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Backes To The Drawing Board |
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For nearly a decade, St. Louis Blues captain David Backes has called Clayton, Missouri his home. Last month, Backes sold his home in Clayton and today is pursuing a new NHL city to call home.
Backes will become UFA at Noon on Friday.
Conspicuously, his name hasn't been in the middle of all of the trade and UFA chatter like Stamkos, Hall, Subban, Weber, and Okposo have been this week.
Milan Lucic will be signing a seven year, $49 million UFA contract with the Edmonton Oilers on Friday when the clock strikes Noon EDT.
So, which other UFAs are great options for the Buffalo Sabres?
Backes, 32, just completed his tenth season in the NHL, all with the Blues.
Though he has a lot of miles on his hulking frame, Backes still adds a ton of grit, leadership and production on both sides of the puck.
He would be an excellent add for a young looking to make itself a legit playoff contender like Buffalo, Calgary or Edmonton.
He would also add legitimacy to a bona fide Cup contender like Anaheim, NY Rangers, Detroit, NY Islanders looking to add a hero for the postseason wars.
In 79 games this season, Backes popped 21 goals and 24 assists. In 20 playoff games, he drilled home 7 goals and 7 assists.
Backes' teammate, Troy Brouwer, will also be UFA come Friday afternoon.
Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray likely slammed down the phone after getting the news that Steven Stamkos had re-signed in Tampa. Murray likely barked at his scouts and shared the news with his boss Terry Pegula. Murray can't help it of the biggest free agent in the history of the NHL left huge piles of money on the table. In the end, Stamkos re-signed for 8 years at $8.5 million per season. The Sabres were not going to be outbid for Stamkos and were perfectly fine paying him $12+ million per season to come to Buffalo. The NHL likely won't be happy that Stamkos settled for the same contract that Steve Yzerman offered him in January. IAt the end of the soap opera, Stamkso took it rather than leave it. He'll have a tough time convincing the 725 men that make up the NHLPA that he did hat was best for the union.
That's his problem to deal with.
Tim Murray has moved on. Now Murray has $19.5 million to invest in a top four D QB (Cam Fowler) and another veteran scoring forward.
Why not David Backes?
Is there anything that this guy cannot do?
He's tough as nails, durable, scores with frequency, plays 5v5, kills penalties and excels on the power play.
Backes and Brouwer are represented by Newport Sports, the same agency that reps Stamkos, Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane, David Legwand, Erik Karlsson, Phil Kessel, Hank Lundqvist, Jordan Eberle, James Neal, Tom Hertl, and other NHL A-listers.
You better believe that Backes and Brouwer will be getting new rich, multi-year UFA contract on July 1. Backes just completed the final year of his 5 year, $22.5M contract. He was a $4.5M AAV which made him one of the best value players in todays NHL.
Backes is a six-time 20 goal scorer and has scored 45 points in seven of his seasons.
Honestly speaking, I see Backes getting $5 million to $5.5M AAV over three seasons on his next deal.
Backes has a ton of equity in his brand and I don't see him offering Doug Armstrong a hometown haircut to stay in St. Loo.
Backes is going to get paid, just not by the Blues who have decisions to make on UFAs Brouwer, Steve Ott, and Scottie Upshall.
Young stars Robby Fabbri and Jaden Schwartz proved during the 2015-16 season that they are ready for additional ice time and leadership responsibilities.
Schwartz is RFA and is going to strike it rich this summer. The cash strapped Blues won't have enough money left over to sign Backes, Brouwer, all the other UFAs and Schwartz.
Maybe Tim Murray takes a run at Backes to send a message to Stamkos and the rest of the NHL that the Sabres are serious about improving on the application of Dan Bylsma's fast and heavy style.
Having spent the majority of his career with Ken Hitchcock, Backes plays with a razor sharp edge and high elbows. He is a dominating net front man who make the lives of goalies absolutely miserable. Backes' 6'4" 240 lb. frame screening goalies and bludgeoning enemy defenders can only add more goals for Ryan O'Reilly, Jack Eichel, Samson Reinhart, Jimmy Vesey, Evander Kane, Zemgus Girgensons, Tyler Ennis, Brian Gionta, Matt Moulson and the Buffalo D corps.
If Backes doesn't float Tim Murray's fishing boat, then what about aggressive big fish Kyle Okposo?
Kyle Okposo is about to get paid.
Okposo, 28, is the next contestant up on The Price Is Right now that Stamkos is staying in Tampa and Taylor Hall has been traded to New Jersey.
Okposo is a three-time 20 goal scorer who popped 22 goals and 64 points in 79 games in 2015-16. He is a dominating big man who has finally developed into the tough to play against power forward that the islanders projected him to be.
