UPDATED: Cam Fowler told Pierre LeBrun that he was surprised that he wasn't traded at the NHL Draft.
The name of the 24 year old veteran QB was trending on Twitter for the past three weeks leading up to the NHL Draft in Buffalo. I've had Fowler linked to the Sabres for the past year and a half. Sabres GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma have been desperately seeking Rasmus Ristolainen's book end D pair. After signing Sami Vatanen to a long term deal at $4.875M AAV, and pending RFA Hampus Lindholm about to sign to a six year deal worth Seth Jones money, Fowler appears to be the odd man out on Bob Murray's already impressive blue line.
"It's been an interesting week or so, that's for sure," Fowler said over the phone from Hawaii on Tuesday afternoon, there on vacation with his girlfriend and family. "You hear your name tossed out there. I’ve heard that before even at recent trade deadlines, but this time with the position the Ducks are in and some of the salaries, it just seemed like it was pretty real. I was 100 percent prepared for something to happen. And was honestly pretty surprised when it didn’t. It’s one of those things where I want to be prepared for it to happen, obviously I love playing in Anaheim and being a Duck, I feel like I have a great relationship with [GM] Bob [Murray]. I just know that his hands are tied a little bit with what he needs to do. I just have to sit and be patient and see what happens."
The Ducks already have Fowler's replacement in the fold in sky scraping, skilled big man Shea Theodore. Murray also has coveted prospect Brandon Montour. Both young D were warming in the bullpen in AHL San Diego last season.
Moving Fowler now would create $4M in salary cap space for the coming season. Theodore's an elite level prospect whom my NHL scout friends say is too good to be playing in The AHL. Theodore has added value beyond his on ice game. He also is the owner of an entry level contract. Trading Fowler now would create $4 million in cap space that Bob Murray could invest in the veteran left winger that he badly needs to add this summer.
The buzz about Fowler at the NHL Draft last week in Buffalo was Fowler would be traded for a high first round pick. Buffalo's eighth overall pick and Montreal's number nine selection were connected to Fowler. Neither Tim Murray nor Marc Bergevin would go all-in on a 2016 first rounder for Fowler, so here he stand.
Bob Murray has a voracious appetite to add a talented left winger. DO NOT mention the name of Carl Hagelin in Bob Murray's presence or you might get cuffed in the head. For whatever reason, Hagelin stiffed in Anaheim and was traded to Pittsburgh for David Perron. The Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel trio powered the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Buffalo have Evander Kane and Zemgus Girgensons to offer to Bob Murray. Last week, Tim Murray traded for left winger Jimmy Vesey's UFA rights. If Tim Murray succeeds in convincing Vesey to play in Buffalo-- and it's looking more and more likely to happen-- Kane and Girgensons would be affected. Tim Murray and Dan Bylsma project Vesey as a top six LW. Should Tim Murray hook big fish free agent Steven Stamkos on July 1, he would likely move to LW. Murray said Saturday that Stamkos is a center and would play center in Buffalo. O'Reilly has played the wing with great success in Colorado. He could take draws on Stamkos' trip and then revert to the wing for his shift.
Should Tim Murray close Vesey and Stamkos, it would push Evander Kane to the third line. Kane can play on all lines in the top nine. He popped 21 goals in his injuru plagued first season in Buffalo. Evander checks all of the boxes that Bob Murray covets in his forwards: Big, tough, skilled, fast, snarly, pugnacious, and fearless. Bob Murray may want to plug Evander in next to Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry to give Anaheim a powerhouse top trio in the pugilistic Pacific division.
Kane has two seasons remaining on his contract at $5.25 million per copy. He would give Randy Carlyle 25-35 goals next season. Should UFA Andrew Ladd sign with Tampa, Detroit or Monteal, Kane would be a cheaper alternative than paying $6 million plus for Kyle Okposo or David Backes in unrestricted free agency.
Perhaps Bob Murray and Bob Murray have revisited the Fowler chat that began before the NHL Draft.
