The Buffalo Sabres pulled off a big trade Monday, sending veteran Derek Roy to Dallas in exchange for forward Steve Ott and defenseman Adam Pardy.
Ott is the key element in the trade, able to play both center and wing and strong on faceoffs.
"We felt we had to, and still will have to...get a little bigger in the middle," said Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier.
Regier says he told Roy a trade was a real possibility and a trade with Dallas had been on the table for almost a year before he pulled the trigger as player free agency kicked off this week.
Pounding on a news conference microphone, Regier said the Sabres needed to get tougher. Reiger noted the Sabres have spent awhile trying to acquire Ott, "it has been an on-going process," said Reiger.
Regier said there is a possibility of other trades as the summer deals season continues.
