Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner happy he wasn't moved at trade deadline

With the NHL trade deadline in the rear-view mirror, the Buffalo Sabres were back to work on Tuesday without one of their top scorers from the past three seasons. Evander Kane was the only player dealt by Jason Botterill on Monday, but in the weeks leading up to the deadline, there were plenty other players who could reportedly be on the move. Sabres starting goaltender Robin Lehner was one of them. 

"I have no reason to not want to be here," Lehner told reporters Tuesday. "Obviously, things have to happen and we all understand that but I have no reason to want to get out of here." 

I asked Robin Lehner if it was true that he demanded a trade before the deadline. He called in fake news and said it was bogus #Sabres @WKBW pic.twitter.com/T3VNKpv195

— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) February 27, 2018

When asked about a report that Lehner demanded a trade leading up to Tuesday's deadline, the Sabres' goaltender said it was fake news. 

"It's funny how it works though, some blogger puts something out, I don't even know who that guy is and people seem to jump on it. A bunch of Swedish websites, serious websites, quoted that one. It's hilarious in this day and age you don't even need to put a source on it. It's not true and I'm happy I'm still a Sabre." 

Ryan O'Reilly was another player whose name was thrown around in trade scenarios on social media in the hours leading up to the draft. He admitted that it was weird seeing his name out there but agrees with Lehner and said he wants to be in Buffalo for the long haul. 

"I want to be here, I want to be part of the solution here and I want to help turn this thing around," O'Reilly said. "I have a little bit of an opportunity here at the end of the year to that. But it is a business, when things don't work things change and adjustments are made. I personally want to be a part of it and be part of the solution."

Love Lehner's new setup. Think the blue and gold pads are pretty cool. He has three sets of gear at his locker right now and says he's collecting equipment #Sabres @WKBW pic.twitter.com/BqDcyOXsoP

— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) February 27, 2018

As for the lone trade made, Sabres head coach Phil Housley said that you never know what's going to happen, all he can control are the players that are on his team. Kane no longer is, but Housley wished him well as he heads to his new team in San Jose.

"Well, I thought that Evander did a terrific job," Housley said. "The situation he was in, getting asked questions every day, I can't fault him on his effort. I thought he came to play every night."

Housley went on to say that the team would miss his production on the ice but believes Botterill did what was best for the team. 

In return, the Sabres were sent two conditional draft picks and prospect Danny O'Regan, a former teammate of Evan Rodrigues and Jack Eichel at Boston University. 

"He always seems to be in an open area without guys around him," Rodrigues said about O'Regan. "It's a weird thing to say but he's one of those guys that always stops at the net front and he's able to poke in rebounds. [He] just has really soft hands around the net. I think you'll set that with him, he has a knack for goal scoring, a knack for finding open areas and he can make plays." 

Evan Rodrigues had nothing but good things to say about his former BU linemate Danny O'Regan, who the #Sabres acquired yesterday @WKBW pic.twitter.com/Di50KkqfBK

— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) February 27, 2018

Kyle Okposo was the lone Sabres skater not on the ice for practice. His wife went into labor on Tuesday morning, his status for Wednesday's game in Tampa Bay is unknown. In his place, the team has recalled Seth Griffith from Rochester. 

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