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Av You A Scoring Left Winger? |
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Ryan O'Reilly and Matt Duchene played leadership roles for Team Canada's gold medal winning team at the IIHF World Championships in Russia.
The two forwards played well together for six seasons in Denver. In June 2015, ROR was traded to Buffalo in a blockbuster deal at the 2015 NHL Draft.
For the past few years, there were rumblings inside the NHL of a beef that had developed between the two forwards.
Last summer, in the weeks following the trade, Duchene was quoted as saying that O'Reilly was a good teammate, while at the rink. It was a harmless comment that was blown out of proportion. Conversely, that same week, Avs D Erik Wilson mouthed off about ROR after he was traded but it sounded like sour grapes due to the fact that O'Reilly and his agent were seemingly always embroiled in contract squabbles. Be it over team elected arbitration or via the infamous offer sheet that the Calgary Flames signed ROR to which prompted the Avs to immediately match it.
It all seems lIke water over Niagara Falls now.
Bygones are now bygones. O'Reilly needed a break and he got one. He's thriving in Buffalo now.
O'Reilly scored 21 goals and accumulated 60 points in his first season in Blue & Gold in 2015-16. He is being groomed to succeed Brian Gionta as Buffalo's next captain after the 2016-17 season.
Duchene scored 30 goals for the Avs, yet still managed to annoy and tick off his opiniated head coach, Patrick Roy to the point that Roy questioned Dutlxhene's lw
leadership.
Being on Roy's sh*t list is now something that people hope for. Roy's not afraid to chastise his players in public when they step out of line. Dutchy found out that Roy doesn't like when his players play the game the wrong way.
In early April, Duchene, 25, notched his 30th goal of 2015-16 late in the third period of Colorado’s 5-1 loss to St. Louis, with the marker coming on a deft deflection in front of the Blues net. Following the goal, Duchene pumped his fists upwards and celebrated his achievement.
Not a good look for Roy.
“The thing I have a bit of a hard time with is the reaction of (Duchene) after he scores. It’s a 4-0 goal. Big cheer,” Roy said post-game. “Are you kidding me? What is that? It’s not the (reaction) that we want from our guys. Not at all.”
Roy’s displeasure went beyond just Duchene, though, as he said the entire core of the Avalanche hasn’t proven they have enough leadership to take Colorado “to another level.”
“Eventually, we have to admit, isn’t it? We need more from these guys,” Roy said. “I love these guys. I think (captain Gabriel Landeskog) is pretty much alone in that. I think (Erik Johnson) is trying. But we need more from these guys. These guys need to prove to us that they’re capable of carrying this team.”
Duchene got Roy's message loud and clear.
“I won’t enjoy it tonight,” Duchene said after that game.
“Maybe it’s something I’ll look back on after the season and enjoy on a personal level. You play and try to score goals to make the playoffs. If you’re not in the playoffs, it doesn’t mean as much as you want it to mean. No one remembers that, and no one cares. Everyone just cares about who’s in the playoffs. That’s all we care about, and all I care about.”
I'll bet you that Duchene has gotten has gotten chirped by his Avs and Team Canada teammates regarding his 30th goal celebration.
I'm sure that O'Reilly has jabbed Duchene about his transgression.
They say that time heals all wounds.
Sabres GM Tim Murray is actively searching for a winger to skate with Jack Eichel and Samson Reinhart.
In 495 career games, Duchene has scored 156 goals and 221 assists.
Duchene plays left wing and center.
He will earn $6M AAV for the next three seasons.
Maybe it's time for Roy and Duchene to part company.
The Avs need defensive help in a bad way.
Tim Murray has difference making defenseman.
Murray, Roy and Joe Sakic are no strangers to making blockbuster trades.
Who knows. Maybe we will see an ROR-Dutchy reunion in Buffalo.
**
The Buffalo Sabres have announced the team’s schedule for its annual summer development camp from July 6-12 at HARBORCENTER.
All on-ice sessions will be held at HARBORCENTER for the first time this year after four years at First Niagara Center.
