BUFFALO — Sabres forward Justin Danforth listened to the question and let out a deep sigh.

“Oh God,” he responded when asked about the most difficult part of the long rehab he endured after breaking his kneecap when he blocked a shot early last season. “It was a tough rehab.”

kAms2?7@CE9[ bb[ 6IA6C:6?465 2? 2C5F@FD 2?5 7CFDEC2E:?8 C64@G6CJ 27E6C 86EE:?8 :?;FC65 ;FDE 7@FC 82>6D :?E@ 9:D 7:CDE D62D@? H:E9 E96 $23C6D]k^Am

kAm“xE ;FDE 5:5?’E D66> E@ :>AC@G6[” 96 D2:5 |@?52J AC:@C E@ A=2J:?8 😕 E96 $23C6D’ AC6D62D@? @A6?6C 😕 !:EED3FC89[ 9:D 7:CDE 82>6 D:?46 ~4E] `d]k^Am

kAmp7E6C F?56C8@:?8 DFC86CJ[ s2?7@CE9[ H9@ D:8?65 2 EH@\J62C[ Sb]e >:==:@? 4@?EC24E 2D 2 7C66 286?E 😕 a_ad[ 7:8FC65 96 H@F=5 36 324< A=2J:?8 😕 23@FE E9C66 >@?E9D]k^Am

kAmqFE H96? 96 D<2E65 2C@F?5 E92E E9C66\>@?E9 >2C<[ 96 D2:5 “E96C6 H2D ;FDE D@ >F49 A2:? :?G@=G65 H:E9 :E]” w6 ?66565 E@ 7:?5 @FE H92E E96 964< H2D 8@:?8 @?]k^Am

kAm“$@ H6 H6?E 324< 😕 7@C 2?@E96C DFC86CJ[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 D64@?5 DFC86CJ 4=62?65 FA D@>6 =@@D6 42CE:=286] tG6?EF2==J[ s2?7@CE9 76=E H6== 6?@F89 E@ DE2CE @77\ 2?5 @?\:46 EC2:?:?8] qJ E96?[ 9@H6G6C[ 96 925 ?@ 492?46 E@ C6EFC? F?E:= E96 a_ae\af D62D@?]k^Am

kAmpD E96 $23C6D 42F89E 7:C6 2?5 >@CA965 :?E@ E96 }w{’D 9@EE6DE E62>[ 96 H2D 2 3JDE2?56C[ D:EE:?8 @FE E96 7:?2= h` 82>6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 A@DED62D@?]k^Am

kAms2?7@CE9 D2:5 2 D62D@? E92E DE2CE65 H:E9 D@ >F49 AC@>:D6 6?565 FA 36:?8 “AC@323=J >J E@F896DE J62C @7 9@4<6J]”k^Am

kAm“x’G6 925 25G6CD:EJ E9C@F89 >J 42C66C[ 3FE E9:D =2DE J62C[ J@F 4@>6 :?E@ 2 ?6H E62>[ J@F H2?E E@ D9@H E96 8FJD H92E J@F’C6 2== 23@FE 2?5 D9@H E96 4@249:?8 DE277[ 2?5 x ;FDE H2D?’E 23=6 E@ 5@ :E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm}2EFC2==J[ 96 24@H=65865 2 >2C2E9@? C64@G6CJ 762EFC:?8 DE@AD 2?5 DE2CED E@@< 2 >6?E2= E@== @? 9:>]k^Am

kAm“qFE x 8@E 2 8C62E DFAA@CE DJDE6>[ E96 DE277 96C6[ E96 E62>>2E6D[ >J 7:2?4é6[ W|4z2:=6JX[” 96 D2:5] “%96J H6C6 23=6 E@ A:4< >6 FA 2?5 x ?66565 :E]”k^Am

kAms2?7@CE9 D2:5 96 2=H2JD 36=:6G65 96 H@F=5 C64@G6C 2?5 C682:? 9:D @=5 7@C>] $E:==[ H96? ?@E9:?8 925 492?865 3J D:IE9\ @C D6G6?\>@?E9 >2C<[ E9@F89ED =:?86C65 😕 E96 324< @7 9:D 9625]k^Am

