"I'm not surprised what has happened in the East because of the experience we had," he said. "If you are on the top one year, it doesn't mean you will be there the next."

In 2006-07, the Sabres won the Presidents' Trophy and the following season, with key players lost to free agency and a revamped salary structure, the Sabres were out of the playoffs.

Last season, the Penguins were in the Stanley Cup Finals, and then lost free agents and had their payroll reconfigured to account for players making more money. Likewise, the Montreal Canadiens were the No. 1 team in East and they lost key defenseman Mark Streit.

"There is more player movement now," Regier said. "If a team performs well, you can't keep your team together. If you have young players performing well, you have to deal with the mental aspect of new and bigger contracts ... There are a lot of variables in place that are not going to allow teams to perform at a high level, or for as long of a period as we have in the past."

This season has gone reasonably well for the Sabres, even though they recently lost leading scorer Thomas Vanek to a broken jaw that will keep him sidelined until early March. The Sabres have split four games since Vanek suffered the injury and are tied for seventh in the East.

"You aren't going to replace a 32-goal scorer at this point in the year, so you will have to do it by committee," Regier said. " (Drew) Stafford is in a good position to do that ... Derek Roy, (Jason) Pominville and Jochen Hecht. (Hecht) has had a difficult season thus far, but he has the ability to fill some of that void."

Roy started slowly this season, but now his offensive numbers are where they're expected to be.

"Even though he's performing at a good level, I know there is more gain there yet," Regier said. "And I think you will see it. With Thomas out, I really believe (he's) going to step up his game."

But the true key for overcoming Vanek's loss might not come from the scorers.

"There is enough offense there," Regier said. "But some of it is going to come on the back of Ryan Miller."

With 28 wins and a .918 save percentage, Miller is a Vezina Trophy candidate.

"He is a huge asset," Regier said. "He's 13 games over .500. I know there are guys with better save percentages, but few have played as many games and won as many games while maintaining that level of play."

Enlarge By Sean Kilpatrick, The Canadian Press via AP The Sabres' leading goal scorer Thomas Vanek, center, is out until early March after suffering a broken jaw.