All NHL rosters have a lot in common with my 21-year old Craftsmen snow blower. All are frozen right now. My snow thrower hasn't seen a winter like this one since I first bought it, months before the Montreal Canadiens beat the LA Kings in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals.
The good news is that the NHL Olympic roster freeze with thaw itself out. My old snow removal machine? Its hard to say.
Sabres GM Tim Murray and his scouts will stay busy during the Olympic break by scouting major junior and AHL hockey players. Murray is a mini version of Rick Dudley in that he knows where his players, and those players belonging to other teams are. He's a rink rat's rink rat, with a keen eye for talent. His trusty truck always has a full tank of gas and he knows where every Timmy Ho's drive-thru is from Buffalo to North Bay, and all points in between. Like his old boss and role model Dudley, Murray's got the gypsy blood and he continues to roam all over North America and Europe in search of the best hockey players in the world.
He also knows where all of the other great draft eligible players are. Murray is a like an experienced lake guide. He knows where the schools of coveted, trophy "fish" reside. You want to know where the northern pike, salmon walleye, and large mouth bass are biting? You call Murray, who doesn't just row his boat out to the middle of a random lake and drop his line into the water hoping to get a bite. Murray's a pro. Over the years he has researched all rivers, lakes and tributaries and he's charted the population. His unique selling proposition and the thing that sets him apart from others is his knowledge of where the monsters are and what bait he needs in order to reel them into his boat.
In the past month, he has trained his scouts on the newly installed prospect grading system, the same one that he invented in Anaheim and brought to Ottawa. Murray's system is a 1 to 7 system. Ones don't make it in the world of Murray. Fives, sixes, and sevens are the only players that matter in Murray's scouing system.
Murray has another numerology system to rate free agents. Right now, he has three number ones in his hands in Ryan Miller, Matt Moulson, and Steve Ott. Murray must maximize the return on his many assets in order to take possession of the players and draft choices that are necessary to re-build his Buffalo Sabres into an Eastern Conference power. If he plays his cards right in the coming weeks, he may be able to leverage the marketplace by creating trades that will convert his pending UFAs into hockey gold. Murray's been charged with the task of re-tooling the Buffalo Sabres. He and Pat LaFontaine are about to pull of the deals of the century.
Murray's fully charged IPhone will no doubt continue to vibrate with each and every new, inbound phone call from his NHL GM counterparts looking for solutions to their present roster problems.
Murray reiterated to TSN 1200 earlier this week that his team is in 30th place in the NHL and that every player is under review moving forward. According to Murray, there are no untouchables in Buffalo. I call shenanigans on that. Zemgus Girgensons ain't goin' anywhere.
Between now and the February 23 roster thaw, Murray will be conducting his business with relation to his three ginormous pending UFAs in Ryan Miller, Matt Moulson, and Steve Ott.
Listening to Murray this past week, it sounds all but certain that Miller, Moulson and Ott will be traded at or before the March 5 NHL trade deadline. I’m of the mind that Miller and Moulson will be traded and Ott will be re-signed by Buffalo to a multi-year contract extension.
Its too soon to say exactly where each player will land, but suffice to say, there will be movement. The foundation for the 2014 NHL trade market was poured in the past few weeks. Now its setting up an d solidifying. The due diligence and window shopping phases are done, and now we are left to wait until February 23 until the trades begin in earnest. The gold medal for men’s hockey will be awarded on February 23. After the athletes leave the podium, they will sprint back to their dormitories, pack their personal belongings and dart back to the airport to begin their rotations back to their NHL cities. While the Sochi games continue to unfold, NHL GMs will continue to work on contract extensions with the agents and representative of pending UFAs during this Olympic moratorium.
Murray will no doubt circle back to the respective agents of Miller, Moulson, and Ott. Murray will be in “review-preview… mode: Here’s what the trade market was before the roster freeze, and here’s what’s happened to the market since the freeze was instituted at 3pm EDT on Friday February 7.
Here are my thoughts on the Buffalo Big 3:
Miller:
Yes, Sabres fans. There is a marketplace for Ryan Miller. Its robust and the number of team clamoring to add a difference maker like Miller at the trade deadline is growing.
Here are your contenders:
Washington: George McPhee devalued his team's goaltending last week when he said that his team would have 10 or more points in the Eastern Conference standings right now were it now for his team's unreliable goaltending. Would you say that GMGM has the utmost confidence in his goalies Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth?
Landing Miller will be a costly proposition for McPhee. I'm told that the the Caps would have to give Buffalo a package that includes a top six forward ( Marcus Johansson), a top prospect (Tom Wilson) and a 1st rounder.
