Source: Buffalo News

Things can happen fast at the NHL draft. Buffalo Sabres fans don't need to look back any further than last year to see that.

Owner Terry Pegula and coach Lindy Ruff had barely made an imprint on their chairs inside the Minnesota Wild's arena when they decided it was time to go. The duo hopped a flight and soon were sipping sodas at Robyn Regehr's summer home in Saskatchewan, getting acquainted with their newly acquired defenseman.

Buffalo's front office will head to Pittsburgh this week for the 2012 draft. Whether everyone in Blue and Gold stays in Pennsylvania the entire time is anyone's guess.

The busiest two-week stretch on the NHL calendar is about to get under way, and this year's draft/free agency combination has the potential to make headlines. Superstars are on the trading block. Future All-Stars are on the draft board. Add in the Stanley Cup victory by the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings - a title that turned "just make the playoffs and anything can happen" from a hollow phrase into doctrine ­ - and general managers might be eager to make noise.

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