov.13,2009

Last season vs. CGY: 0-1-0

Last 10 games vs. CGY: 5-5-0

Last 10 games vs. CGY (home): 8-1-1

All-time series vs. CGY: 47-33-16

All-time series vs. CGY (home): 29-13-5

BUF leading scorer vs. CGY (career): BradBoyes,18pts(7+11)in18GP

CGY leading scorer vs. BUF (career): OlliJokinen,20pts(9+11)in36GPandMattStajan,20pts(8+12)in38GP

Ryan Miller vs. CGY (career): 2-2-0,3.13GAA

Miikka Kiprusoff vs. BUF (career): 3-1-2,1.79GAA

First and only meeting between the Sabres and Flames this season…

vs.Winnipeg Jets7:00pm,FirstNiagaraCenter

Tuesday,November 8thNext Home Game:

Sabres Roster Stats as of 11.03.11TM

# Pos. PLAYER GP G A PTS +/- PIM

# Pos. PLAYER GP W L OT GAA SV%

3 D JordanLeopold 11 1 2 3 1 26 D MikeWeber 1 0 0 0 -2 78 C CodyMcCormick 11 0 1 1 -3 149 C DerekRoy (A) 11 1 3 4 -2 810 D ChristianEhrhoff 11 1 6 7 -6 617 D Marc-AndreGragnani 10 0 3 3 3 221 R DrewStafford(A) 11 3 2 5 -1 1222 R BradBoyes 11 2 4 6 1 023 C VilleLeino 11 1 1 2 -4 024 D RobynRegehr 11 0 0 0 -2 1026 L ThomasVanek(A) 11 8 8 16 6 1028 C PaulGaustad(A) 11 1 1 2 2 1829 R JasonPominville(C) 11 5 10 15 4 236 R Patrick Kaleta 11 1 0 1 -2 1837 L Matt Ellis 4 0 1 1 -2 042 L Nathan Gerbe 11 2 4 6 5 844 D AndrejSekera 11 1 2 3 7 657 D TylerMyers 11 0 3 3 2 663 L TylerEnnis 7 0 0 0 2 272 C LukeAdam 11 4 7 11 2 2

1 G JhonasEnroth 3 2 0 0 1.39 .95530 G Ryan Miller 9 4 5 0 2.49 .922

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# Pos. PLAYER GP G A PTS +/- PIM

# Pos. PLAYER GP W L OT GAA SV%

4 D JayBouwmeester (A)10 1 2 3 -1 25 D Mark Giordano 10 1 2 3 -2 126 D Cory Sarich 10 0 1 1 0 198 C BrendanMorrison 6 0 0 0 -1 010 L Niklas Hagman 7 1 3 4 3 212 R Jarome Iginla (C) 10 2 2 4 -3 813 C OlliJokinen 10 2 5 7 -2 1015 R TimJackman 10 0 2 2 -3 1216 R Tom Kostopoulos 9 1 1 2 -1 917 L Rene Bourque 10 5 0 5 -1 618 C Matt Stajan 8 0 1 1 -1 020 L CurtisGlencross 9 3 2 5 -2 622 R LeeStempniak 10 1 3 4 0 423 D ScottHannan 10 1 2 3 -1 224 R Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond 1 0 0 0 0 1025 R David Moss 10 1 3 4 0 427 D DerekSmith 8 0 0 0 1 033 D Anton Babchuk 4 0 2 2 1 040 L AlexTanguay 10 2 7 9 0 644 D ChrisButler 10 0 3 3 -2 451 C RomanHorak 8 2 3 5 2 4

34 G Miikka Kiprusoff 8 4 4 0 2.50 .91335 G HenrikKarlsson 3 0 1 1 3.32 .881

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Flames Roster Stats as of 11.03.11

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JayBouwmeesterdefense

4

JaromeIginiaright wing

12

MattStajancenter18

DavidMossright wing

25

AlexTanguayleft wing

40

MarkGiordanodefense

5

OlliJokinencenter13

CurtisGlencrossleft wing

20

DerekSmithdefense27

ChrisButlerdefense44

CorySarichdefense

6

TimJackmanright wing

15

LeeStempniakright wing

22

AntonBabchukdefense33

RomanHorakcenter51

BrendanMorrisoncenter

8

TomKostopoulosright wing

16

ScottHannandefense23

MiikkaKiprusoffgoaltender

34

NiklasHagmanleft wing

10

ReneBourqueleft wing

17

Pierre-LucLetourneau-Leblond

right wing24

HenrikKarissongoaltender

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Coaching Staff:Head CoachBrentSutter,Asst. CoachCraigHartsburg,Asst. CoachDaveLow-ry, Goaltending CoachClintMalarchuk.

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Q: Why do you wear number 42?A: Actually, it was random. They just gave it to me and I stuck with it.

Q: Best thing about WNY?A: I love the hockey atmosphere here. Sports here in general are pretty crazy. It’s fun to play in this area and I like the city a lot.

Q: @NathanGerbe42, what inspired you to join Twitter? A: One of my roommates from college asked me to do it for the fans in Buffalo to follow me. I’m slowly getting into it. I don’t use it much, but I’ll start doing more of it.

Q: What were you up to during the offseason?A: I go to school most summers. I’m trying to finish up my degree in communications

Q: Which NHL players did you idolize when you were young?A: Steve Yzerman because I’m from Detroit,

but also smaller guys like Theoren Fleury and Pavel Bure. Those were some pretty fun play-ers to watch when I was growing up.

