Darcy Regier wanted to collect his thoughts and declined comment after the Sabres' meeting today in the Bell Centre. He had plenty to say this evening in a telephone conversation with The Buffalo News.
The biggest piece of news is this: Ryan Miller has a concussion and is out of the lineup for an undetermined length of time.
Miller felt increasingly worse during Saturday's game in Boston after the hit by Milan Lucic and was removed from the game following the second period by Bruins doctors under the NHL's head injury protocol. Drew MacIntyre has been called up from Rochester and will back up Jhonas Enroth Monday night in Montreal.
As of 7:15 this evening, Regier said reports there will be no suspension are incorrect because he has been told the league has made no ruling. He said he firmly believes Milan Lucic should pay a price for the hit.
"If this hit and other types of hits like this are not suspended, we are opening up the possibility of losing goaltenders to injury," Regier said sternly. "And not just injury, but concussion. ... When i look at the position of goaltending. in a lot of ways it's not unlike quarterback in football. I feel very strongly the protection has to be provided and players committing these types of action should be punished.
"The last thing we need to do in the NHL is to be losing our stars to concussions on plays like this."
Regier said Miller will not be dressing Monday night and Drew MacIntyre will back up Enroth.
"Hopefully it is not severe and hopefully it is not longterm," Regier said ominously, although he later said Miller was feeling better today.
What about his players' lack of protection of their No. 1 goalie? Regier was blunt about that too.
"You could go to each one of our players and they would tell you that they wished they had dealt with it differently," Regier said. "And they will deal with it differently in the future. ... We were all disappointed."
The biggest piece of news is this: Ryan Miller has a concussion and is out of the lineup for an undetermined length of time.
Miller felt increasingly worse during Saturday's game in Boston after the hit by Milan Lucic and was removed from the game following the second period by Bruins doctors under the NHL's head injury protocol. Drew MacIntyre has been called up from Rochester and will back up Jhonas Enroth Monday night in Montreal.
As of 7:15 this evening, Regier said reports there will be no suspension are incorrect because he has been told the league has made no ruling. He said he firmly believes Milan Lucic should pay a price for the hit.
"If this hit and other types of hits like this are not suspended, we are opening up the possibility of losing goaltenders to injury," Regier said sternly. "And not just injury, but concussion. ... When i look at the position of goaltending. in a lot of ways it's not unlike quarterback in football. I feel very strongly the protection has to be provided and players committing these types of action should be punished.
"The last thing we need to do in the NHL is to be losing our stars to concussions on plays like this."
Regier said Miller will not be dressing Monday night and Drew MacIntyre will back up Enroth.
"Hopefully it is not severe and hopefully it is not longterm," Regier said ominously, although he later said Miller was feeling better today.
What about his players' lack of protection of their No. 1 goalie? Regier was blunt about that too.
"You could go to each one of our players and they would tell you that they wished they had dealt with it differently," Regier said. "And they will deal with it differently in the future. ... We were all disappointed."
