Updated:
Sabres GM Tim Murray said that he received four phone calls from four different NHL GMs on Monday. Each expressed genuine interest in doing a hockey deal with Murray.
The swashbuckling Sabres general manager said that those types of deals were not to be made on trade deadline day rather than this summer.
Murray that he will be making trades and will be importing high quality unrestricted free agents to Buffalo this summer and ever long.
Look out Steven Stamkos, Tim Murray is coming for you!
Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray said that he gave it the old college try.
Murray attempted to trade away all of his pending unrestricted free agents before the NHL trade deadline, however, when the clock hit 3pm EDT on Monday, Murray was left dancing with himself and his scouting team.
And, so ends the NHL trade deadline 2016.
Murray's theme for the process:
"No dance partners. No action".
The Jamie McGinn swap was Murray’s only Monday deal. He traded away pending UFA D-man Mike Weber days ago.
Two out of five ain't bad. Murray batted .400 for the process of converting his expiring contract players into assets.
Murray scored an okay haul for McGinn when he took back a conditional third rounder in 2016.
The conditions:
IF the Anaheim Ducks get to the Western Conference Finals AND McGinn plays in 50% of their playoff games, THEN Murray's pick will morph into a second-rounder in 2017.
Murray met with the Buffalo media on Monday afternoon.
He said that he didn't have any legit bites on pending UFAs Carlo Colaiacovo, Chad Johnson David Legwand. They will remain in Buffalo until their contracts expire on July 1.
“Not close (to deals) and not disappointed,… Murray said. “You need a partner to dance.…
Murray was salty when talking about his rival NHL GM peers who deliberately dragged their skates killed the hockey buzz on trade deadline day.
“It’s the same every year,… Murray said.
“We’ve sat up there for five days. We think we’re at least prepared for every scenario. You’re making calls and getting some calls but there’s no’s urgency. I guess as we all know, in any walk of life there’s never urgency until there’s a deadline. I never did my homework until the day the project had to be in.
From 2 o’clock to 3 o’clock it was stupid, and I’m mad at every other GM because of it.…
The neutral zone trap just infected the NHL trade deadline which is no longer a deadline day. Now, it's more like an NHL trade deadline month leading up to the "festivities".
Murray loves to free wheel and create. The stall tactics and sandbagged routes of the 2016 NHL trade deadline put a serious crimp in his plans. Murray will now turn his attention to attracting free agents like Steven Stamkos to Buffalo. Murray will also b re-signing his RFAs Rasmus Ristolainen and Marcus Foligno later this summer.
Murray said that he is pissed off at where his team is at in the NHL standings right now.
I like it when Murray is in a pissed off mood. He seems to do his best work when he has a huge chip on his shoulder.
Here's Murray's full presser.
Thanks, Sabres.com
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Buffalo Sabres GM Tim MUrray has traded power forward Jamie McGinn to Anaheim for a conditional third round pick that may turn into a second round pick down the line. According to Sportnet's Elliotte Friedman, if the Ducks make advance to the Western Conference Finals, and McGinn plays 50% of Ducks playoff games, the conditional third rounder will become a second round draft choice in 2016.
McGinn, 27, is appending unrestricted free agent that arrived in Buffalo last June from the Colorado Avalanche with his best friend Ryan O'Reilly.
McGinn's agent and Murray were involved in contract talks to get the Fergus, Ontario native extended to stay in Buffalo. Prior to Monday, I was confident that the Sabres and McGinn's representatives could find common ground on a multi-year contract extension. I was wrong.
McGinn is now an Anaheim Duck and will be free to re-sign with the Sabres when the free agency period opens on July 1.
McGinn joins forward Brandon Pirri as a trade deadline day acquisition.
McGinn immediately became a popular and respected leader in the Buffalo room after just a month or two on the new job in his new town. He played on every line and in all situations and compiled 14 goals and 27 points in 63 games.
McGinn goes 100 mph down his wings and loves to end his shifts in the enemy goalie's face. Jonathon Quick and the LA Kings better watch out because here comes a healthy Jamie McGinn.
TRADE: Sabres acquire conditional 3rd-round draft pick in 2016 from @AnaheimDucks in exchange for Jamie McGinn. https://t.co/zkLLipVZoY..
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) February 29, 2016
Do I like the trade?
No, I don't. I feel like Murray could have gotten more than a conditional third rounder for a career 19 goal scorer who plays a mean, heavy brand of hockey.
The Boston Bruins traded two draft choices- 2016 2nd and 2016 4th rounder- to New Jersey in exchange for the well traveled, much older Stempniak.
Tim Murray's treasure chest of draft choices grows by one. Murray now has 21 draft choices to invest in new players or trade currency in the next two NHL drafts.
2016 Draft: 12 draft choices
1st: 1 2nd: 1 3rd: 4* 4th: 1 5th: 2 6th: 1 7th: 1 * If Anaheim advances to 2016 WCF and McGinn plays 50% of Ducks playoff games, the conditional third rounder becomes a 2016 second rounder
2017 Draft: 9 draft choices
1st: 1 2nd: 2 3rd: 2 4th: 1 5th: 1 6th: 1 7th: 1
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