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Grigorenko: Buffalo or Quebec? |
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The fate of Mikhail Grigorenko will be learned on Friday. The 19-year old Russian will learn whether or not the Sabres will keep him in Buffalo, or ship him back to Quebec City. On Thursday, Grigo was a healthy scratch for the 2-1 shootout loss to the Panthers.
The kid made it clear that he doesn’t want to travel around the globe anymore. He wants to lay down roots in Buffalo, NY.
Grigorenko recently competed at his third and final IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Malmo, Sweden. He’s the owner of two bronze and one silver medal for his participation at the WJCs. At this year’s tourney, Grigo was Russia’s best offensive player scoring 5 goals and adding 3 helpers in 7 games played. Grigorenko said that he was focused on all areas of his game and he feels like he was an effective two-way player. He admitted that in WJC tournaments past that he had a one-track, offensive vision. This time around, he wanted to compete and play well in all areas. I concur that he acquitted himself well, thriving on the PP and PK, as well as creating, defending and winning face-offs while 5 on 5.
Thanks, Sabres.com
Sabres GM Tim Murray will render his decision on Grigorenko on Friday. He will either unpack his bags and stay in Buffalo for the duration of the NHL season, or, he will grab his tooth brush and personal effects and jet to the Quebec Remparts. The kid has played for three head coaches and two GMs in Buffalo in the past year.
Never a dull moment, eh?
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I've deliberately delayed sharing my opinion of the Tim Murray signing because I wanted to listen intently to his words and figure out what it is that makes him tick. I'm glad I reserved my judgement because I really like what I'm hearing come out of his mouth right now. I have to be candid. I didn't know much about Murray before today other than what I've gathered from my friends and sources in Ottawa. I have to say that I like his moxie and his tenacity. He comes across as very business-like and very intense. I like that in a business man. Murray looks you in the eyes, not at his shoes when he speaks to you. He extends a firm hand shake and has a winner's posture: shoulders back, chest out. I like that he has been party to aggressive trades and player transactions during his NHL scouting and management career. The guy has earned this job. He's invested his proverbial 10,000+ hours. Pat Lafontaine lauded him on Thursday for his tireless work on the road and in ice cold rinks evaluating players and uncovering nuggets of gold for the teams that he scouted for in. I get the sense that Murray fancies himself a "first line" NHL scout, not a fourth liner. He said today that there are third and fourth line scouts too. Something tells me that he doesn't think of himself as an average talent evaluator. Instead, he considers himself to be somewhat of an expert in the areas of identifying, drafting and developing young, talented players.
Now its time to parlay all of that experience and stick-to-it-iveness into a new role as general contractor of the re-build in Buffalo. I love that he and special advisor Craig Patrick believe that a successful re-build doesn't have to take 3-5 years. Patrick worked his magic along with John Davidson and Jarmo Kekalainen in Columbus. The Jax are a vastly better team today than they were two seasons ago at this time. Ditto the Ottawa Senators. They are struggling to find consistency this season, however, there's no denying the success that they found in the 2013 season. Murray was front and center for a lot of the dramatic changes in Ottawa. I like that he's been a party to big trades like the Bobby Ryan deal last summer. He said it himself: you have to take risks and be aggressive and if that means moving out a top prospect or two to acquire a stud scorer or D, then you do it without hesitation and without a huge amount of emotional attachment.
Take a list to how Murray conducts himself. He's an effective, persuasive communicator.
Thanks, Sabres.com
Thanks, WGR
I would love to hear him call Islanders GM Garth Snow right now and say:
"Garth. Tim Murray. Listen, there's a new sheriff in Buffalo. I want you to take the conditions of the first rounder that you sent us in the Vanek deal. I want that pick this year..."
Snow: "Uh, no. I want flexibility...."
Murray: "Yeah, no. I want the pick this year. I want two picks in the top four in this year's draft."
Snow: "Whats in it for me?"
Murray: "What do you need?"
You get the picture. Murray isn't Regier, and vice versa.
Murray sent out the word to his fellow GMs today when he said that he's not sure what the market is for his UFAs Ryan Miller, Matt Moulson and Steve Ott. Murray nailed it when he accurately and succinctly said that the Sabres are a last place team and that everyone is subject to be traded. I bet you dollars to donuts that Murray's phone melted and liquefied from the inbound calls and texts from his 29 NHL GM counterparts. His peers must be ecstatic about his arrival in Buffalo. They need help, he has solutions for them. Need a scorer? Need a D? Want some prospects?
Murray's has quite an audience of NHL scouts on press row tonight. Among them, Boston, Montreal, Ottwa, NY Rangers, Nashville, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Washington, Detroit, Philly, Chicago, and Colorado.
My guess is that Murray will listen to every offer for his UFAs and current roster players. He said that he wants guys who only want to play in Buffalo to be left on his roster.
Murray must feel like he won the lottery. Buffalo is a dream job for an NHL GM. Murray has two hockey Hall Of Famers to lean on in Lafontaine and Patrick. He has a hockey net full of premium draft choices in the next two NHL entry drafts. He has three highly regarded UFAs-to-be that he can decide to trade away for established players and top prospects. Oh, by the way, he has a billionaire boss who is investing millions of dollars of his own money in the city of Buffalo and a hockey academy the likes of which will rival USA Hockey's Colorado Springs facility.
Oh yeah, Murray has $40+ million in cap space next season.
I'd say Tim made the right choice. How about you?
Jhonas Enroth was perhaps sending a direct message to his new GM when after the 2-1 shootout loss to Florida:
"Its tough to win with this team".
The Sabres cannot score goals. In his 13 starts this season, the Sabres have only scored him 17 goals. He has one win this season and its not his fault. The Sabres have scored 52 goals in Ryan Miller's 30 starts this season. Something has to give.
I get the sense that Murray won't be happy that his team played so-so in the shootout loss to Florida. He likely won't ignoring Enroth's comments. Its a valid complaint. The team has great goaltending and a mediocre offense. Enough is enough. Mikhail Grigorenko sat in the press box in Thursday night while his team scored 1 goas in 65 minutes of work.
We will learn on Friday whether Murray will be sending Grigo back to Quebec City. The QMJHL import player rule expands to 3 players on Friday.
The Sabres cannot score goals yet they scratch a scorer and park him in the press box.
I hope that Murray can take charge of the Grigorenko matter before the player and his agent lose interest altogether in playing for Buffalo.
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Initially, I wasn't too keen about LaFontaine hiring an Ottawa Senator to run the Sabres, however, my opinion has changed now that I hear his former boss and uncle Bryan Murray lament the loss of a quality hockey man in Tim Murray.
"It is a day of mixed emotions for me, seeing Tim leave for the Buffalo Sabres,” said Bryan Murray. “He was a great member of our staff and his contributions will be missed, but I'm also very proud that he is able to become a general manager in the National Hockey League. I want to formally congratulate him on this tremendous achievement.”
“Tim has consistently shown the ability to be a tremendous talent evaluator and I’m confident that he'll step in and do a great job for the Sabres. It is a testament to the quality of our hockey staff in Ottawa that Tim is prepared and able to make the move to lead another franchise."
Thanks, Sens TV
Your secrets will be safe in Buffalo, Bryan.
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