Sabres finally trade Derek Roy, acquire Steve Ott, Adam Pardy from Dallas Stars

Buffalo Sabres center Derek Roy has been on the trading block for a while, and his departure from the team might have been facilitated by his criticism of Coach Lindy Ruff after the season — not to mention a disastrous offensive season that saw him tally 44 points in 80 games.

On Monday, he became a former Sabre, shipped out to the Dallas Stars.

From the Sabres:

Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier today announced that the Sabres have acquired forward Steve Ott and defenseman Adam Pardy from the Dallas Stars in exchange for forward Derek Roy.

Ott (6'0", 190 lbs., 8/19/82) had 39 points (11+28) and 156 penalty minutes in 74 games with the Stars in the 2011-12 season. A native of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Ott was selected by Dallas in the first round (25^th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. In 566 career games with the Stars, he has totaled 220 points (85+135) and 1,170 penalty minutes

Now entering his fifth NHL season, Pardy (6'4", 220 lbs., 3/29/84) spent three seasons with the Calgary Flames before joining the Stars in 2011-12. Selected by the Flames in the sixth round (173^rd overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, the Bonavista, Newfoundland native has recorded 29 points (4+25) and 157 penalty minutes in 183 career games.

Roy is in the last year of a 6-year deal with a $4 million cap hit and a $5.5 million base salary. Ott, who was rumored to be available at the 2012 trade deadline, has two years on his deal at $3.2 million per season while Pardy has one year at $2 million against the cap.

People of Earth: There is a chance Steve Ott and Pat Kaleta will be annoying the crap out of someone for the same team. Beware.

For the Stars, they found their replacement for Mike Ribeiro — slightly smaller, less explosive but three years younger. As Defending Big D noted on Monday morning, the trade route might be more beneficial than, say, signing Olli Jokinen, whom they were sour on anyway. Blackout Dallas agrees.

For the Sabres, Operation: Truculence continues unabated.

Ott is a pest that can play; a hitting machine that also scored 39 points in 74 games last season and ranked among the best faceoff men in the NHL. Maybe you see Gaustad-to-Ott as a lateral move; I see it as an upgrade.

Ott was bittersweet about leaving, but clearly pumped about moving East:

Claude Giroux and Steve Ott in the same conference? Gentlemen, start your wagering!

Wait, Steve Ott and Peter Laviolette in the same conference? Gentlemen, start your jostling!