Nashville: Pekka Rinne's health is still a concern for David Poile and Barry Trotz who would have to trade budding star center star Craig Smith (18G, 18A this season), a prospect, and a first round pick
Minnesota: GM Chuck Fletcher and Tim Murray are great friends, however, the Wild would have to trade young Finnish center Michael Granlund ( 5 goals, 23 assists in 46 games this season; Wild are reluctant to part with center Charlie Coyle), a top six forward, and a first round pick. Look. The Wild would love to add Miller. With the health of Josh Harding and Nik Backstrom in question, Fletcher needs to shore up his net. Doing so would prohibit him from adding pending UFA sniper Thomas Vanek. Fletcher's eyes may be bigger than his stomach right now. He may want Miller and Vanek, however, he cannot afford both players right now. He could afford both from a salary cap perspective next season when the cap rises. However, he'd have to trade away his 2014 and 2015 first round picks, plus a treasure chest of top prospects and players that it would be prohibitive. In the end, I feel like Fletcher will land Vanek and will take his chances of signing Miller as a UFA come July.
St. Louis: Blues GM George Armstrong and head coach Ken Hitchcock don't need to upgrade the net right now. Jaro Halak and Brian Elliott have played well this season, save a couple of mini slumps. Armstrong has to use these next two weeks to answer the question: Do the Blues have the type of goaltending right now that can steal playoff games and series from Anaheim, San Jose, Chicago, and Los Angeles. My answer to that question is an emphatic NO. Halak can make Hiller, Niemi, Quick and Crawford blink first in a 90 day hockey tournament. Halak is a good goalie, not an elite goalie. I see a one-and-done postseason in the Blues' future if they do not upgrade their goaltending. If Armstrong feels the same way that I do, he'll have to trade a ton of value to Buffalo in the form of a goalie, Ty Rattie and a first round pick.
Anaheim: Tim Murray worked under Ducks GM Bob Murray. He knows the Anaheim organization implicitly. Murray helped to stock the Ducks' cupboards with top prospects via successful drafting and developing. The Ducks don't need a new goalie right now, however, they may want to make a preemptive strike to land Miller before St. Louis or Minnesota do. Having a Hiller-Miller tandem would give the Ducks the best one-two punch in the playoffs. Most teams need to play two goalies in the NHL war of attrition that is the playoffs when players get ground down and injured having to get up for battle every other night for three straight months. The Ducks are in the driver's seat in the West right now as their offense, defense, goaltending and special teams are at the top of the statistical charts. Right now. What if the Ducks lag and sag after the Olympics? All teams suffer slumps in the NHL regular season and the Ducks haven't had to experience theirs yet. They are sending a lot of their players to Sochi and fatigue may be a problem for the Ducks when the NHL season resumes. Adding Miller as an insurance policy at the deadline makes a lot of sense. The Ducks would have to trade to Buffalo their top goalie prospect John Gibson, a top prospect (Devante Smith-Pelly), and a first rounder.
Tampa: Steve Yzerman has had two scares in the past week with the upper body injuries to his dynamic starting goalie Ben Bishop. Sorry, Bolts fans. If Bishop falters or experiences symptoms from his injuries, your Cinderella season will be done. Cedric Desjardins will not win playoff games and series. Nor will the two kids in Syracuse. Miller would add some needed experience and strength to the Tampa net. Yzerman would have to part with top prospects Nikita Kucherov, Adam Erne and a first rounder to land Miller.
So, what's the buzz on Matt Moulson?
His current upper body injury isn't an issue. Moulson;'s recovery is right on time. He will be ready for action when NHL games resume. There are reportedly upwards of 10-12 teams in hot pursuit of this super sniper right now. No surprise there as multi-time 30-goal scorers do not grow on trees. The price tag is what it is for Moulson. Some GMs will find it expensive, while others will say "lets make a deal". The compensation for Moulson is believed to be a top six forward and a first rounder. Murray will not be giving Moulson away for pennies on the dollar. Highest bidder will win the electric goal scorer. You wanna play, you gotta pay. No free lunches when Tim Murray is in the driver's seat on the deal.
Here are some of the teams who need a player of Moulson's pedigree:
Los Angeles: The Kings let Moulson slip away from Manachester years ago and have regretted the decision to do so ever since. Dean Lombardi will have to send Tyler Toffoli or Linden Vey to Buffalo along with a first rounder if he wants to secure Moulson's sniping.
Ottawa: Uncle Brian could use a closer for the struggling Spezza. The elder Murray will have to part with Matt Puempel or Mika Zibanejad and a first rounder.
Pittsburgh: Rya Shero needs scoring depth and he has assets that he can move to Buffalo for Murray. Bo Bennett and a first rounder may get it done.
NY Rangers: Glen Sather's Rangers have been scorched profusely by Moulson in his years riding shotgun next to John Tavares on Long Island. Slats would have to part with a Chris Kreider or a JT Miller and a first rounder. If the Rangers and their captain continue to butt heads on his seven year, $6.85 million per season ask as a pending UFA, perhaps Moulson may be a centerpiece in a Ryan Callahan to Buffalo trade.
