With Ryan Miller and Steve Ott gone, Sabres look ahead as more changes loom

Buffalo Sabres' Tyler Myers (57) Brian Flynn (65), Mike Weber (6) and Marcus Foligno (82) celebrate a goal by Flynn during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in Buffalo, N.Y., Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. Buffalo won 4-2. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert) (The Associated Press)

Buffalo Sabres' Zenon Konopka (24), Matt Ellis (37), coach Ted Nolan, Cody Hodgson (19) and Marcus Foligno (82) look up at the replay highlights of Ryan Miller's career during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in Buffalo, N.Y., Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. Buffalo won 4-2. Miller was traded Friday to the St. Louis Blues. (AP Photo/Gary Wiepert) (The Associated Press)

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres are moving on without the longtime face of their franchise.

And they know the experience will be anything but ordinary.

"When a guy like Ryan Miller gets traded, that's not a normal player getting traded," interim head coach Ted Nolan said. "He was the face of the organization for a long, long time. To lose a player like him, it's tough."

Tough, yes, but perhaps good practice for a team that could be offloading several more veterans before Wednesday's trade deadline, as general manager Tim Murray continues efforts to fix the NHL's worst team.