The St. Louis Blues and Buffalo Sabres came to an agreement on a big trade that may only offer incremental improvement to the Blues in their quest for a Stanley Cup. Numbers Game breaks down the Blues acquisition of Ryan Miller and Steve Ott. The Blues Get: G Ryan Miller and C Steve Ott. Miller, 33, is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, despite rarely getting rewarded with wins by this struggling Sabres team. Millers .923 save percentage this season is the second-best of his career, bettered only by his .929 save percentage in 2009-2010, when he won the Vezina Trophy as top goaltender. Its that strong play from Miller this year that has made him an attractive commodity on the trade market because, over the past three seasons, his .926 even-strength save percentage is only okay, just barely ahead of Jaroslav Halaks .925 mark. Its also not like Miller has a sterling playoff reputation. He hasnt played beyond the first round since 2007 and his .917 career save percentage in the playoffs is actually worse than Halaks .923. The numbers arent going to present a strong edge for Miller, so the deal has to be predicated on some comfort level; that the Blues intangibly feel better about their chances with Miller than Halak. Ott is a 31-year-old forward who has been asked to handle too much ice time on a Sabres team lacking bona fide NHL talent. Hes averaging a career-high 19:42 per game -- a couple of seconds more per game than current Blues No. 1 centre David Backes -- despite getting destroyed in terms of puck possession. However, Ott had established earlier in his career that he could be a decent complementary forward, skating in a top-nine role and penalty killing while chipping in some offence and annoying just about anyone he comes in contact with. Since the start of the 2009-2010 season, Ott is the only player in the NHL to have at least 60 goals and 600 penalty minutes. In a third or fourth-line role with the Blues, though, Ott should be in position to have some success. Both Miller and Ott will be unrestricted free agents in the summer, so there isnt any grand financial commitment from the Blues, though if their playoff run goes well, its safe to assume that St. Louis would at least want to keep Miller around. The Sabres Get: G Jaroslav Halak, RW Chris Stewart, LW William Carrier, a first-round pick in 2015 and a third-round pick in 2016. Halak, 28, has been decent this season, posting a .917 save percentage (that matches his career mark) in 40 games. Hes had some ups and downs, including an injury-marred 2013 season during which he posted an .899 save percentage but, by and large, hes been an above average goaltender throughout his 260-game NHL career. Halaks .917 career save percentage is actually a hair better than Millers .916 save percentage. While Halak was moved out, its not impossible for the Sabres to flip him again prior to the deadline. Halak will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, so there are no guarantees about where hes going to be playing next year. Stewart is a 26-year-old power forward who has 15 goals, 26 points and a career-high 112 penalty minutes in 58 games this season. Those numbers are a far cry from last season, when Stewart led the Blues with 36 points in 48 games and his ice time has been knocked down to 14:42 per game, his lowest since his rookie year in 2008-2009. Even worse, Stewart has been getting torched in terms of puck possession, despite starting more than 60% of his shifts in the offensive zone. On a team as good as the Blues, thats not easy to accomplish. Nevertheless, Stewart is a big winger who can score and is under contract at a cap hit of $4.15-million for next season. If he doesnt perform well in Buffalo, Stewart could very easily be moved again, or he could get flipped even before he suits up for the Sabres. Carrier was a second-round pick of the Blues in 2013 and has 56 points (17 G, 39 A) in 59 QMJHL games. He has the size to be a power foward and was traded to Drummondville part way through the season. Carrier will need a few years to develop, but his offensive production this year raises some questions about whether hes going to be a notable scorer as a pro. Getting the Blues first-round pick in 2015 is a nice coup for the Sabres. Its not as though the Blues can be expected to collapse and be in line for the No. 1 pick, which is earmarked for Connor McDavid, but the 2015 draft is expected to be strong, so there is likely more value for the Sabres getting that pick rather than one late in the 2014 draft. The third-round pick in 2016 is a nice sweetener, with upside, as it could be a first-round pick if the Blues reach the Western Conference Final or Miller re-signs in St. Louis. These are two teams in virtually opposite positions. The Blues are ready to take a run at the Stanley Cup and are willing to take on a couple of potential rentals to help in that regard, and while the Blues sacrificed some draft pick value, they didnt lose any core pieces of the team that has been so successful to this point in the season. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Yu Darvish Rangers Jersey .com) - Guess whos back, back again? Josh Gordons back, tell a friend. Rougned Odor Rangers Jersey .S.-Portugal game on June 22 in the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. FIFPro, the international soccer players union, had pressed FIFA to avoid the earliest kickoffs in the hottest and most humid weather. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/. Once again, the third baseman delivered in a big spot. Ramirez kept up his torrid hitting with a two-run homer to help back Wily Peraltas solid start, and the Brewers extended their winning streak to seven with a 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. Juan Gonzalez Jersey . -- Jacksonville Jaguars rookie receiver Marqise Lee has agreed to terms on a four-year contract worth more than $5 million. Texas Rangers Shirts . Off-Season Game Plan looks at what the Blue Jackets may do to build upon last seasons success to return to the playoffs again next year.SAN FRANCISCO - The Washington Nationals will try to force a decisive fifth game in their National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, as they try to stave off elimination once again in Game 4 at AT&T Park. Washington snapped San Franciscos 10-game postseason winning streak on Monday and stayed alive in this series with a 4-1 win. The Nationals took advantage of Madison Bumgarners throwing error and scored three times in the seventh, while Doug Fister (1-0) took care of business on the mound, scattering four hits over seven scoreless innings. He was in command all day with everything, Nationals manager Matt Williams said of Fister. He just continues to compete for us, and we were able to manufacture something there (in the seventh inning). Bumgarner (1-1) gave up three runs (2 earned) and six hits in seven innings. He also stuck out six and walked a batter. I cant throw the ball away right there, said Bumgarner. Obviously, hindsights 20/20. You get an out (at first) and then you figure you walk Cabrera and theyve got the pitcher or a pinch-hitter coming up. Shouldnt have done it. Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval extended his hitting streak to 14 games in the loss. The stretch now stands one shy of Marquis Grissoms NL record, set from 1995-96. The big league postseason record is 17, shared by Hank Bauer (1956-58), Derek Jeter (1998-99) and Manny Ramirez (2003-04). History remains on the Giants side as of the 46 previous teams who have gone up 2-0 in a Division Series since 1995, only five have lost the series. Of course, the Giants rallied from such a hole two years ago en route to a World Series title. I mentioned it (Sunday) that we just need one break. Its been a tough coupple games here to start.dddddddddddd And we got our break, Nationals closer Drew Storen said. Getting the call for the Nationals on Tuesday will be lefty Gio Gonzalez, who was one of the best pitchers in baseball down the stretch. After a bout with left shoulder inflammation Gonzalez returned to go 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA over his final seven starts. Overall, though, he was 10-10 with a 3.57 ERA. Gonzalez struggled in the 2012 NLDS, walking 11 batters in 10 innings and pitched to a 4.50 ERA. (Theres) definitely going to be some emotion, Gonzalez said. Theres going to be some excitement. In my career and my time playing, I definitely want to stay as much composed and relaxed as possible. Picking up from other pitchers, thats the beauty about being a pitcher on the side -- watching other peoples emotions and the way they go about it, the way they compete, and just staying low-key and professional as much as possible. Meanwhile, Ryan Vogelsong will try to pitch the Giants to their third NLCS appearance in the last five years. Vogelsong, who will be pitching for the first time in 11 days, was just 8-13 this season with a 4.00 ERA and ended the year on a sour note. The righty was 0-4 in September with a 5.53 ERA. Even at the end of the season, I would be rolling along in the game and then just kind of lose it, Vogelsong said of his September struggles. So, I mean, its there. I just need to be more focused at times and more concentrated on making a good pitch. Those will be the things that are on the forefront of my mind. Vogelsong has faced the Nats nine times (5 starts) and is 1-2 against them with a 6.16 ERA. The Nats had their way with the Giants in the regular season, taking five out of seven games. ' ' '