NY Islanders: Garth Snow is going to be losing Thomas Vanek in the weeks to come. He's going to have to save face with his captain John Tavares and pull a rabbit out of his goalie helmet in order to preserve his employment on The Island. In lieu of giving up another first rounder to Buffalo (Sabres own NYI's 1st rounder in 2014 or 2015), Snow may opt to send to prospect Ryan Strome and another second rounder (Sabres own NYI's 2015 second rounder from Vanek deal) to Buffalo in exchange for Moulson. Phoenix: The Yotes have been scouting Buffalo for weeks. They need a finisher. Badly. They'll have to give up a top six like Martin Hanzal or Mikkel Boedker and a first rounder to get Moulson out of Buffalo. Dallas: Jim Nill would have to send a top prospect like Brett Ritchie (6'3 220 10G, 18A for Texas Stars) and a first rounder to Buffalo.
Washington: McPhee needs goal scoring in a bad way. Ovi, Chimera and Brouwer can't score every game. Moulson for top prospect Tom Wilson or Andre Burakovsky (Sweden WJC and Connor McDavid's winger at Erie Otters- 31G, 35A) and a first rounder.
Detroit: Anthony Mantha is likely off limits. Would Detroit be willing to trade Jurco or Tatar, and a first rounder to Buffalo for Moulson?
Vancouver: Mike Gillis and his Canucks have lost seven straight and are leaking oil and anti-freeze all over the ice. They are desperate beyond being desperate. Henrik Sedin's rib injury will keep him out of the Olympics. Gillis and Tortarella may lose their jobs if the Canucks miss the playoffs. Would Gillis trade Bo Horvath and a first rounder to Buffalo for Moulson?
Nashville: Craig Smith and a first rounder.
Winnipeg: Evander Kane trade chatter has been buzzing for months. Might Moulson for Kane make sense?
Tampa: The Bolts like their forward depth, however, landing Moulson would add more firepower to an already formidable lineup. Trading Kucherov and Erne for Moulson might get it done.
Steve Ott is in hot demand himself right now. Fools peg him as a fourth line winger when in actuality he can play a vital role in as winger or center in the top nine. What's not to like about a warrior soul who lays it on the line every night for his teammates and his organization? There's a long line of GMs who are fixing to get their hands on Ott right now, among them are:
Detroit: Windsor kid going home? Holland could use some more snarl and faceoff prowess.
Ottawa: Spezza needs a winger in the worst way. Ott and Spezza played together at Windsor Spitfires. Chemistry exists between the two. Bobby Ryan and Spezza haven't clicked, nor have any other wingers with Spezza this season.
Toronto: Dave Nonis will finally get Dave Bolland back after the Olympics. How will he play after recovering from such a crippling and debilitating injury remains to be seen. David Clarkson has been a bust in his first season in Toronto. Ott would add bite, sandpaper, snark and snarl.
Boston: Peter Chairelli likes character players. Ott would add a health portion of cayenne pepper and jam to an already intimidating lineup.
Vancouver: Gillis needs help in a ad way.
Winnipeg: Ott plays a gritty, up tempo style that would fit cleanly into Paul Maurice's top nine.
Los Angeles: Dean Lombardi could beat the Sharks to the punch by adding a skilled grave digger like Ott.
San Jose: Doug Wilson recently added Raffi Torres at the deadline. Ott would add an insurance policy to great Sharks centers Thornton, Pavelski and Couture.
St. Louis: Hitch knows a thing or three about Ott, who's best friend Brenden Morrow is already a Blues SD'er.
Anaheim: Bob Murray is gearing up for a long, deep playoff run this spring and adding ott would not hurt his lineup one bit. He's the type of player that opponent's hate to play against. Imagine Otter knocking Dustin Brown on his can every shift. Ott has the stones to do it.
Chicago: Stan Bowman's top nine is largely highly-skilled. The Hawks could use another bad boy to augment the nastiness of Bickell, Shaw, Saad, and Bollig.
Pittsburgh: Shero has added hammers like Gary Roberts, Jarome Iginla and Brenden Morrow at recent trade deadlines. The Pens got smoked by the Bruins in the ECF last spring. They need to address their toughness now so that they don't get punked later.
Interested GMs better bring a first round pick and a top six forward to Tim Murray in exchange for Ott.
I can't wait for Tim Murray to begin his version of the NHL "Storage Wars" later this month. I see Murray as a wheelin' dealin' GM (the polar 180 degree opposite of Darcy Regier). Since his arrival in Buffalo last month, he has made it a habit to call out his NHL GM counterparts to come try and take advantage of him in a trade scenario. He's challenging the other 29 NHL GMs to hit him with their best shots. So far, all's he's gotten is bantering back and forth from the buyers. Murray's tired of the tire kicking. He wants action. He wants real offers for Miller, Moulson, Ott and all other players on his roster not named Girgensons.
The forecast calls for a heat wave of trade talks in Buffalo during the Olympic roster freeze.
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Linus Omark was waived by the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. He has cleared waivers and is now a member of the Rochester Amerks.
LW Linus Omark, waived Fri. by #Sabres, has been added to #Amerks active roster & assigned # 48. #Roc currently off for #AHLAllStar break.
— Rob Sanderson (@RSandersonWHTK) February 9, 2014In other NHL waiver news, Kings two-time Stanley Cup winning veteran forward Colin Fraser was waived on Saturday. He has cleared and is headed to AHL Manchester.
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