BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Craig Rivet wasn't too pleased when he was
traded from San Jose to Buffalo in July. Three months later, he
couldn't be happier.
Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff announced after practice on Wednesday
that the 34-year-old Rivet will be the team's permanent captain
this season.
"It's nice when you come in and guys are happy that you're
coming to the team," Rivet said. "This means a lot to me."
Rivet, acquired in a deal involving Buffalo's second-round picks
in 2009 and 2010, originally didn't like the idea of moving his
family cross-country when he was shipped off by the Sharks. But
after settling in, he's put all that behind him.
"My family and myself are extremely proud to be a part of this
organization," he said. "I think Buffalo gets a bad rap. I think
once you get here you realize how great this city is, and the fans
are what make it."
This is the first time the Sabres will have just one captain
since Stu Barnes donned the "C" from 2001-03. Buffalo used a
rotating captaincy the first five months of the '03-04 campaign
before settling on a co-captain tandem of Daniel Briere and Chris
Drury that lasted through 2007.
The Sabres once again rotated their captains last season.
"It's been a long process, and we felt this group is old enough
and mature enough to have one captain to represent this team,"
Ruff said.
Ruff said the players took a vote on who they wanted to be
captain, and the coaching staff endorsed the decision.
"The players have a lot of respect for him and what he had
done," Ruff said. "Was I a little bit surprised? Yeah. I've loved
what he's done in practice and games, but to come in and garner
that much trust and respect from his teammates in a short period of
time says a lot."
Rivet, 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, has played in 744 NHL games
after Montreal selected him in 1992 in the third round. He was the
alternate captain for both the Canadiens and Sharks.
"He's a guy that speaks a lot and is respected," said Jason
Pominville, who was one of the favorites to be named captain.
"He's adjusted really fast."
Rivet earned some of that respect when he fought Toronto tough
guy Ryan Hollweg in a preseason game last month. The league
suspended Hollweg for two games on Wednesday.
"He's a big guy and a tough guy who's shown he's capable of
dropping the gloves," Pominville said.
Rivet is under contract for the next three seasons, and will be
paid $3.5 million in each of those years.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)