Okposo's $2.8 million salary made him one of the most value-laden contracts in the NHL this season. The days of getting Okposo's best work for pennies on the dollar are long gone. Okposo is about to enter the $5.5 million to $6 million stratosphere. He's earned it.
So, the Sabres, Red Wings and Maple Leafs lost the Steven Stamkos stampede.
Okposo is the next man up.
The veteran forward is in a no lose situation.
Okposo will seemingly double his take home pay in his next contract. Based on his production and value league wide, Okposo will easily earn $5.6M to $6M AAV per season.
In 529 career games with the Isles, Okposo scored 139 goals and added 230 assists. He also earned 310 PIMs. In 29 career playoff games, the former 7th overall pick in 2006 has scored 7 goals and 8 assists.
Okposo was a key cog of the wheel that drove the Islanders to the playoffs this season.
Snow clearly has no plans of re-signing Okposo. The GM has had last summer and this entire season to negotiate a long term deal with Okposo's agent.
The silence has been deafening.
Tim Murray should break that silence with a phone call or two this week to talk fit and strategy with Okposo, if he hasn't done so already.
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Taylor Hall has been traded to New Jersey for defense prospect Adam Larsson.
PK Subban has been traded to Nashville for Shea Weber.
Steven Stamkos is staying put in Tampa.
No. You are not in some bizarre, parallel universe.
Welcome to the NHL on June 29, 2016.
This is not a joke. All three events really did happen.
Everything is happening!
The madness began when the Edmonton Oilers shipped Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson, straight up.
Seriously.
My head is still fuzzy from the Hall deal. What is Pete Chiarelli thinking? Talk about poor asset management. Chiarelli trades a potential 50 goal scorer for a second or third pair right shot D.
Chiarelli reportedly has a seven year, $49 million contract locked and loaded for LW Milan Lucic despite the fact that the UFA signing period doesn't officially begin until Noon on Friday July 1. The drafting of Jesse Puljujarvi being drafted fourth overall last weekend also contributed to Hall's expendabilittle in Edmonton.
There was talk at the NHL DRaft in Buffalo last weekend that Chiarelli and Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray were discussion a one for one that called for Hall to go to Anaheim to ride shotgun for Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry for Fowler, who would QB the Oil PP.
Chiarelli was also said to be the epicenter of PK Subban trade rumors. Again, the Oilers and Canadiens were linked through hockey buzz at the draft. I spoke with a scout who told me that IF Subban were traded (and it appeared unlikely) that it would be to Edmonton, and no other team. So much for that.
Subban, 27, and his ginormous contract, five years remaining at $9 million per copy is a big nut to cover. The Habs wanted to change their fortunes by getting the 30 year old Weber and his $7.85 million cap hit for the next five seasons.
I need some time to process the Subban-Weber trade. I'd say that Montreal gets the better of this deal because Weber is the better pure defender. Predators fans are going to LOVE Subban and his pyrotechnics! Habs fans are not happy about this trade. Subban was a rock star in Montreal and the fans loved him. His former head coach Mike Therrien seemingly breathes a sigh of relief now that Subban is gone. Therrien snd Subban often butted heads. Therrien insisted in stifling Subban's creativity. Subban wanted to take the puck and gallop 200 feet with it. Frankly, I love watching Subban play hockey. He's a performer and a producer. I would have canned Therrien before I traded Subban.
Bergevin's nose is growing for fibbing about the Subban trade. On Thursday at the NHL Draft in Buffalo, Bergevin delayed tge start of his 6:30pm presser. He said he wasn't trying to trade Subban, however, he was listening to offers. That is code for :"I'm trying to trade Subban".
Oh well.
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Am I shocked that Stamkos is staying in Tampa?
No. Not shocked.
Surprised, but not shocked.
In the end, Stamkos will re-sign with the Lightning for 8 years at an $8.5M AAV.
Buffalo certainly would have offered Stamkos $11M to $12M per season over 7 seasons.
Toronto and Detroit likely would have gone as high as $9 million AAV over 7 seasons for Stamkos. I hope that Stamkos got a guarantee from Jon Cooper and Steve Yzerman that he is going to be playing center for the next 8 years in Tampa. Oh, and I hope Cooper finds a way to trust Stamkos enough to leave him on the ice for the final two minutes of critical, must-win playoff games.
Stamkos re-signing with the Bolts leaves a fat chunk of bread in Buffalo's budget that Murray can now invest in areas of need.
Murray has $19.5M in salary cap space to invest in a top six winger and his QB.
Murray now has to put the full court press on signing UFA Jimmy Vesey on Friday.
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The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team has signed defenseman Casey Nelson to a two-year contract extension.