On-ice camp sessions throughout the week will be open to the public and an intra-squad Blue & Gold Scrimmage will take place on Saturday, July 9 at 1 p.m.
The French Connection Tournament, an intra-squad 3-on-3 tournament beginning at 9:15 a.m. will highlight the final day of camp on Tuesday, July 12. Ticket information for the Blue & Gold Scrimmage and the French Connection Tournament will be available at a later date.
The camp will feature 43 Sabres prospects, including all 10 players the team selected at the 2016 NHL Draft. Attendees will take part in both on-ice and off-ice workouts.
The goals of the camp are to show prospective players the fundamental ideas of the Sabres’ playing system and expose them to the conditioning programs of an NHL player. Camp participants will also study and examine NHL rules and the successful techniques a player must possess to become a professional athlete.
The full schedule of on-ice workouts open to the public at HARBORCENTER is below. All times are subject to change and any updates will be posted at Sabres.com.
Wed., July 6 - 2:15 to 3:30 p.m.
4:15 to 5:30 p.m.
Thu., July 7 - 9:50 to 11:20 a.m.
1:20 to 2:50 p.m.
Fri., July 8 - 9:50 to 11:15 a.m.
1:45 to 3:05 p.m.
Sat., July 9 - Blue & Gold Scrimmage: 1 p.m.
Sun., July 10 - Off Day
Mon., July 11 - 9:50 to 11:30 a.m.
1:30 to 2:50 p.m.
Tue., July 12 - French Connection Tournament: 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Forwards:
Asplund, Rasmus
Bailey, Justin
Baptiste, Nicholas
Brown, Christopher
Carrier, William
Cornel, Eric
Dupuy, Jean
Estephan, Giorgio
Fasching, Hudson
Glotov, Vasily
Hagel, Brandon
Hurley, Connor
Karabacek, Vaclav
Murray, Brett
Muzito-Bagenda, Daniel
Nylander, Alexander
Olofsson, Victor
Peterson, Judd
Pu, Cliff
Rodrigues, Evan
Willman, Maxwell
Defense:
Borgen, William
Brickley, Daniel
Budik, Vojtech
Campoli, Michael
Chatfield, Jalen
Chukarov, Ivan
Fitzgerald, Casey
Florentino, Anthony
Geiger, Paul
Gluchowski, Nolan
Guhle, Brendan
Henley, David
Hora, Frank
Mantha, Ryan
Martin, Brycen
Nyberg, Philip
Osmanski, Austin
Goalies:
Petersen, Cal
Ullmark, Linus
Samuel, Antoine
Thanks, Buffalo Sabres
***
As a part of a larger conversation regarding Steven Stankos re-signing with the Tampa Lightning and the shocking trade of P.K. Subban to Nashville, former Montreal Canadiens heavyweight Georges Laraque joined Andrew Peters abd Craig Rivet on Sabres Hockey Hotline on Thursday.
Laraque said that he has been told by an agent that the Buffalo Sabres are looking to trade power forward Evander Kane.
"It seems now they want to pull the plug on it. I'm not sure you could give that guy away with all his baggage. But that was coming from your GM to the agent that I talked to. So, there wI'll be things coming up in Buffalo".
Listen to Laraque's takes here:
Thanks, WGR
Would it come as a surprise to Sabres fans if Tim Murray were indeed trying to trade Kane?
In case you missed it Wednesday, I wrote about Kane.
With Anaheim GM Bob Murray searching for a veteran power left winger to add to his top six group, is it possible that Kane might be a target for the Ducks?
On Wednesday, 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-- the TOI of Kane and Girgensons would be affected. Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma project Vesey as a top six LW. Tim Murray failed to hook big fish free agent Steven Stamkos. Stamkos has re-signed in Tampa for 8 years and $8.5M per season.
Should Tim Murray close Vesey, who becomes UFA on Friday, it would push Evander Kane to the third line.
Kane can play on all lines in the top nine, however, he is better served playing a top six role.
Kane popped 21 goals in his injury 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. Kane plays the brand of tough, fast hockey that the Ducks have patented and perfected for the past nine seasons.
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 an immediate 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.
Let's just see what tomorrow brings.
***
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