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Dan Bylsma has high expectations for his generational centerman Jack Eichel.
Bylsma told WGR Buffalo that he expects Eichel to pick up precisely where he left off ion the final 40 games of his rookie season. Eichel was one of the hottest players in the NHL after the Christmas holidays when he hit the rookie wall.
“I think Jack had a lot of expectations on him last year,” reflected Bylsma. “To think about his year last year, it really started in the spring. He went to the world championships. He went into the draft. He was on that circuit. As a Top 5 pick, you’re all over the place. You’re at the Stanley Cup Final. You get drafted. You go into development camp. You get drafted.
“He didn’t have a great summer and off-season last year because of that whirlwind he was in and because of all the cameras on him and all of the media attention. I think, as you mentioned, this year he took the opportunity to take a step back and have a good summer. Have a good working summer. I think you’re going to see that in his play.
“You look back to last year. You talk about how he finished last season. In the last 40 games, you’re talking about a guy who had the puck on his stick more than anybody else in the league – more than Patrick Kane. And that’s a pretty impressive thing for an 18, 19 year old guy to have. I think you’re going to see that even more as he goes into his second year.”
Thanks, WGR550
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Bylsma was asked to spill the beans on his two RFAs, Rasmus Ristolaine and Zemgus Girgensons.
Bylsma just returned from a four week vacation. However, he has been keeping tabs on the contract negotiations of his number one defenseman and his versatile power forward.
“I stopped in the office this morning and talked to (assistant general manager) Mark Jakubowski ,” he continued. “Certainly I’ve read social media. I’ve read the things about Risto and Zemgus and their contract situation. I think it’s a normal talking right now between the two groups, between both Rasmus and Zemgus. Those are things that I don’t get too much involved in. But I know they’re progressing. I know we’re talking. They do take time.”
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One more sleep until Vesey Navidad.
When the clocks strikes midnight Tuesday morning, the pursuit of Jimmy Vesey will be on.
Vesey's agent, Peter Fish, told the AP that the 2016 Hobey Baker winner will not be autographing his entry level contract until later this week.
"It's certainly not going to be tomorrow," Fish said. "I would say the earliest may be Friday or Saturday, but I wouldn't expect it to drag on much into the following week."
The Buffalo Sabres own Vesey's negotiating rights until midnight.
Last month, Murray spoke about his positive interactions with Vesey.
"It is what it is," Murray said at Sabres development camp. "We made a trade, we traded one of our four third-round picks to be able to talk to him. We went down there and spoke to him. I told him he doesn't owe anybody anything. He went to school for four years and he became a free agent. He needs to make the right decision for him, there's no timetable. I felt really good about the meeting. I got great feedback about the meeting."
Sabres GM Tim Murray made his most impassioned plea for "Why Play For The Buffalo Sabres" when the Sabres met with Vesey and his agent five weeks ago. In trademark Murray fashion, the Sabres GM laid all his cards on the table while speaking face to face with Vesey. Murray and Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma told Vesey what role he will play in Buffalo, both five on five and on the power play. Murray reportedly left no stone un-turned when selling his Sabres to Vesey. Murray also brought with him Sabres college scouting leader Jerry Forton, who recruited Vesey to Harvard five years ago. At the time, Forton was Harvard's assistant coach. Forton left the Crimson after Vesey's freshman season to pursiue an assistant coaching position on Ted Nolan's coaching staff in Buffalo.
At Sabres development camp, Murray said that the proverbial puck has been on Vesey's stick the whole time. Meaning, Buffalo badly wants Vesey to sign with them. Murray made it a point to stay out of Vesey's face the past six weeks. Murray deliberately gave the kid a chance to breathe without daily meetings and affirmations. Murray feels strongly that the player will make his final decision based on all of the facts, not hype and empty promises.
"This is his show right now," Murray said. "If he wants to come in here or he wants to reach out to us and have another meeting, we're there. But for me, this is in his court and I don't sit at home and speculate about this. He's either going to sign here or he's not. If he doesn't, it's going to be obviously not the decision we want, and then you guys will call me a dummy for trading away a third-round pick, but I've got all the scenarios and I'm ready for them all, but it's up to him, it's his time."
On Tuesday, NHL teams will have the opportunity to one-up the Buffalo package that has resonated with Vesey and his family for the past five weeks.
"Tomorrow, we start to find out what our opportunities are, but I can tell you from Buffalo's standpoint, Jimmy is pleased with what they've done and said thus far," Fish said.
The Sabres and Team Vesey have had a healthy give and take since Murray made the trade with Nashville. Vesey's exclusive negotiating rights cost Tim Murray a 2016 3rd round draft choice. In the grand scheme of things, a 3rd rounder is a small investment in Buffalo's future.
"We have a very good understanding with everything in regards to Buffalo."
I emailed with Fish on Sunday. He told me that he was planning "for sure" to speak with Murray and the Sabres on today (Monday).
The Sabres, NY Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks are all contenders for Vesey. The Toronto Maple Leafs and NY Islanders are in the hunt.
Check back here later for updates on Vesey.
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The Ducks have signed center Antoine Vermette to a two-year contract through the 2017-18 NHL season. The deal is for two years and $3.5 million. A great price to pay for the 17 goals that Vermette scored in 2016-17. Vermette was bought out by the Arizona Coyotes earlier this summer.
Vermette, 34, has scored 211 goals and 260 assists for 471 points in 910 career NHL games with Ottawa, Columbus, Phoenix/Arizona and Chicago.
Vermette helped lead the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup championship in 2015.
The Vermette signing gives Randy Carlyle a reliable veteran pivot who can play in all situations.
Ducks GM Bob Murray now has only $6.6 million in available salary cap space to sign his two prized restricted free agents in defenseman Hampus Lindholm and forward Rickard Rakell.
Money has become a huge issue for the Ducks.
Lindholm is about to sign a six year, $36 million contract to remain in Anaheim.
Rakell is likely going to sign a two year, $8 million contract.
It's now looking more and more like Bob Murray will have to trade Cam Fowler and his $4 million contract in order to create salary cap gravy to feed Lindholm and Rakell with.
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