German_Force » with 30 or more games played.

BUFFALO Phil Kessel Jersey , N.Y. (AP) As the son of a journeyman hockey player and eventual coach, Buffalo Sabres newly acquired forward Tage Thompson became accustomed to never staying put in one place for too long.”I’m not sure the amount of states I’ve lived in,” Thompson said Monday, in recalling how he attended nine schools by the time he began his junior year at a high school in Michigan.”Almost a new school every year,” he added. ”So, I’ve moved around quite a bit.”His father is Brent Thompson, who is the coach of Bridgeport in the American Hockey League. His career included numerous stops from playing for the AHL’s Hershey Bears in Pennsylvania to coaching the ECHL’s Alaska Aces.It’s been a similar life of travel for the 20-year-old Thompson in the two years since being selected by the Blues in the first round of the draft following his freshman college year at UConn.Upon splitting last season between St. Louis and the Blues’ AHL Affiliate in San Antonio, Texas, Thompson is headed to Buffalo. He was acquired along with two veteran teammates and two draft picks on Sunday, in a deal that sent center Ryan O’Reilly to St. Louis.Perhaps, now Sidney Crosby Jersey , Thompson can finally get a chance to settle down.”I feel like I’ve been living out of a suitcase, honestly,” he said. ”I really do hope Buffalo’s it.”The Sabres are counting on it after Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said Buffalo insisted Thompson be included in the trade. The Sabres also acquired centers Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka, as well as a conditional 2019 first-round pick and a 2021 second-rounder.At just over 6 feet and 205 pounds, Thompson had three goals and nine assists in 41 games as an NHL rookie last season, while playing a limited role on a veteran-laden team.In Buffalo, he’ll get a shot to earn a spot on one of the top two lines on a team rebuilding through youth.”What we see in Tage is a kid who has a great shot, great size, and a really good reach on the ice,” GM Jason Botterill said. ”I think he’s a player that’s going to be able to step into our lineup and grow with our young centermen.”Thompson can’t wait, and recalled how he was with his father when Armstrong called to inform him of the trade.Once the shock wore off Dougie Hamilton Jersey Womens , the two discussed the opportunities the Sabres present.”The more we sat and thought about it, we felt it’s a great fit for me,” Thompson said. ”It’s going to be exactly what I’ve been looking for as far as an opportunity to go in and play a lot and produce, and help the team win.”— BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) With the Flames slipping out of playoff contention, goalie Mike Smith would prefer nothing more than to be back in net for Calgary’s next game, at Buffalo.Knowing that’s not in the cards, Smith settled on accepting the next step in recovering from a lower body injury by practicing with the Flames for the first time in nearly a month on Tuesday.”It’s the worst feeling as a guy who wants to be in there every game and wants to help the team win,” Smith said after taking part in an optional practice a day before Calgary plays the Sabres.”A piece of you feels like you’re letting the team down by sitting there and watching,” he added. ”That’s the sucky part of the position and the sport. But that’s part of the deal. So you’ve got to deal with it.”Though still experiencing some soreness, Smith was encouraged following the half-hour session while saying it’s premature to determine how much more time he’ll miss.”I’d like to tell you that http://www.officialsharks.com/authentic-adidas-brent-burns-jersey , but your guess is as good as mine. I think it’s just day by day,” he said. ”I’m trying to improve every day, strengthen, get comfortable, and when I’m ready I’ll know.”Smith has been out since being hurt in the final seconds of a 3-2 win at the New York Islanders on Feb. 11.After spending much of the past week skating on his own, Smith at least felt healthy enough to travel from Calgary to rejoin the Flames, who are in the midst of a three-game road swing that closes at Ottawa on Thursday.The Flames could use any type of boost after having gone 0-3-1 in their past four following a 4-3 overtime loss at Pittsburgh on Monday. And they’re 3-6-2 while allowing 40 goals in 11 games since Smith was hurt.In that time, Calgary has gone from sitting third in the Pacific Division to 11th in the tightly contested Western Conference playoff picture. With 15 games left, the Flames entered Tuesday with 74 points, three behind the eighth-place Los Angeles Kings.”There’s still time left and games left,” Smith said. ”I think we’re a good team. It’s time now to put all the chips in Julien Gauthier Jersey Womens , and we need every guy working on all cylinders here.”With a 23-16-6 record, Smith has provided the Flames much-needed stability in net after being acquired in a trade with Arizona in June. His 2.53 goals-against average ranks 12th and 0.921 save percentage is ninth among goalies with 30 or more games played.Without the 12-year veteran, the Flames are leaning on a rookie tandem of Jon Gillies and David Rittich, who have combined to appear in 25 career NHL games.Gillies is 2-2-1 in six games, including a 35-save outing in a 5-2 win at Arizona on Feb. 22. Rittich is 1-4-1, and allowed seven goals on 26 shots in a 7-3 loss at Vegas on Feb. 21.Coach Glen Gulutzan defended his goalies by saying the team has to play better as a whole. And yet, he acknowledged how much of a difference Smith can make both in stopping shots and being one of the league’s best puck-handling goalies.”There’s no scapegoat on goaltending here,” Gulutzan said. ”We’re still fighting. And if we get him back, I think it’s great. It helps you win when you get an elite guy back.”—