BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) – Even though the Sabres have lost six straight games, Buffalo general manager Darcy Regier won’t press any panic buttons.

After falling against the lowly Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, the Sabres find themselves in last place in the Northeast Division with just 27 points. Only three other teams in the Eastern Conference have accumulated less.

On Wednesday, Regier downplayed any imminent trades, instead saying he would like to see the team in its current state get out of their collective funk together.

“The reality is that the players that are here are capable of doing a lot more than what we have been doing,” Regier said. “If we can find a way to improve the hockey club, we will do that. But the emphasis is on getting this team back to where it can be.”

Because of the recent skid, coach Lindy Ruff, who is in his seventh season with Buffalo and the third-longest serving NHL coach, has been thrust onto the hot seat, with his future perhaps becoming a bit more cloudy.

“I think you always fear for your job,” Ruff said Wednesday. “You take a lot of pride in your job and when things aren’t going well you know you hold yourself accountable for wins and losses.”

One player that continues to be on the spot is Miroslav Satan, who has been the Sabres leading scorer the last six years. Satan has just nine goals and 14 points in 32 games this year, though he has now scored a goal in two consecutive games.

“It’s very important for him to play the way he is capable of playing because we need him to be successful in order for us to be successful,” Regier said.

Regier said last week that he and Satan discussed trade possibilities, but both agreed the best thing was for Satan to play out of his slump.

If Regier is thinking about a possible move to shake things up, he must do it before the end of the week.

The NHL’s annual roster freeze begins on Friday and lasts until Dec. 27.

“I believe everyone’s on the same page – we’re just not getting the job done,” Ruff said.

The Sabres have missed the playoffs the last two seasons, and right now look as if they will make it three in a row if things don’t turn around quickly.

“It’s an urgency for us to win hockey games,” Regier said. “It goes down to each individual player, to the coaches, to the management and to myself to get things back on track.”

AP-ES-12-17-03 1749EST