Thanks, Sabres TV
Tim Murray fancies himself a home run slugger.
On Wednesday, he struck out looking multiple times and afterwards, he wasn't happy about whiffing on NHL Trade Deadline Day 2017.
Murray admitted that he had conversations about his captain and his two capable NHL defenders. He also had talks about his leading goal scorer.
In the end, it was all talk and no action for Murray.
“I just go with what’s put in front of me,… Murray said at his post deadline newser.
“I have no expectation going in, so I made some calls. I made a lot of calls to set the table on trading away a couple guys. I made a few calls on trading to see if I could make a hockey trade, get younger, and this is the end result.…
The "couple guys" Murray spoke of are pending UFA defensemen Dmitry Kulikov and Cody Franson.
The loquacious and self deprecating Murray sounded perturbed and humbled by coming away empty handed on trade deadline day.
“I’m a little bit surprised,… he said.
It's hard to believe that second and third tier defensemen like Ron Hainsey, Johnny Oduya, Brendan Smith, Mark Streit, Frankie Corrado, Brandon Davidson, Jyrki Jokipakka, Dylan McIlrath wrre all traded to new teams at or before the deadline.
Why not Kulikov and Franson?
“We didn’t have a ton of UFAs, as we know,… Murray said. “We had two on the back end that I thought would create, and I had some calls on them. Price-wise, I was very open.…
Translation:
No offer refused.
No taker, eh, Tim?
Ouch.
“My market was just to get fair value, so I didn’t miss out and trade a guy by not demanding too much or by using previous trades in the day or week as the template for what I had to do,… he said.
"I pride myself on not being a hard-ass when it comes to a negotiation. I believe in fair trades, I've said that all along. I don't take any pride in making a trade and then having you guys write after "Tim got the better of that GM". That's not what I am about. I'm just about being fair. I think I am. I think I know the value of players. I couldn't make a trade. I think I'm honest to you guys. Am I disappointed? Of course I'm disappointed."
How would you like to be Kulikov and Franson having to play twenty more games in Buffalo with the burn of your teammates and fans knowing your GM wanted to trade you but no other teams wanted you?
“I don’t want to sit here and just I couldn’t get anything for them,… Murray rationalized.
“I don’t want them to walk in (the locker room) tomorrow with their tail between their legs. We’re six points out of a playoff spot. We’d like to be competitive until the end of the year.…
Kulikov played very well for Team Russia at the World Cup of Hockey tourney in mid-September. On September 29, Kulikov suffered a massive lower back injury when he was trucked into an open bench door by Toronto's Colin Greening.
“I had a lot of calls on Kulikov and I didn’t ask too much,… he said. “Multiple guys said, ‘That’s a fair price.’…
Murray added that Kulikov's health was a concern for many of the teams that he spoke with.
Murray answered inbound calls on Evander Kane. Murray has said for months “I’m not actively trying to trade him......"
But.
Murray said he is curious to see how Kane finished the season in Buffalo. He has 22 goals and counting and is on pace to surpass his NHL career high of 30 goals scored in 2011-12 in Winnipeg. When asked if he is interested in talking with Kane's agent about a contract extension, Murray said he would consider it.
“I had a couple teams call on him,… Murray said. “I said, ‘I’m not actively trying to trade him. If that’s your goal this week, today or yesterday or whatever is, I said I’m willing to listen, as I am on all players.’
“I didn’t like what I heard. There was really no traction on that.…
Kane has one year remaining on his contract at $5.25 million. Murray made it clear that he is taking a wait and see approach to Kane's off ice legal matters. Murray has said that he has zero issues with the way that Kane conducts himself inside the glass. Murray and Sabres ownership have been burned by Kane with his off the ice brushes with Buffalo law enforcement.
“I’d be open to that (discussing a contract extension). I’m not sure I’m going to do that,… Murray said matter of factly.
“There’s a lot of bridges to cross before that time. But would I be open to it in a scenario where a couple things he has going on off the ice go away and stuff like that, absolutely.…
Captain Brian Gionta called his shot early and often. Gionta isn't going anywhere.
“I also spoke to Brian Gionta today after I did get a call,… Murray said. “He’s the captain of our team. He’s a local guy. He’s a longtime player and a longtime character person in the league. I called him and asked him a couple questions and got answers.…
For weeks leading up to the March 1 trade deadline, Gionta repeatedly said he wanted to stay end see the Buffalo rebuild through to it's end.
Murray said that Wednesday's lack of trade acquisitions and subtractions should not be viewed as a set back in the rebuild that he is overseeing.
“I guess it delays it a little bit,… Murray said.
“I have a plan. Today was a small little speed bump to that plan. We have lots of picks. We have lots of good prospects coming. Our kids, some of them have played well.…