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Regier gauging trade market for Miller, Vanek

Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek

Goaltender Ryan Miller #30 of the Buffalo Sabres is congratulated by Thomas Vanek #26 after shuting out the Anaheim Ducks 2-0 at Honda Center on February 29, 2012 in Anaheim, California. (February 28, 2012 - Source: Jeff Gross/Getty Images North America)

For now, Sabres general manager Darcy Regier expects goalie Ryan Miller and forward Thomas Vanek to remain part of the Buffalo organization past this weekend’s draft in New Jersey.

That being said, Regier has been trying to gauge each player’s value on the trade market, because he knows that may be an option he has to explore.

“I entered this weekend recognizing that they both are in the last year of their contracts, and I have a responsibility to see what that means both with those players and also within the marketplace,” Regier said Saturday afternoon, per the Buffalo News. “Unless you’re a highly competitive team, it’s very difficult to have players on your roster whose contracts are going to expire if you either choose not to or don’t have the ability to re-up them.

“Just to lose those assets, you try to get a sense of what the marketplace is like, and that’s a process that’s ongoing. I expect it will continue to move through the draft into maybe free agency and maybe beyond that. We’re actively keeping our finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the league, and we’ll have to just make our decision.”

Sabres owner Terry Pegula said recently that he wants Miller and Vanek to remain in Buffalo. But whether the feeling is mutual isn’t clear.