"I just tried to stay ready and I felt really good coming into the playoffs," Rieder said. "It was good getting a couple of goals there and playing well. You feel like a different player when you're playing with confidence and now, I'm just trying to take that into next season."
There will be no need for a tryout this time around. Rieder joined the Sabres on a one-year deal worth $700,000 on Oct. 9, the day free agency opened. Buffalo identified Rieder as a player who will add depth and speed on the wing and serve as a boon to a penalty kill that ranked 30th last season.
"It was really satisfying," Rieder said. "It was kind of a crazy summer last year, waiting until pretty much before training camp, and then signing a tryout contract. It's really good. You're a little bit more relaxed after signing a contract. Now you can just focus on preparing, getting ready for the season."
The fact that Rieder had familiarity with Sabres coach Ralph Krueger helped both sides. Krueger coached Rieder at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey as members of Team Europe, a hodgepodge collection of players from eight different countries that banded together to earn a runner-up finish.
Rieder said that experience playing for Krueger made the decision to come to Buffalo a "no-brainer," citing the coach's communication and support of his players. He and Krueger have already spoken about the penalty kill as an area in need of a jolt.
Rieder has averaged more than a minute of shorthanded ice time per game in each of his six NHL seasons. Since entering the league in 2014-15, he ranks 15th in shorthanded shots (60) and has eight shorthanded points (5+3).
"It's just reading the game, knowing where the puck is going to be on the penalty kill, and then it just comes down to work ethic and whenever there's a chance I'm trying to use my speed," he said. "I know when I'm a step ahead, I can go and create chances.
"… Be aggressive, read the game and just outwork the other guys on the ice. Yeah, I've done that for a bunch of years in the league, and I really take pride in that. So, it's fun, especially when you score on the PK with one less guy on the ice. It's something I've loved to do ever since I played hockey."
