Imagine that, He is intending to explore all his options in free agency.

Who could have predicted that from someone who wanted to wait until he was a free agent before he signed so that he could,

wait for it...

explore all his options.

Vesey has never changed his tune. Trading a 3rd for his rights was a risk and some would say it was a stupid risk.
- Aetherial

that about covers it.

nice and concise.

So what it was a third round pick, and we had three of them. Remember you cant sign everybody and the farm system is stocked with players, not to mention next year we have 2 seconds and a 2 thirds!

We made our pitch, personally I hope its not toronto or boston and he decides to head west! I would love that, and really piss off the Preds!

Toronto thinks there the center of the hockey universe They are Door man posing as food critic on YELP!, as far as boston there time is just about at an end! There heading for the basement!
- kevin042

why so angry?

seriously, do you genuinely believe that any of the Bruins, Leafs or Blackhawks are going to lose sleep if Vesey signs elsewhere? None of these teams nor their management were dumb enough to give up a draft pick for a guy who said he was going to FreeAgency.

which part of "I'm waiting until August 15th" is confusing?

that about covers it.

nice and concise.
- BorjeFan4Ever

There is no point in anyone being upset about it. Sabres fans are high on their young team,as they should be, but they are not yet " the place to be", like so many think. There are a lot of young teams with bright futures if that's the selling point...Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Winnepeg and Florida all offer the same thing if that's what Vessey wants, but maybe he doesn't want that so much at all ?

So what it was a third round pick, and we had three of them. Remember you cant sign everybody and the farm system is stocked with players, not to mention next year we have 2 seconds and a 2 thirds!

We made our pitch, personally I hope its not toronto or boston and he decides to head west! I would love that, and really piss off the Preds!

Toronto thinks there the center of the hockey universe They are Door man posing as food critic on YELP!, as far as boston there time is just about at an end! There heading for the basement!
- kevin042

Correct, Toronto will likely be a bottom 3 team this year, but they are clearly building something, not so dissimilar to Buffalo, just a season or 2 behind. Kind of the pot calling the kettle black when a Sabres fan rips the Leafs, IMO.

Garth, maybe you should be writing a story about how the Great GM of Buffalo is failing to sign a prospect. Do you think maybe Vesey is looking at "I could play for Bylsma or I could play for Quennville". Maybe your GM needs to get better people around him to close the deal.

Garth, maybe you should be writing a story about how the Great GM of Buffalo is failing to sign a prospect. Do you think maybe Vesey is looking at "I could play for Bylsma or I could play for Quennville". Maybe your GM needs to get better people around him to close the deal.
- powerenforcer

*Tim Murray always gets his man...been said on here many times.

* Except McDavid, Babcock, Stamkos and Vesey.

Is anyone surprised " Eich water in his veins" , a phrased coined by Garth, hasn't caught on? I thought it was brilliant , and it's been a year, what gives?

Can we just stop with all the Vesey talks. The kid can sign with whoever he wants. He's going to wait until the 15th and at that point he can talk to every team in the league if he wants to! Lets just chill on the "vesey sweepstakes" for a week or so. I'm getting sick and tired of the same stories and how buffalo reporters are making a huge deal about it. It's not like he's going to the final piece in the cog for buffalo or any team. Is the kid talented? For sure! But lets be realistic. Yes, it would be a terrific contract with low risk but that doesn't make him a sure thing in the NHL.

Garth, maybe you should be writing a story about how the Great GM of Buffalo is failing to sign a prospect. Do you think maybe Vesey is looking at "I could play for Bylsma or I could play for Quennville". Maybe your GM needs to get better people around him to close the deal.
- powerenforcer

The phrase 'gmtm always gets his man' should actually be much closer to 'gmtm rarely gets his man '

TAMPERING OR NEGOTIATING WITH PLAYERS AND CERTAIN NON-PLAYING EMPLOYEES OF OTHER CLUBS

15.1.

(a)

Except as provided in Section 9a.5 [regarding free agency], no Member Club...shall -- directly or indirectly -- tamper, negotiate with, make an offer to or discuss employment with any player, or his agent or representative, with respect to whom another Member Club has either the professional rights or the right to negotiate for said professional right without prior written consent of that Member Club.

[...]

(c)

The making or causing to be made, through any medium, public or private, any statement indicating any intention or desire of or interest in acquiring the services of any person referred to in (a) ... may, at the discretion of the Commissioner, be deemed to be a contravention of this By-Law.

[...]

Now, Bowman may not have said anything publicly but actions speak louder than words and his two visits to scout him himself scream I want you while he is Sabres property. When you are being recruited by college programs and have them scouting you, you know who wants to give you a scholarship if a head coach is watching multiple games. Maybe that rule needs to be updated for NCAA and Junior players to include summer leagues that GM's would never leave their summer cottages to scout unless they wanted it be clear that they wanted in on this player that isn't their property.

Was Bowman watching him practice alone? Nope. There were other players on the ice. Good luck proving he was there just for Vesey. This isn't tampering.

he will also be speaking to the flyers garf. add in the rangers as well.

garf check your sources on this one. GMTM is not very popular among other GM's. They don't like his smug I am better than you attitude. Make a few calls to confirm what I said.

Isn't Eichel voicing the benefits of playing with him in Buffalo this summer? Money will be the same whether he signs with Buffalo or Boston but likely easier for him to achieve his bonuses in Buffalo. Chicago is a dark horse candidate and Toronto is likely out of the running.

I believe Vesey will sign in Buffalo after hearing the spiels from all the teams.