kAm“*@F’C6 =:<6[ ‘(96? 2> x 8@??2 EFC? E96 4@C?6Cn’” 96 D2:5] “$@ E92E’D H96? J@F ;FDE 925 E@ 2D< E96 C:89E BF6DE:@?D 2?5 AFE E96 H@C< 😕 E@ 86E 324<]”k^Am

kAmp3@FE 92=7H2J E9C@F89 E96 DF>>6C[ s2?7@CE9[ H9@D6 DA665 😀 A6C92AD 9:D 8C62E6DE 2DD6E[ D2:5 96 “H2D 23@FE 7F== 7=65865 @? E96 :46[ 7@FC 52JD 2 H66<]”k^Am

kAmx? E96 7:CDE 52JD @7 EC2:?:?8 42>A[ D2:5 96 92D C682:?65 9:D D<2E:?8 2?5 A@H6C]k^Am

kAm~? |@?52J >@C?:?8[ E96 d\7@@E\g[ `hb\A@F?5 s2?7@CE9 E@@< C6AD 2E C:89E H:?8 2=@?8D:56 46?E6C |2EE96H !642 2?5 %9@>2D q@C56=62F 367@C6 E96 $23C6D 7=6H E@ !:EED3FC89 E@ 7246 E96 !6?8F:?D]k^Am

kAm“%2=<:?8 E@ 9:> @? E96 :46[ 96’D =:<6[ ‘x’G6 ?6G6C 366? D@ 6I4:E65 7@C 2? 6I9:3:E:@? 82>6[’” $23C6D 2DD:DE2?E 4@249 $6E9 pAA6CE D2:5]k^Am

kAm!=2J6CD >@DE=J 3@F?5 7@C E96 #@496DE6C p>6C:42?D 5C6DD65 282:?DE E96 !6?8F:?D] s2?7@CE9 H2D @?6 @7 2 76H G6E6C2?D H9@ A=2J65] %@?:89E’D =:?6FA 2E 9@>6 282:?DE E96 r@=F>3FD q=F6 y24<6ED H:== =:<6=J 762EFC6 >@C6 }w{ C68F=2CD]k^Am

kAm%96 F?5C27E65 s2?7@CE9[ H9@ 2=D@ A=2JD 46?E6C[ 92D 6DE23=:D965 9:>D6=7 😕 E96 3:8 =628F6D 2D 2 7@FCE9\=:?6C 2?5 A6?2=EJ <:==6C 27E6C 8C:?5:?8 😕 E96 =@H >:?@CD 2?5 @G6CD62D]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 96 92D D4@C65 ;FDE b` 8@2=D 😕 `gf 42C66C 82>6D[ 9:D D<2E:?8 23:=:EJ 2?5 E6?24:EJ 96=AD 9:> 7:E 😕 H6== @? 2 E2=6?E\=256? E62> E92E AC:56D :ED6=7 @? :ED H@C< 6E9:4]k^Am

kAm“x H2E4965 2 =@E @7 9@4<6J =2DE J62C[ 2?5 H92E 2 DA64:2= E62>[ ;FDE E96 2>@F?E @7 D<:== 2?5 DA665 J@F 92G6 @? E9:D E62>[ :E’D :?4C65:3=6 E@ H2E49[” s2?7@CE9 D2:5] “… qFE >J 82>6 5@6D?’E 492?86] x’> 2? 6?6C8J 8FJ] 
x A=2J E96 82>6 72DE] x 7@C64964< 92C5[ 2?5 x ECJ 2?5 49:A 😕 @776?D:G6=J H96? x 42?[ 2?5 AC@G:56 E92E 6?6C8J 3@@DE]”k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQm•••k^Am

kAmy:C: zF=:49 4@F=5?’E DE@A D>:=:?8] (9@ 42C6D :7 :E H2D ;FDE 2? :?EC2DBF25 D4C:>>286 2 76H 52JD :?E@ EC2:?:?8 42>An u@C E96 7:CDE E:>6 😕 D:?46 }@G] ` – baa 52JD[ E@ 36 6I24E – E96 rK649 46?E6C A=2J65 2=@?8D:56 9:D $23C6D E62>>2E6D]k^Am

