Ruff: "Goal is to win the Cup"

HSBC Arena - The veterans showed up at Sabres camp Friday for physicals and on-ice testing. And Saturday morning, they'll all be on the ice for an open practice, a scrimmage, and the unveiling of the team's new third jersey. It’s all part of “Puckdrop 2010, a day long series of events set to mark the first day of the hockey club’s training camp.

The veterans went through the paces on the ice Friday morning under the watchful eye of Lindy Ruff and his coaching staff. And the coach says he expects this year’s team to improve on last year, when the Sabres won the Northeast Division title, but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Boston Bruins.

"Our goal here as a team is to win the Stanley Cup. We might as well talk about that. I think our team, with the additions that we've made, and where we were last year, should be able to challenge for it," Ruff said Friday morning.

His goaltender, Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller, agrees. And he says the Sabres can use their success from last season to build open this year.

"It's definitely something to use at this early point in this season,” Miller told reporters. “We did some things well last year, we had a lot of positives, and you build from it."

Veteran defenseman Craig Rivet, four months removed from shoulder surgery, says he'll practice with the team, but he will ease into it in the next week. And Rivet says there's a chance this season could be his last.