He's going to Boston, people.

I'm willing to bet a Hockeybuzz t-shirt on it.

He's going to Boston, people.

I'm willing to bet a Hockeybuzz t-shirt on it.
- Atomic Wedgie

i love how one media outlet in boston sat down and interviewed him and it's "don't get me started on boston". what?

I dont know why you all throw around the term "all you Sabres fans" because of the people on this blog making comments. Please recognize the number of fans on Buzz that dont comment on this because the kid has every right to sign wherever he wants. The NHL Owners will close that loop in the next contract negotiation and we wont have to deal with college kids "earning the right to chose who the play for" because they didnt come out of college before graduating. Whoever the lawyer for the owners that didnt close that loop should be tarred and feathered. Nashville was the team that GOT screwed, the Sabres bailed them out knowing in all likelihood they WOULD get screwed.

Wow, ok this one has gone so far into the illuminati field that even for Garf it didn't fall in the rabbit hole it went out the other side and just kept on going! Murray gambled and it didn't pay off, cost him a draft pick. Kid is going to do exactly what he said he will and go where he decides to, that's it. The hand wringing overwrought whining belongs on the Young & the Restless for bad melodrama. Just wow!

1. You are spot on with the tampering. No one seems to care, particularly Murray.

2. Everyone knows the deal - the kid bailed on Nashville, has limited interest in Buffalo and will simply sign in Boston, all things being equal. NHL GM's aren't blind or stupid.

3. Bowman has no salary cap space and wants a $1M sniper. He has no choice with those twin $10.5M contracts to T & K. Do you blame him for sniffing? I wouldn't.

4. As for Buffalo, you gotta be patient. Once you turn the corner and start winning, players will want to come. Once Eichel starts lighting it up, free agents like Vesey will be right there, hoping to cash in big with the Pagulla's $$$. Take your time. And forget Vesey. If he wants to come, he will, but put your money on Boston.

Most Sabres fans that come on to hockeybuzz do no read Garth blogs. I for one do because I want to make a reply like this .... Garth, enough with the Vesey blogs ... ok I get it you have to get some replys to show the boss people read your blogs ...he's not coming to the Sabres ... Vesey probably made up his mind months ago that he didn't want to become a Sabre because YOU would constantly write about him ... You're the reason he's not coming ... thanks a lot

So what it was a third round pick, and we had three of them. Remember you cant sign everybody and the farm system is stocked with players, not to mention next year we have 2 seconds and a 2 thirds!

We made our pitch, personally I hope its not toronto or boston and he decides to head west! I would love that, and really piss off the Preds!

Toronto thinks there the center of the hockey universe They are Door man posing as food critic on YELP!, as far as boston there time is just about at an end! There heading for the basement!
- kevin042

Says the fan of the team that has finished last in the entire NHL 2 out of the last 3 years.

Also "they're, their, and they're"

1. You are spot on with the tampering. No one seems to care, particularly Murray.

2. Everyone knows the deal - the kid bailed on Nashville, has limited interest in Buffalo and will simply sign in Boston, all things being equal. NHL GM's aren't blind or stupid.

3. Bowman has no salary cap space and wants a $1M sniper. He has no choice with those twin $10.5M contracts to T & K. Do you blame him for sniffing? I wouldn't.

4. As for Buffalo, you gotta be patient. Once you turn the corner and start winning, players will want to come. Once Eichel starts lighting it up, free agents like Vesey will be right there, hoping to cash in big with the Pagulla's $$$. Take your time. And forget Vesey. If he wants to come, he will, but put your money on Boston.
- BorjeSittler

Kind of tired of all this talk about Pegula's money and "deep pockets", EVERYONE HAS TO DEAL WITH THE SAME CAP!! Every owner has money, and lots of it! It's not major league baseball with the red sox and yankees signing everyone.

Maybe Vesey turns into the next Ray Staszak or Christian Hanson ?

?
- rmiethaner

3. Bowman has no salary cap space and wants a $1M sniper. He has no choice with those twin $10.5M contracts to T & K. Do you blame him for sniffing? I wouldn't.
- BorjeSittler

He will cost $1M for exactly one season, unless he stinks and meets none of his presumed to be easy bonuses, at which point he will be worth less.

If her performs up to his hype, he will be making $3M+ his second year and beyond.

Yes, it's well within a player's rights to not sign with his drafting team after graduation... but either in doing that, or at least the way in which he did it, Vesey obviously rubbed the Preds the wrong way. Also, regardless of his dealings with the Preds, the Vesey camp made it very clear that he wanted to test free agency. So, with both of these points in mind, in my un-expert opinion, Murray should have had at least some suspicion about Vesey before trading for him (caveat emptor?)... and he shouldn't be surprised that this what might happen.

That being said - if Murray has a problem with what the Blackhawks, Bruins, etc. are doing, then come on man, file a tampering charge on them with the league!

Now, Bowman may not have said anything publicly but actions speak louder than words and his two visits to scout him himself scream I want you while he is Sabres property. When you are being recruited by college programs and have them scouting you, you know who wants to give you a scholarship if a head coach is watching multiple games. Maybe that rule needs to be updated for NCAA and Junior players to include summer leagues that GM's would never leave their summer cottages to scout unless they wanted it be clear that they wanted in on this player that isn't their property.

NHL teams have scouts all over the place. There are very few if ANY NHL games that don't have a scout or multiple scouts in attendance.

To actually tamper teams have to actually DO or SAY something that involves tampering. Going to see or scout a player is not