Memories of the snow-globe atmosphere at Highmark Stadium were swirling through NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's mind as he stood in front of reporters Thursday night in KeyBank Center.
The Winter Classic, one of the marquee events held during Bettman's 30 years on the job, was held in Orchard Park on Jan. 1, 2008, when Ryan Miller was in goal for the Sabres against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A dream 20 years in the making came true for Ryan Miller on Thursday night, as the longtime Buffalo Sabres goaltender had his No. 30 jersey retired by the team in a 45-minute ceremony prior to the Sabres' game against the New York Islanders.
Bettman was in Buffalo to witness the celebration of Miller's remarkable 11 seasons with the Sabres. The winningest goaltender in franchise history had his jersey retired during a pregame ceremony Thursday, and he was inducted into the team's hall of fame.
Miller's return, coupled with the inevitable construction of a new stadium for the Bills, led to the question of whether the NHL would consider bringing the Winter Classic back to Western New York. Bettman was more than receptive to the idea.
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"You have to promise me another snow-globe day, but that was a spectacular day that is emblazoned in my memory and, I'm sure, all of yours," said Bettman of the original Winter Classic. "It was incredible. And, as I said, this is a great sports town. It's a great hockey market. Yes, when there's a new stadium, we'll be more than happy to bring back an outdoor game."
Here are other highlights from Bettman's talk with reporters:
• Potential renovations to KeyBank Center are an important topic for Sabres fans. Seats in the arena's bowl need to be replaced, while cosmetic changes are needed in several notable areas, including the scoreboard. Bettman repeated his stance on the matter, reminding reporters of what Terry and Kim Pegula have built since purchasing the team in 2011.
"When you look at all that the Pegulas have invested in Buffalo, I have no doubt that, at the appropriate time, they'll be doing the right things, Bettman said. "Whether it was the area surrounding the canal and here, whether it's the new football stadium, and, ultimately, what's been built around this arena and what this arena will need, I have no doubt that it will be taken care of here."
• Buffalo is an important market to the NHL. It's why the league controlled the team during bankruptcy and worked to find a competent owner. The league holds its scouting combine here and the entry draft was held at KeyBank Center on 2016. So, the commissioner seemed giddy when discussing the Sabres' progress under general manager Kevyn Adams and coach Don Granato.
"As I said a minute or so ago, this is a great hockey town," Bettman said. "And when the franchise went through difficult times, and we had to find new ownership, and we ran the franchise for a while, we never gave up on Buffalo because we know how great the fans are and what a great sports town this is. And this team is on its way back to the elite levels that it's been, and it's going to be fun and exciting to see."
Ryan Miller was with the Sabres for parts of 12 seasons, so here are 12 key moments in his Sabres' career.
• Lastly, Bettman didn't have anything new to add to the NHL's statement following Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov's decision to not participate in pregame warmups Tuesday when the club wore Pride-themed jerseys in celebration and support of the LGBTQ community. Provorov cited his Russian Orthodox religion as the reason why he sat out.
"At the end of the day, I think everybody knows what the league stands for in terms of our values, what the Flyers stand for in terms of their values," Bettman said. "But in the final analysis, individual players are going to make decisions and follow their beliefs. Having said that, when you look at all of our players, and the commitments that they've made to social causes and to making our game welcoming and inclusive, let's focus on the 700 that embrace it, and not one or two that may have some issues for their own personal reasons."
Waiting game
Vinnie Hinostroza is still in limbo.
Unclaimed on waivers Thursday, the 28-year-old winger was assigned to the Rochester Americans to make room for rookie winger JJ Peterka, who was loaned to the Sabres' American Hockey League affiliate prior to the morning skate.
It is unclear what is next for Hinostroza. It seems unlikely an established NHLer will join the Amerks. He can re-join the Sabres as soon as Friday, but the club would need to open a roster spot.
Adams called teams around the NHL over the past week to try to find a trade that would give Hinostroza an opportunity elsewhere. He was a healthy scratch in 17 of 22 games entering Thursday.
Hinostroza returned to the Sabres on a one-year, $1.7 million contract in July knowing his spot in the lineup would likely depend on the development of Peterka and Jack Quinn.
Prospect watch
Sabres prospect Ryan Johnson, a senior at the University of Minnesota, was named a finalist for the Hockey Humanitarian Award, which is given to a student athlete who “makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism.”
In Minnesota, Johnson has played an important role with the Firebase Movement, a network of local churches and houses of prayer that seek to preach the Gospel in the Twin Cities. A first-round draft choice in 2019, Johnson has seven goals and 51 points in 127 games as a defenseman with the Golden Gophers.
