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Murray takes care of some in-house business yesterday, does add depth |
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During draft weekend someone said to Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray that it seemed as if he was in on every deal going down, and as said executive rattled off six or eight deals, Murray said, "Well, I guess that that I am."
What Murray came away with last Friday, while almost stealing the show in the process, were two integral pieces acquired via trades--G, Robin Lehner and C, Ryan O'Reilly--and one huge piece of the puzzle drafted second-overall--Jack Eichel.
Eichel finally put aside any and all questions as to his future as he signed his entry-level contract yesterday. There have been indications that he'd be turning pro, but he gave no clear-cut answer. But the deal got done and yesterday, July 1st, not lottery day or draft day, officially starts the Eichel-era in Buffalo.
While Eichel and Murray and owner Terry Pegula were hunkered down in the offices of the First Niagara Center calmly putting ink to paper, free agent signings and trades were happening all around them. Being the aggressive GM that he is, one would think that just like the draft, Murray was on the phone with agents, especially those of defensemen yesterday. Yet, for one reason or another, and probably for the good of the franchise moving forward, the huge contracts given to a less-than-stellar class of free agents didn't involve the Sabres.
Some of the contracts given out yesterday included former Sabres defenseman Andrej Sekera's (LAK) 6yr./$33m deal with Edmonton, UFA d-man Francois Beauchemin (ANA) signing a 3yr./$13.5m deal with the Colorado Avalanche and all-world bottom-sixer Matt Belesky (LAK) signing a 5yr. $19.8 million contract with Boston.
The big news of the day, and a trade that Murray wasn't in on, was that of Toronto Maple Leaf RW Phil Kessel heading to Pittsburgh and Toronto receiving a less-than-stellar return. For the Leafs, the purge of their roster now begins in earnest while in Pittsburgh, the addition of Kessel's $8 million cap-hit now gives the Penguins three of the 12 highest cap-hits in the league.
Murray kept it chill during the frenzy as he was busy signing Eichel and was in heavy negotiations with recent acquisition, O'Reilly. The O'Reilly contract is expected to be a long-term deal somewhere in the $7.5m/yr. range.
Word has it that another O'Reilly, Ryan's brother Cal, had signed a two-year deal with the Sabres, but Murray hasn't confirmed it yet saying they're still in negotiations. TSN had it as a done deal, 2 yrs./$1.4 million.
What Murray did get done, and what probably will be the theme barring a Johnny Odyua signing, is keep it under the radar while signing depth players for Rochester. Murray did that yesterday by signing forward Jason Akeson and defenseman Matt Donovan to one-year, two-way contracts. Both are highly respected players at the AHL-level.
Akeson came from the Flyers organization where he skated with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms under new Sabres assistant coach Terry Murray last season. From theahl.com: "Akeson, 24, tallied 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points in 57 games with the Phantoms in 2014-15, finishing second on the team in scoring. Akeson was the Phantoms' leading scorer each of the previous three seasons, and has totaled 81 goals and 144 assists for 225 points in 265 career AHL contests."
Donavan, a native of Edmond, OK, was a 2008 fourth-round pick of the NY Islanders (96th-overall) who played 12 games for the Islanders in a depth role last season. He's a left-handed shot which is in short supply on the blueline, and although he doesn't represent that top-four, left-handed d-man Murray was looking for, the Sabres did need to add depth.
Donovan made his NHL debut on April 3, 2012, against the New Jersey Devils, making him the first Oklahoman born, raised, and trained in the state to play in the NHL.
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