NHL Free Agency: Buffalo Sabres Ink Christian Ehrhoff and Robyn Regehr

With NHL free agency beginning, the Buffalo Sabres are off to a hot start, starting with the trade for Calgary Flames' defenseman Robyn Regehr at the NHL Entry Draft.

In the days following, General Manager Darcy Regier made a quick move to ink one of the premier defenseman in this year's free agency class, Christian Ehrhoff.

Ehrhoff signed a 10 year, $40 million contract, the longest deal ever given to any Buffalo Sabre in history.

Christian Ehrhoff played a major role in the Vancouver Canucks' Stanley Cup run, and will serve as a key role on the power play, while guiding the young fellow defender, Tyler Myers, through his development into a solid National League Hockey player.

The Sabres needed a move like this, not only to make it through the postseason, but to energize the city of Buffalo that has been starved from a Stanley Cup since the franchise's inception. 

The Sabres' head brass, led by the new owner, Terry Pegula, showed the commitment and energy that caused Regehr to waive his no trade clause with the Flames. 

Regher definitely isn't as high-profile a player as Ehrhoff, but he should be counted on to play solid defense and account for his yearly 20 points. 

Ehrhoff, on the other hand, is more of an offensive minded defenseman, racking up 50 points with a +/- rating of 19. 

These quick and loud moves by the new Pegula regime may cause some other high profile free agents to choose the city of Buffalo as their new homes during this offseason.