Nelson made his professional debut with the Sabres during the 2015-16 season and recorded four assists and a plus-1 rating in seven games. Before signing with Buffalo, Nelson earned WCHA Defensive Player of the Year honors after recording 22 points (6+16) in 40 games for Minnesota State University.
The Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin native amassed 60 total points (14+46) and a plus-28 rating in 99 games during his collegiate career, leading the team in plus/minus rating and leading Minnesota State defensemen in scoring in both his sophomore and junior seasons
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If I am Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray, I am immediately on my cell phone to Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray at the very moment that the Stamkos re-signing in Tampa occurred.
If I'm early, I want Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler and I want him now. Fowler has been linked through rumors to Buffalo, Montreal and Detroit.
Murray should not wait until Friday's unrestricted free agency window opens to make a strong play 4 Fowler who is the quarterback that Murray and the Sabres so desperately need to round out their top pair with Rasmus Ristolainen.
Murray should also be on the horn right now with the agent for New York Islanders power forward Kyle Okposo.
**
Cam Fowler told Pierre LeBrun that he was surprised that he wasn't traded at the NHL Draft.
The name of the 24 year old veteran QB was trending on Twitter for the past three weeks leading up to the NHL Draft in Buffalo. I've had Fowler linked to the Sabres for the past year and a half. Sabres GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma have been desperately seeking Rasmus Ristolainen's book end D pair. After signing Sami Vatanen to a long term deal at $4.875M AAV, and pending RFA Hampus Lindholm about to sign to a six year deal worth Seth Jones money, Fowler appears to be the odd man out on Bob Murray's already impressive blue line.
"It's been an interesting week or so, that's for sure," Fowler said over the phone from Hawaii on Tuesday afternoon, there on vacation with his girlfriend and family. "You hear your name tossed out there. I’ve heard that before even at recent trade deadlines, but this time with the position the Ducks are in and some of the salaries, it just seemed like it was pretty real. I was 100 percent prepared for something to happen. And was honestly pretty surprised when it didn’t. It’s one of those things where I want to be prepared for it to happen, obviously I love playing in Anaheim and being a Duck, I feel like I have a great relationship with [GM] Bob [Murray]. I just know that his hands are tied a little bit with what he needs to do. I just have to sit and be patient and see what happens."
The Ducks already have Fowler's replacement in the fold in sky scraping, skilled big man Shea Theodore. Murray also has coveted prospect Brandon Montour. Both young D were warming in the bullpen in AHL San Diego last season.
Moving Fowler now would create $4M in salary cap space for the coming season. Theodore's an elite level prospect whom my NHL scout friends say is too good to be playing in The AHL. Theodore has added value beyond his on ice game. He also is the owner of an entry level contract. Trading Fowler now would create $4 million in cap space that Bob Murray could invest in the veteran left winger that he badly needs to add this summer.
The buzz about Fowler at the NHL Draft last week in Buffalo was Fowler would be traded for a high first round pick. Buffalo's eighth overall pick and Montreal's number nine selection were connected to Fowler. Neither Tim Murray nor Marc Bergevin would go all-in on a 2016 first rounder for Fowler, so here he stand.
Bob Murray has a voracious appetite to add a talented left winger. DO NOT mention the name of Carl Hagelin in Bob Murray's presence or you might get cuffed in the head. For whatever reason, Hagelin stiffed in Anaheim and was traded to Pittsburgh for David Perron. The Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel trio powered the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Buffalo have Evander Kane and Zemgus Girgensons to offer to Bob Murray. Last week, Tim Murray traded for left winger Jimmy Vesey's UFA rights. If Tim Murray succeeds in convincing Vesey to play in Buffalo-- and it's looking more and more likely to happen-- Kane and Girgensons would be affected. Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma project Vesey as a top six LW.
Should Tim Murray close Vesey and Stamkos, it would push Evander Kane to the third line. Kane can play on all lines in the top nine. He popped 21 goals in his injuru plagued first season in Buffalo. Evander checks all of the boxes that Bob Murray covets in his forwards: Big, tough, skilled, fast, snarly, pugnacious, and fearless. Bob Murray may want to plug Evander in next to Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to give Anaheim a powerhouse top trio in the pugilistic Pacific division.
Kane has two seasons remaining on his contract at $5.25 million per copy. He would give Randy Carlyle 25-35 goals next season. Should UFA Andrew Ladd sign with Tampa, Detroit or Monteal, Kane would be a cheaper alternative than paying $6 million plus for Kyle Okposo or David Backes in unrestricted free agency.
Perhaps Bob Murray and Bob Murray have revisited the Fowler chat that began before the NHL Draft.
Fowler scratches Buffalo's itch. Ditto Kane and Anaheim.
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