Eric Staal's short-lived stint with the Buffalo Sabres is over and he couldn't be more relieved.
Staal was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on Friday in exchange for third and fifth-round picks in the 2021 NHL Draft, ahead of the impending deadline. The veteran forward was previously dealt to the Sabres from the Minnesota Wild in September, in an ostensible attempt to improve Buffalo's anemic offense.
"Well, the good part for me right now is I don't really need to explain, I can kind of put that behind me and focus on what I can do for the Montreal Canadiens, which is what I'm going to try and do," Staal said Sunday to The Athletic's John Vogl.