Jamie McGinn is in a nice place right now.
Literally and figuratively.
The 27 year old Fergus, Ontario native loves the way that he has been embraced by the exuberant hockey fanatics of Buffalo and Western New York.
Sabres fans love gritty, scar-faced, physical players. McGinn joins a long list of lunch bucket heroes who have plied their blue collar trades in Buffalo. Adam Mair, Mike Foligno, Mike Grier, Cody McCormick, Patrick Kaleta, Kevin McGuire to name a few.
McGinn has 10 goals this season and he has been a steady, calming force on the ice and in the room.
With the February 29 trade deadline looming, Sabres GM Tim Murray has a decision to make on McGinn.
Should he stay or should he go out the door at the deadline?
I see a four year contract extension in McGinn's future. Others see him as a trade deadline rental.
The Buffalo News spoke with McGinn's agent Thane Campbell about his client's future in Buffalo. Campbell said there gave been no contract extension talks with Sabres GM Tim Murray.
Yet.
Campbell knows it's part of the process. McGinn loves Buffalo.
“He loves Buffalo,… Campbell said.
“He loves the city. He really likes the teammates. He really feels comfortable there. He feels the coaches have respect for his game, and he feels that it’s a good fit for him.…
If ever a Sabres player had intrinsic value to his team beyond his measurablessings on ice it's McGinn.
He hits, blocks shots, flushes the walls, back checks, fore checks, and puts physical fear in the hearts and minds of opponents. McGinn has intangibles that make him very valuable to the Sabres.
Tim Murray knew what he was doing when he demanded that McGinn be included in the Ryan O'Reilly blockbuster trade in June 2015.
McGinn was not a "throw in" pkayer. He was asked for by Murray who scouted McGinn extensively when he played juniors with the Ottawa 67s when Murray was AGM of the Ottawa Senators.
Don't be mistaken. Murray values McGinn the same way that his best friend Ryan O'Reilly does.
O'Reilly plays a huge role in McGinn's future in Buffalo. McGinn and O'Reilly are close friends. I call them "The Irish Mafia". They hangout during summers and they are very close during the season. Their friendship was born in Denver and is stronger today in Buffalo.
Tim Murray is not a fool. He isn't going to trade away his future captain's best friend. That would be as damning a move as Murray trading Irish Mafia member Cal O'Reilly.
You can best believe that Marie's phone is blowing up right now from the inbound phone calls from his NHL GM counterparts who wish rent McGinn for the remainder of this season in exchange for a draft choice