Updated 9:45pm EDT:
TSN's Bob McKenzie reported on Tuesday night that the list of candidates for Buffalo's vacant GM job has been cut down to one man. His name?
Tim Murray, assistant GM of the Ottawa Senators.
According to McKenzie, the clock has run out on Bruins AGM Jim Benning, which frankly surprises me since he was given the permission to interview with Lafontaine by his boss Peter Chiarelli. Perhaps the Sabres gave up on waiting for their man until after the Sochi Olympics.
You'll recall that when Lafontaine began his exhaustive search for his next GM on November 13th, he only had a few candidates in mind to interview. The candidates were Rick Dudley, Jason Boterill, and Jim Benning. The Sabres asked for and received permission to interview only two of the three men. Montreal immediately signed Dudley to a multi-year contract extension after learning of Buffalo's interest in their assistant general manager.
That's when Lafontaine opened up his search to include some hockey executives who he hadn't originally planned on interviewing. At that point in December, the names of Mike Futa and Brad Trevling were added to Lafontaine's list of GM candidates.
If this Tim Murray report is true, I will be very disappointed in one regard and that is, what will become of Ryan Miller in Buffalo. Benning was Buffalo's director of scouting in 1999 when the Sabres drafted Ryan Miller in the 5th round out of Michigan State University. Benning is familiar with Miller and his agent Mike Liut having worked with both men in the past. It stands to reason that the precarious nature of Miller's future in Buffalo will require immediate attention by the new GM, whoever he may be. I've been hoping that Benning is the man for the job so that he can get maximum trade value in exchange for Miller or better yet, re-sign the 34 year old former Vezina trophy winner to a lucrative multi-year contract extension. All due respect to Murray, he has no skin in the game with Miller. To the best of my knowledge, Murray and Miller have no previous relationship. I'm not sure a first time NHL GM can wrap his arms around the enormity of Miller situation on day one of his new job. Its a lot to ask of a new executive to form a level of trust with the face of the franchise in a day or two. Its even more to ask of the new GM to convince Miller to stay and play in Buffalo. Benning has a Stanley Cup victory on his impressive NHL management resume. He's helped to build the Bruins into a perennial powerhouse in the Eastern Conference of the NHL. Murray doesn't have any Stanley Cup experience. However, Murray does have scouting and personnel experience with Ottawa, Florida, Anaheim, N.Y. Rangers, and Detroit in his career in the NHL. Murray is said to have a strong relationship with Phoenix GM, and former Rangers GM, Don Maloney. LaFontaine is said to have a high regard for Maloney as well.
Will Ryan Miller stay in Buffalo? Will he go?
Only Miller knows the answer to that question. He's a UFA-to-be and he holds all the cards in any and all discussions with the Sabres. Miller is the owner of a limited no trade clause. He has a say in where he is going to play. The Sabres may offer him a six year, $9 million per year contract and yet he still may opt to move on to his next NHL hockey destination like St. Louis, Anaheim or Washington so that he can win a Stanley Cup sooner than later.
There's also the matter of what wll become of Sabres head coach Ted Nolan. If Murray is the next GM, is he in agreement that Nolan is the right man for the permanent head coaching position? Or, will he be looking to name his own head coach?
Buffalo Sabres President Of Hockey Operations Pat LaFontaine isn't confirming nor is he denying the report that he has found his new GM.
There's been no formal announcement yet because there is no official deal in place. There is no contract offer to speak of, nor has there been a contract negotiation between the Sabres and Murray. The Blizzard of '14 is presumably preventing any face to face meetings between Murray and Buffalo owner Terry Pegula.
Lets just see what tomorrow brings.
I've been told that Jason Boterill, the AGM of the Pittsburgh Penguins is still a serious consideration for the Buffalo GM job. Its curious that there has been nary a whisper in recent weeks regarding Boterill and Lafontaine's meetings. Perhaps Boterill is still in play.
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Thomas Vanek is a sniper in hot demand.
