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NEWS: Sabres have signed defenseman Casey Nelson (Minnesota State) to entry-level contract. https://t.co/MXHDyLcY04 pic.twitter.com/pcZuJBwxjn
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 22, 2016
Tim Murray has signed a solid puck moving defenseman. Casey Nelson, welcome to your NHL entry level contract.
Nelson will be a great contributor in AHL Rochester.
Tim Murray spoke about the Nelson signing in a statement released by that team.
“We’ve been consistently impressed with Casey’s play for the last two years,… Murray said. “We identified him as one of the top college free agents available and we’re excited to have him join the organization.…
Nelson (6’2…, 182 lbs. ), who recently finished his junior season at Minnesota State University (WCHA), led a Mavericks defense that allowed the fewest shots per game among all NCAA teams this season. His play earned him WCHA Defensive Player of the Year honors and a spot on the All-WCHA First Team.
The Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin native amassed 60 total points (14+46) and a plus-28 rating in 99 games during his collegiate career, leading the team in plus/minus rating and leading Minnesota State defensemen in scoring in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
In 2015-16, Nelson led all Minnesota State defensemen and ranked in the top five in team scoring in goals (6), assists (16) and points (22), and led all Mavericks skaters with a plus-15 rating.
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Hudson Fasching said Monday that all along he and his family have been observing a three year plan as it relates to his University of Minnesota education and his professional hockey career.
Fasching, 20, is a legit college junior who will be graduating with his four year undergraduate degree in a month and a half.
Fasching knew that he wanted to play NHL hockey, however, he needed to achieve his college diploma before he could pursue the NHL dream.
I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Fasching now that I know what his true intentions were. He wasn't trying to jerk around the Sabres by waiting until now to sign with the Sabres. To the contrary. He wanted to play his junior year for the Gophers and lead his team to the B1G 10 Championship. He wanted to complete his undergrad degree.
He accomplished both goals.
Good things come to those who wait.
Now that his book work has been completed, Fashing felt that the time was right to start working on his NHL hockey education.
On Monday, Fasching made a boyhood dream come true when he inked his three year entry level contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
Fasching has officially matriculated to the NHL.
On Wednesday, he will practice with his Sabres teammates including his good friend and former Team USA teammate Jack Eichel.
If there are no snags, Fasching will make his NHL debut on home ice versus Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford and the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday afternoon.
Credit to Tim Murray and the Sabres for respecting Fasching's goal to achieve his college diploma. I have a lot of time for a management team that values quality of life and development of minds as well as skate strides and muscles.
I was asked this past weekend whom Fasching reminds me of.
Fasching will remind a lot of Sabres fans of two players, in my opinion:
Jamie McGinn and Joe Pavelski.
Fasching is big, strong, fast, has a low center of gravity, is heavy on pucks, plays defense with gusto, is on the right side of the battle, has quick hands and likes to work in the enemy's blue ice.
I can't wait to see Fasching battle for his NHL ice.
Thanks, Sabres Hockey Hotline
Editorial Note:
I think it's long overdue for WGR to co-brand the name of Andrew Peters on their "Sabres Hockey Hotline" audio player. Kevin does a good job. However, Petey has more than passed his audition. #76 is killing it on Sabres Hockey Hotline. I predict that Petey will transition out of Buffalo radio to Toronto network TV in the future. Yes, his analysis is bang on. Andrew, former Sabres captain Craig Rivet and Matt Coller continue to do a great job on the show.
** Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk showed up the a press conference to discuss the 25th anniversary of his team and the proceeded to blast his players, coaches and hockey department.
Talk about dropping the mic. Melnyk threw the mic out the window, lit the podium on fire and then rode off on his Harley Davidson.
Badass.
Melnyk left the building after he proclaimed that throwing money at his team's issues won't fix the problems. Melnyk put everyone in the organization on notice moving forward. That includes long time GM Bryan Murray, Head Coach Dave Cameron, and the listless players. The woeful Senators are seven points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. There are only nine games left to play in this dis appointing season.
Melnyk went THERE.
Melnyk called his team's season a “total roller coaster of hope and despair.…
More Melnyk:
“I'm looking at all of it — right across the board. There's no one that's safe when you've had a year like we just did. There's no way,… Melnyk said.
“The status quo will just get us there again next year and this team cannot survive not making the playoffs. You can't just throw money at these things. We need to do it a different way and I think we are.…
Melnyk has been trying to get a new arena built. Missing the playoffs certainly won't improve nor expedite his opportunity to do so.
Melnyk wouldn't spill the jelly beans who who is getting fired after this dreadful season ends, however, he did say that the improvements won't be cosmetic in nature. “Not a lot of changes — but key changes.…
Will Melnyk fire or re-assign incumbent GM Bryan Murray?
Will he turf yet another head coach in Dave Cameron like he dis Paul MacLean, Corey Clouston, John Paddock and Jacques Martin?
Will Melnyk hold his players accountable for their terrible play in 2015-16?
Former Sens captain Daniel Alfredsson has been learning the management ropes in his retirement. Is Alfie the heir apparent to Bryan Murray's throne?
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Will Melnyk demand the trade of a thirty goal man in Bobby Ryan? Will he get rid of youngsters Mike Hoffman and or Mika Zibanejad?
If Ryan and Hoffman are not long for the Ottawa Senators future, the Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray should send quality time with Uncle Bryan at Easter dinner. Tim may be asking Bryan to pass more than just the ham and mashed spuds. Tim Murray will have $35 million in salary cap space to invest in scoring wingers and a top four D this summer.
Tim Murray will be making a passionate pitch for pending UFA Steven Stamkos in June. Were Stamkos to re-sign with Bolts or sign a contract with a team other than Buffalo, Murray would have to go to his austerity plan to find a productive, sniping top six forward.
Tim and Uncle Bryan engineered the Bobby Ryan trade to Ottawa from Anaheim. Might they collaborate on a Ryan deal again?
Ryan just turned 29 years old last week. He has scored 30 goals in his MHL career. He has been with the Sens for three seasons and hasn't popped 30Gs yet. Ryan was the second overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft.
How cool would it be for Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma to ice a line featuring second overall picks in Ryan-Eichel-Reinhart. Talk about tasty.
Ryan is $7.25M AAV next four seasons.
Hoffman, 26, is a pending RFA. He earned $2 million this season.
Hoffman has scored 53 goals in his two seasons in Ottawa. The kid can snipe. Where does he fit in Ottawa moving forward?
Zibanejad, 22, has one year remaining on his deal at $2.65 million. The young Swede has 30 goal, 30 assist potential. Perhaps a change of scenery will do him some good.
I'll be watching Tim and Bryan Murray closely in the next 90 days leading up to the NHL Draft in Buffalo.
** Melnyk re-iterated that it wasn't only the coach being scrutinized by ownership. “I think every single aspect of the team is under the microscope right now,… he said. Melnyk hinted that waiting to see what candidates are available from other organizations might be one way to go.
“We're grooming people, we're looking. I think after the season is done, you'll see fallouts everywhere. There's going to be a lot of changes in the NHL with coaches and general managers, but right now I leave it to Bryan,… Melnyk said.
If I'm Alfie, I'm sending my GM suits to the cleaners.
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