Fowler scratches Buffalo's itch. Ditto Kane and Anaheim.
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Keeping Up With The Joneses https://t.co/BcCjZ9luN8 pic.twitter.com/XFHDNa1q0C
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) June 29, 2016
Columbus Blue Jax GM Jarmo Kekelainen has killed all offer sheet chatter by signing Seth Jones to a 6 year, $32.4 million contract extension.
The Blue Jax have also reportedly signed third overall pick Pierre Luc-Dubois to his entry level contract.
Last weekend at the NHL Draft in Buffalo there was a lot of talk regarding the potential for an offer sheet for Jones, who was due to become RFA on July 1.
With Jones in the fold, the Blue Jackets now have only $42,000 in salary cap space moving forward.
Selected fourth overall at the 2013 NHL Draft by Nashville, the 21 year old Jones, is a top pair right D whose $5.4 million AAV is now being used as a comparable in the negotiations of other NHL RFA D-man Rasmus Ristolainen (Buffalo), Hampus Lindholm (Anaheim), and Jacob Trouba (Winnipeg).
NHL GMs and player agents will no doubt be using the Jones deal as a tool to negotiate long term extensions for their pending RFA D.
In 240 NHL games played, Jones has accumulated 17 goals and 66 assists for 83 points while averaging over 24 minutes TOI per game last season.
In 194 games played, Ristolainen has amassed 19 goals and 46 assists while averaging 25 minutes TOI per game last season.
In 236 career games played, Lindholm has scored 23 goals and 69 assists. In 34 career played games, the young Finn has 2 goals and 13 assists while averaging 22 minutes TOI last season.
In 211 career games, Trouba has accumulated 23 goals and 49 assists while averaging 22 minutes TOI last season.
Lindholm's teammate Sami Vatanen signed his new contract extension last week which will be a $4.875 AAV for the next four seasons.
In early May, I wrote that I see a day that Ristolainen, Lindholm and Vatanen inking similar deals in the $5.75M to $6M AAV neighborhood.
Frankly, I was shocked that the Ducks were able to secure Vatanen for south of $5 million AAV per season.
The comparables that Tim Murray an Ristolainen's agent Mike Liut will use when gauging value of young NHL defenders are as such:
Toronto GM Lou Lamoriello locked up Morgan Reilly with a six-year, $30 million dollar contract extension. I like Reilly as a $5M AAV per season. It's great value.
Pittsburgh GM Jim Rutherford extended young Finn Olli Maatta to a six year, $24.5 million contract extension. Maata at an $4.083M AAV is a great deal for team and the player.
Dallas GM Jim Nill locked in John Klingberg for seven years and $29.750 million. That's a $4.25M AAV.
Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving inked Dougie Hamilton to a six-year $34.5M deal. That's a $5.75M.
I see Tim Murray and Ristolainen's agent agreeing to a deal in the $5.75-$6M AAV range.
I don't anticipate any snafus or obstacles getting in the way of a Ristolainen contract extension.
Now that the NHL Scouting Combine and NHL Draft are in the rear view mirror, I see Murray as being as eager and motivated as ever to get Risto's deal done sooner than later so that he can focus his attention on completing the trade that will deliver Ristolainen's new left shot D partner to the Sabres. I believe Cam Fowler is still a real possibility to be riding shotgun with Risto come opening night 2016.
On Saturday morning, Murray traded right shot D Mark Pysyk to Florida in exchange for lefty Dmitry Kulikov, who I see more as a second pair left D.
Murray still has $19.5 million in available salary cap space heading into this weekend's free agent freak out period.
With the unrestricted free agent market opening at Noon on Friday, Murray will be big game hunting for super center Steven Stamkos. He is still very interested in NY Islanders UFA Kyle Okposo and Edmonton Oilers LW Taylor Hall if the Stamkos Stampede travels to Toronto or Detroit instead of Buffalo.
Tim Murray's game face is on #NoSleepTilStamkos pic.twitter.com/kQhTiv61kH
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) June 29, 2016
More to come...