BUFFALO, N.Y. – Here’s to second chances. Ales Kotalik never envisioned he’d get one back in Buffalo with the Sabres.
“I would lie if I would say I wasn’t surprised,” Kotalik said this week as the Sabres opened training camp. “It’s exciting, coming back here and seeing all of the guys and all of the people in this organization where I grew up and where I became an NHL player. I’m really happy and excited to be back.”
After two-plus seasons of bouncing around the NHL — from Edmonton, to Calgary, to the Rangers and back to Calgary again — and a stint in the minors, the 32-year-old forward has rejoined the Sabres after being acquired as part of a trade that landed Buffalo hard-hitting defenseman Robyn Regehr in June.
“It kind of is like coming home,” Kotalik said.
Now it’s on him to make the most of his opportunity in a familiar setting.
“You’ve got to believe in yourself,” he said. “And I’m taking it like an opportunity to show I can still be a good player in this league.”
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff is open to providing his former player a shot.
“We know what he brings, we know how we utilized him,” Ruff said.
Read More from the Article Source: Full Article