On October 27, the Islanders shocked the hockey world when they sent left winger Matt Moulson and two high draft picks (a 2014 first-rounder and a second-round pick in 2015) to the Buffalo Sabres for Vanek. Swapping thirty goals scorers has paid off for both teams.
Vanek has 11 goals and 16 assists in 28 games for the Islanders.
Moulson has scored 8 goals and has added 10 assists in 29 games for the Sabres.
The Vanek-Tavares-Okposo trio is one of the most productive lines in the NHL these days having combined to create 72 points in the past 22 games.
Sounds like a reason for Vanek to want to stay and play long term with Tavares and Okposo, right? Not so fast.
The 29 year old unrestricted free agent-to-be is in the cat-bird seat at the mid-point of the 2013-14 regular season. Goal scoring is down around the NHL. Teams continue to play the 1-2-2 and 1-3-1 trap and are collapsing five players in front of the goaltender on almost every shift. Snipers like Vanek are having to go to the areas on the ice where angels fear to tread to get their chances at tips and rebounds. Vanek has made his living in the blue ice and in the postage stamp-sized area below the faceoff circles.
Goal scoring has become a lost art form in the NHL.
Case in point, the Minnesota Wild are in desperate need of goal scorer now that Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise will be on the shelf for the next 4-5 weeks.
The LA Kings are another team who are having difficulty getting goal scoring from its high octane roster.
Thus, Vanek is a man on the minds of rival GMs.
Vanek told nhl.com earlier this week that he enjoys playing with JT and Booker, however, he's well aware that his agent can call or the him at any moment to inform him of another trade.
"Well, I'm not ignorant about it. I know the scenario and what could happen for me. But my thought process is I do like it here. This team to me is really a team. I think the potential is a lot more than we've shown. We've shown we can play with the best teams. I thought the other night against Chicago [Jan. 2], in my eyes the best team, I thought we played a great game. It's about carrying that over and getting that secondary scoring to put a good push together here over the next 15 or so games, however many we have before the Olympics. Hopefully I can then stay here and finish off the year, but I do understand the business side of it. Am I worried if I get a phone call tomorrow about something? No, I'm really not. It's the business side of it. So be it. This business is what I signed up for. We're talking. I like it here. I do think there's a ways to go, but you never know."
The NHL trade deadline is March 5. Don't be surprised if there are trades before the NHL shuts down for two weeks for the Sochi Olympics.
The Minnesota Wild are in dire straits right now as they hover in the 9th-11th place ranking in the Western conference standings. The Wild have the $3.5 million to pay Vanek what he's owed for the rest of the 2013-14 season. They also have the $8.5-$9 million per season for 8 seasons that Vanek will be seeking in his next contract.
Vanek. Stillwater. Pominville. Wild.
When will he get the call?
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I've got your polar vortex right here, pal!
Mother Nature 1
Sabres-Canes 0
The Skyway is closed. Route 219 is closed. The I-190 southbound is closed. Downtown Buffalo is a ghost town right now. Personally, I left downtown at 1pm and headed north and it took me nearly two hours to drive fourteen miles. I couldn't see two feet in front of my car as I drove 5 mph. There are dozens of disabled cars stranded on the interstate and on side streets. The winds are whipping like a freight train and white-outs are every where. Buffalo Metro is under a blizzard watch until 6am Wednesday morning.
The weather is abominable in Buffalo right now. The "real feel" on your skin is -35 to -50 depending where you are and how fast the winds are blowing.
I commend Terry Pegula, Ted Black, Pat LaFontaine and the Buffalo Sabers for pulling the plug on tonight's game. It's just not worth it to have fans risk life and limb to travel during traveler's bans and advisories. There will be another day.
Official statement from the Buffalo Sabres:
Tonight's game between the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes at First Niagara Center, has been postponed due to the hazardous weather conditions in the Buffalo area.
A make-up date will be announced as soon as it can be confirmed.
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