BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen can finally focus on starting the season now that contract talks are out of the way.Its great to get this done. Now I have a couple of days to turn my mind 100 percent for the season, Ristolainen told The Associated Press by phone on Tuesday. Im 100 percent ready now.Ristolainen spoke a few hours after signing a six-year, $32.4 million contract in a deal reached two days before Buffalo opens the season by hosting the Montreal Canadiens.Ristolainen was a restricted free agent, whose rights were retained by the Sabres in June.Rasmus has already proven to be a pivotal player on our blue line, and we are eager to have him back with the team, general manager Tim Murray said in a statement released by the Sabres.This deal is a reflection of the hard work and improvement Rasmus has shown since being drafted. And we hope to see him continue on this trajectory moving forward.The 21-year-old Ristolainen has become Buffalos top defenseman in just three seasons since being selected in the first round of the 2013 draft. Last season, Ristolainen led the team in averaging more than 25 minutes of ice time per game, and led Buffalo defensemen with 41 points (nine goals, 32 assists).Overall, he has 19 goals and 46 assists for 65 points in 194 games.Ristolainen dismissed any added pressure that might come with a contract that makes him the teams top-paid defenseman.I dont even think about the contract or think about what people say or what people think, he said. I want to be better than I was last year. I want to win. Thats the only thing I really think.Ristolainen was confident a deal would get done before the season began, especially after negotiations sped up over the weekend. And he shouldnt have a difficult transition in preparing for on-ice action because he was able to stay in game-shape over the past month.He represented Finland in the World Cup of Hockey last month and then reported to Sabres training camp in what was regarded as a sign of good faith in a bid to spur contract talks. He practiced with the team, but was not allowed to play in preseason games.Ristolainens signing means the Sabres should have their full complement of top-six defenseman available to open the season.Veterans Dmitry Kulikov (bruised back) and Zach Bogosian (groin) returned to practice Tuesday, and coach Dan Bylsma expects them to be ready to play against the Canadiens. The Sabres acquired Kulikov in a trade with Florida in June.The status of top-line forwards Ryan OReilly (back and abdomen spasms) and Kyle Okposo (bruised knee) remains uncertain. Both skated during individual drills before leaving the ice once the team session began.Though both are improving, but Bylsma expressed concern about rushing them back into the lineup with limited practice time.Buffalo established its 23-player regular-season roster by loaning four players -- including forward Alexander Nylander, the teams 2016 first-round draft pick -- to its American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester. Also sent down were forwards Nicholas Baptiste and Daniel Catenacci. Defenseman Justin Falk will report to Rochester after clearing waivers.Buffalo also returned defenseman Brendan Guhle to his Canadian Junior Hockey team in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Wholesale Vapormax 95 .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. Cheap Vapormax 2019 China . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-2019-clearance.html . The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U. Vapormax 2020 Clearance . "It was nerve-wracking, but we pulled through," said Collaros, who threw four touchdown passes to lead the Toronto Argonauts (8-4) to a 33-27 win over the Calgary Stampeders (9-3) in front of 28,781 fans at McMahon Stadium. Vapormax 2 Clearance . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. surely needed a break from his unsettled future in racing. Elliott Sadler provided the perfect distraction Saturday with his Xfinity Series win at Darlington Raceway.Sadler, who drives for Earnhardts JR Motorsports, held off Denny Hamlin over the final two laps to win at the track dubbed Too Tough To Time for the first time since first lining up here in 1996. It also was a joyous finish that Sadler and his team knew would please the boss, who announced Friday that his season behind the wheel was done because of concussion-like symptoms.It wasnt long after reaching Victory Lane that Earnhardt called Sadler with congratulations.To hear him talking on the telephone today, its neat to hear the excitement in his voice, Sadler said. It gives him something to cheer about when hes had so much bad news. This has got to be good for him.Earnhardt, whos expected to come to the racetrack Sunday to talk about his recovery, tweeted his happiness at the win.Im so proud of @Elliott-Sadler and @JRMotorsports!!!!! A win @TooToughToTame is so hard to accomplish, Earnhardt posted.Sadler was second in this event in 2013 and 2014, trailing Sprint Cup star Kyle Busch both times. In this one, Buschs Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Hamlin, made a late charge and nosed in front two laps from the end.But Sadler held strong through the final turns and crossed in front to earn the checkered flag at Darlington for the first time in 32 career starts -- 18 in Sprint Cup, 13 in Xfinity and one in the Truck series.Ive been wanting to win here for a long time, Sadler crowed after.Hamlin ended second after leading 47 of 147 laps. Daniel Suarez was third and Kyle Larson, last weeks Sprint Cup winner at Michigan, was fourth.Sadler, the series points leader, took the lead from Hamlin with 35 laps to go. He had opened a wide gap on the field until Hamlin, whoos won four Xfinity races at Darlington, steadily ran him down.ddddddddddddIt looked like Hamlin would send Sadler to another second at Darlington as Sadler bobbled near the wall with two laps left and Hamlin ducked underneath and nosed ahead.But Sadler, who led a race-high 75 laps, found the power to keep in front.Hamlin closed in one last time on the final lap, but again Sadler maintained his position for the victory.Hamlin said his car struggled in second gear and that cost him on restarts. It was exciting. Wish I was on the other end of it for sure, he said.Larson looked like he would make it two straight victories when he passed Hamlin with 57 laps left. But 13 laps later, Larson had a flat tire and slid trying to enter pit road.Whos hot: Hamlin continues to excel when he gets behind the wheel on the Xfinity Series. At Darlington, hes had four wins and three seconds in the past seven races. He won his only other Xfinity start of the season at Charlotte in May.WHOS NOT: Kevin Harvick had mechanical problems that put him behind the wall just 33 laps into the race. Harvick, who has 46 Xfinity wins, now has gone winless in his past 14 series starts dating to a victory at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, in March 2015. Harvick, though, is much hotter in the Sprint Cup Series -- he won two weeks ago in Bristol and will start up front Sunday after qualifying was cancelled due to Hurricane Hermine and the field was set by owner points.They said it: I cant say that, Sadler said when asked what Earnhardt told him.The big one: It was mostly a clean race, with Larsons pit road spin the most game-changing caution.Up next: Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia, Sept. 9. Chase Elliott is the defending champion. ' ' '