BUFFALO, N. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Oilers Jersey .Y. -- Ryan Miller was a no-show at Buffalo Sabres practice Monday because the star goalie was still travelling from the Sochi Games. Though Miller was scheduled to return later in the day and start Tuesday, when Buffalo hosts Carolina, his absence could be something the Sabres will have to get accustomed to with the NHL trade deadline approaching on March 5. A person familiar with discussions told The Associated Press that general manager Tim Murray continues to pursue offers for Miller with the intention of trading him by next week. "Tim is testing the waters as hard as he can," the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because Murray declined to speak to reporters Monday. The person said the teams first option is trading Miller, who is in the final year of his contract and eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. Option No. 2, the person added, would be making a bid to re-sign Miller if a trade cant be completed. Murray, who took over the Sabres last month, had previously not ruled out trading Miller or anyone else on the roster. "This teams in last place right now," Murray said, during his inaugural news conference on Jan. 9. "Everybody can be traded." That means Miller isnt the only player with an uncertain future on a Sabres team that, at 15-34-8, remains in last place coming out of the NHL Olympic break. Captain Steve Ott, veteran winger Matt Moulson and defenceman Henrik Tallinder are also in the final years of their contracts and could be used as trade bait by a team intent on building through youth. Following practice, interim head coach Ted Nolan said it would be safe to assume the Sabres will be active in making trades. "I think thats the key right there, not knowing," Nolan said. "We cant worry about who might be gone, who might be coming in. Today is the day we have to work with what weve got. And tomorrow, whatever weve got here, then well work with that, too." Nolan also had a different take on his thoughts regarding Miller. After previously saying he favoured the Sabres retaining Miller, Nolan said the decision was out of his hands. "My thoughts dont really count right now," Nolan said. "Certainly, what Ryan Miller means to this team and this town, no question youd like to keep him. But its business. And we have to look forward to rebuilding this organization." In 11 seasons in Buffalo, the 33-year-old has set franchise records with 283 wins and 539 games played. This season, Miller has been the teams MVP. With a 14-22-3 record, Miller accounts for all but one of Buffalos victories. His .923 save percentage ranks seventh among goalies with 30 or more starts. Miller won the NHLs Vezina Trophy in 2010, the same year he earned MVP honours at the Vancouver Games, where he played a key role in leading the United States to a silver medal. At Sochi, he was relegated to a backup role behind Los Angeles Jonathan Quick. The Sabres are in a tough spot as far at goaltending entering their game against the Hurricanes (26-22-9). Aside from Miller, backup goalie Jhonas Enroth was also at the Olympics as a backup to Swedish starter Henrik Lundqvist. Nolan made the decision to have Miller start against Carolina because the U.S. has been off since a 5-0 loss to Finland in the bronze medal game on Saturday. Sweden played Sunday when it lost the gold medal game to Canada. The trade deadline has become a hot topic of discussion in the Sabres locker room. "I think you guys in the media as a whole have been telling me Ive been getting traded since the first day I got here," said Moulson, who was acquired in October in a trade that sent Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders. "Sometimes its a little stressful. But I think when you tell yourself to control what you can control, it kind of calms me down a bit. Im going to go out there and play hard, and whatever happens, happens." NOTES: The game against Carolina was originally scheduled to be played Jan. 7, but postponed after a blizzard hit Buffalo. ... Moulson is scheduled to return after missing four games with an upper body injury. ... Sabres enforcer John Scott broke his stick in anger as he left the ice during practice, and then slammed the gate at the bench behind him on the way to the locker room. Nolan said he asked Scott to leave after he didnt like the way the player was practicing. Matt Benning Oilers Jersey . The win puts Arsenal four points clear of Everton in fourth place with two games to play in the Premier League, a position which would qualify the club for Europes top competition for the 17th straight year. Esa Tikkanen Oilers Jersey . All of 46 seconds into the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 victory over Alex Ovechkins struggling Washington Capitals, Crosby assisted on Chris Kunitzs goal. http://www.hockeyoilersshop.com/grant-fuhr-jersey/ . Its Wu-Tang and Outkast in the final. Now, we all know youve played the role of Andre 3000 in the past, does that mean Outkast is getting your vote?AJ: You know it, you know it.PITTSBURGH -- Recovering from a stroke, Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Kris Letang said his doctors have reassured him that hell be play hockey again. When that could happen is unclear. The 26-year-old Letang spoke to the media before the Penguins faced Montreal on Thursday night, the first time he has spoken to reporters since having the stroke on a West Coast trip before the Olympic break. "Im targeting it day-by-day," Letang said. "Im trying to improve every day I come here. I try to exercise the best I can. I see doctors pretty much every week, twice a week to get better. So well go from there." Doctors are treating Letang with blood thinners and he has been doing light exercises without weights. "(Doctors) said being 26 and having a stroke, its actually a small percentage, but the chance that I get back to normal is really high," Letang said. "Well take the decision from there, but for now, were keeping like this. ... Im going day-by-day to get to 100 per cent," Letang said. "I feel like Im trying to make steps and getting closer to coming back at one point." The last month has been particularly difficult for his family. "When you see your mom crying or your wife, any of my family members, its always a tough thing to handle," Letang said. "Everbody is really careful, like I cant even lift the lluggage without them trying to help me out. Paul Coffey Jersey. Otherwise its just been mentally tough a little bit." Letang said his wife found him on the ground the morning before the team flew to Los Angeles and his mother-in-law, who is a nurse and was also on the trip, took care of him. "I was not able to function," Letang said. "The day before I was totally fine, I was practicing. I woke up and didnt expect that would happen. I went in the car and went to Los Angeles and thought it would clear up but it never did." Letang, from Montreal, has 54 goals and 173 assists in 419 games in eight seasons with the Penguins. He signed a $58 million, eight-year contract extension last summer, but has been plagued by injuries this season, missing 19 games with an elbow infection and a lower-body injury before the stroke. Letangs most recent game was Jan. 27 against Buffalo. After being a Norris Trophy finalist last season, he has 10 goals -- matching a career high -- and 18 assists in 34 games for the Eastern Conference-leading Penguins. "Im not going to say its not a really good season for me," Letang said. "Two of (my injuries) were kind of bad luck, but honestly, if I have the chance to come back this year and play, its going to be great. I want to make sure I forget all about the three-quarters of the season I missed." ' ' '