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NBC Sports: The Chris Mannix Show

Season preview: Sabres

Stanley Cups: 0

2011-'12 record: 39-32-4-7, 89 points (3rd in Northeast; 9th in East)

2011-'12 playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Lindy Ruff (565-422-161, 15th NHL year, 1st team)

Top returning scorer: RW Jason Pominville (30 goals, 43 assists, 73 points)

Top returning goalie: Ryan Miller (31-21-7, 2.55, .916)

Key additions: LW John Scott; C Steve Ott; D Adam Pardy; C Kevin Porter; RW Mark Mancari.

Key subtractions: C Derek Roy; RW Brad Boyes.

Goaltending: The star of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Miller is a big goalie who is steady between the pipes and is ultra-competitive. He was outspoken during the lockout, calling it “stupid.”

Player to watch: C Mikhail Grigorenko. Buffalo’s top pick in the 2012 entry draft has been lighting it up with Quebec of the QMJHL, netting 69 goals in his last 92 games.

Icing: There’s no fan angst in Buffalo. Sabres sold 31,213 tickets the first day after the lockout ended . . . Additions of Scott and Ott will make Sabres tougher and tougher to play against . . . D Tyler Myers has recovered fully from ankle injury he suffered while playing in Austria during lockout.

Bob Duff writes regularly for NBCSports.com and covers the NHL for the Windsor (Ontario) Star; The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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