Q: Favorite current NHL player to watch?A: Pavel Datsyuk. He’s probably the most excit-ing, but I also watch players that I try to emulate, guys like Danny Briere and Martin St. Louis.

Q: Most memorable moment from last season?A: Clinching a playoff spot here at home against the Flyers. It was a tough start for us, but to come all the way back, fight off every-thing and get into the playoffs was pretty cool.

Q: Having played at Boston College, is your favorite animal an eagle?A: Haha, no. I love dogs. We’ve always had a lot growing up.

Q: Is a Boston (University) Terrier your least fa-vorite type of dog?A: Haha, yeah actually. I would go there.

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Log on to SABRES.com for details!

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Sabres that wore “41”Clarke MacArthur (2007-08 to 2009-10)

Stu Barnes (1998-99 to 2002-03)

Dave Hannan (1991-92 to 1995-96)

Ken Sutton (1990-91 to 1994-95)

Brian Curran (1990-91 to 1991-92)

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Who’s That Lady?Sunday, October 14, 1973

Sabres legend Gilbert Perreault receives the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy from NHL President Clarence Campbell prior to Buffalo’s home opener vs. the Van-couver Canucks at Memorial Auditorium.

The annual award is given to the player that best exhibits sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct along with a high standard of playing ability throughout the course of the regular season. “Le Gros Gil” fit the bill during the 1972-1973 season, as Perreault scored 28 goals and 88 points over 78 games while reg-istering just 10 penalty minutes.

He is the only Sabres player in franchise history to win the Lady Byng, which was first awarded in 1925 by the wife of Lord Byng, Canada’s Governor Gen-eral at the time. Other notable winners include Mike Bossy, Pavel Datsyuk, Pa-vol Demitra, Marcel Dionne, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Hull, Brett Hull, Stan Mikita, Alexander Mogilny (Toronto), Joe Sakic, Pierre Turgeon (New York Islanders) and most recently, Martin St. Louis.

The Sabres lost the game 3-1, but just like the trophy in the photo, the scales would soon begin to tip in their favor. The following season, Buffalo had their first winning record and made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.

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Ryan and I got married on Labor Day weekend this past summer. On Friday night, my par-ents hosted an ‘Indian style rehearsal dinner’ where we ate Indian food, danced to In-dian music and par-ticipated in a few tra-ditional blessings. I wore a red ‘sari’ and some of the women in our families got hennah tattoos, which is an Indian wedding custom. The next day, Sat-

urday September 3rd, at 6:30pm, Ryan and I got married at the Sunset Tower Hotel in Los Angeles. The wedding took place on an indoor/outdoor terrace and had a view of the city. We brought in an 8-foot elephant topiary and had him decorated in Indian fabrics. Our cake topper was a custom bride and groom, complete with a goalie helmet on the groom. Everyone laughed, danced, ate and drank all night long. Ryan and I felt so lucky to be surrounded by so much love and happiness. We feel extremely blessed to have a supportive family, friends and fans. We are looking forward to a new and exciting era for the Sabres. - Noureen DeWulf

Ryan Miller & Noureen DeWulfMarried September 3, 2011

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PENALTY BOX

PLAYER’S BENCH

SHOOT TWICE

ZAMBONI

320

117

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Seating available for wheelchair users

200 Club Lvl

100 Lvl Pref

100 Lvl II

PlatinumArenaSeating Mini-Pk

n/a

$218

$189

n/a

n/a

n/a

$99

n/a

n/a

Window

$240

$220

$191

$160

$141

$119

$101

$80

$80

SeasonTicket

$3,730 ($92)

$2,810 ($69)

$2,200 ($54)

$1,670 ($41)

$1,470 ($36)

$1,670 ($41)

$1,220 ($30)

$940 ($23)

$940 ($23)

GoldMini-Pk

n/a

$166

$143

n/a

n/a

n/a

$74

n/a

n/a

Window

$183

$168

$145

$122

$107

$92

$76

$62

$62

SilverMini-Pk

n/a

$137

$103

n/a

n/a

n/a

$61

n/a

n/a

Window

$143

$139

$105

$84

$63

$82

$63

$50

$50

BronzeMini-Pk

n/a

$87

$69

n/a

n/a

n/a

$40

n/a

n/a

Window

$123

$117

$71

$56

$42

$58

$42

$35

$35

ValueMini-Pk

n/a

$74

$59

n/a

n/a

n/a

$34

n/a

n/a

Window

$108

$76

$61

$46

$34

$48

$34

$24

$24

100 Lvl III

100 Lvl IV

300 Lvl I

300 Lvl II

300 Lvl III

300 Lvl IV

Variable Ticket Pricing 2011-2012

The Sabres will once again feature variable ticket pricing for tickets to all home games. The five pricing levels include Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Value. The classifications are determined by the opponent, time of the year, day of the week, rivalries, and games against all-star players. This season there is one (1) Platinum game, eleven (11) Gold games, eighteen (18) Silver games, five (5) Bronze games, and five (5) Value games.

Sabres Tickets are available in person at the First Niagara Center Box Office. Tickets may be purchased online at www.sabres.com or www.tickets.com.

To charge tickets by phone, call 1.888.223.6000.

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Final Score: BUF OPP

2011-12 Buffalo Sabres Regular SeasonTM