kAm“xE’D F?C62=[” 2? 6I4:E65 zF=:49[ H9@ H2D D:56=:?65 3J 2 3=@@5 4=@E =2DE D62D@?[ D2:5 7@==@H:?8 $2EFC52J’D q=F6 2?5 v@=5 D4C:>>286] “x 42?’E 6G6? 56D4C:36 E96 766=:?8] xE’D ;FDE F?C62= D66:?8 6G6CJ@?6[ 36:?8 2C@F?5 E96>[ 2?5 36:?8 H:E9 E96> @? E96 :46 😀 ;FDE[ J629[ :E’D AC6EEJ DA64:2=]”k^Am

kAmzF=:49[ H9@ 2=D@ A=2J65 |@?52J 😕 !:EED3FC89[ 92D 6?5FC65 2 =@E 😕 E96 =2DE “ >@?E9D] uC6D9 @77 2? :>AC6DD:G6 C@@<:6 J62C 😕 H9:49 96 D4@C65 `d 8@2=D 2?5 6?565 E96 D62D@? 46?E6C:?8 E96 }@] ` =:?6[ 96 A=2J65 ;FDE `a 82>6D 😕 a_ad\ae]k^Am

kAm(96? 96 =67E E96 =:?6FA[ 96 7:8FC65 96 >:89E >:DD 2 >@?E9 @C EH@] pE E:>6D[ 96 H@?56C65 :7 96 H@F=5 6G6C A=2J65 9@4<6J 282:?]k^Am

kAmu:?2==J[ 96 925 E96 4=@E C6>@G65 😕 |2C49]k^Am

kAmr@F?E:?8 E96 A=2J@77D[ 96 >:DD65 E96 7:?2= gb 82>6D]k^Am

kAm$E:==[ @E96C E92? H2:E:?8 F?E:= yF=J E@ 92G6 @?\:46 4@?E24E – “%96 7:CDE 4@FA=6 >@?E9D H6C6 E@F89[” 96 D2:5 – zF=:49[ aa[ 6?;@J65 2 ?@C>2= DF>>6C @7 EC2:?:?8]k^Am

kAm“x 5@?’E E9:?< x’G6 6G6C 366? E92E AC6A2C65 =:<6 x 2> C:89E ?@H[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm~? |@?52J >@C?:?8[ zF=:49 46?E6C65 r@?@C $962CJ 2?5 AC@DA64E y2<6 #:492C5] x? $2EFC52J’D D4C:>>286 zF=:49 A=2J65 =67E H:?8]k^Am

kAm“%96C6’D 8@:?8 E@ 36 5:776C6?E A=246D 96 A=2JD[” $23C6D 4@249 {:?5J #F77 D2:5] “… (96? J@F =@@< 2E H92E zF=: 42? 3C:?8[ x E9:?< 96’D ;FDE H@C<:?8 9:D H2J :?E@ @FC =:?6FA]”k^Am

kAm(:E9 2 DFC76:E @7 46?E6CD[ D@>6 @7 E96> – >@DE ?@E23=J zF=:49[ C@@<:6 z@?DE2 w6=6?:FD 2?5 #J2? |4{6@5 – 92G6 366? D<2E:?8 2D H:?86CD]k^Am

kAm“x 92G6?’E 366? @? E96 :46 H:E9 E96 E62> 7@C 2 J62C[ D@ x’> ;FDE 92AAJ E92E x 42? 36 @FE E96C6[” zF=:49 D2:5] “x 9@?6DE=J 5@?’E 42C6 :7 x’> @? E96 7@FCE9 =:?6 @C 7:CDE =:?6 C:89E ?@H] $@ WxX ;FDE H2?E E@ 36 @FE E96C6 2?5 ;FDE H2?E E@ 92G6 7F?]”k^Am

kA DEJ=6lQE6IE\2=:8?i 46?E6CjQm•••k^Am

kAm#F77 >:DD65 |@?52J’D AC6D62D@? 82>6 E@ 2EE6?5 2 r6=63C2E:@? @7 {:76 46C6>@?J 7@C 9:D 7@C>6C E62>>2E6[ qC6?E !6E6CD@?[ 😕 }2D9G:==6]k^Am

kAmpAA6CE C2? E96 36?49 😕 #F77’D 23D6?46]k^Am

kAm!6E6CD@?[ H9@ A=2J65 7@FC D62D@?D H:E9 E96 $23C6D 😕 E96 `hg_D[ 5:65 $6AE] “ 27E6C 2 =@?8 32EE=6 H:E9 !2C<:?D@?’D] w6 H2D eg]k^Am