Sabres Players React To Miller-Ott Trade (sabres tim murray)

sabres tim murray

Sabres Players React To Miller-Ott Trade

By GARTH'S CORNER

Feb 28, 2014 • 11:39 pm

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Tyler Myers played his ass off tonight in a hard to focus game. He told me about the special bond he has with Ryan Miller.

"Looking at my 5 years here, there's been so many ups and downs for me. He was probably the first guy that would try and lend a helping hand. He's the ultimate professional. Its a tough loss, its good for him, I think. It was that time. Everyone expected it but it still comes as a shock".

Losing two alpha dogs like Miller and Ott leaves a huge leadership void for the Sabres. I asked Myers if he's ready for more responsibilities.

Myers has always told me that he respects Ryan Miller, the man. He added a twist to his adoration for Miller after he was traded to St. Louis.

"We don't need 1 or 2 guys to scream and shout now all the time. Its a matter of coming together as a group"

***

Zemgus Girgensons told me that he will carry on the leadership in the room and on the ice that he was taught by Ott and Miller.

"Its a long way to go. The whole season Steve's been one of the biggest influences on me. He was the captain. You look up to that right away. I want to be a leader down the road but that what I'm doing this season. Coming in everyday seeing what the guys do. How they act, how they talk. There's a lot to learn but its been an awesome time around here with Ott"

Zemgus told me that he has mad respect for both men. He learned a ton from Miller.

"Maybe he (Miller) doesn't have a "C" or a "A" on his jersey but he's one of the leaders of this group"

****

The Sabres played video tributes to Steve Ott and Ryan Miller on the video board during tonight's game, and both times, the fans gave hearty, passionate standing ovations for Ott and Miller.

Stick tap, Buffalo Sabres! Well done.

Miller and Ott are gone but they will never be forgotten.

_________________________________________________________________________

Updated 8:45pm:

Sabres GM Tim Murray just addressed the complexity of the Miller-Ott trade.

The conditional pick in the deal can turn into a 2014 1st rounder if the Blues go to the Western Conference Finals this season OR if Miller re-signs long term in St. Louis.

Murray cleaned up in this deal because the Blues are now loaded to go deep in the playoffs this season.

Murray said that he decided to pull Miller and Ott from the starting lineup tonight when he felt like the deal was "past the point of no return".

Murray said that the Miller and Ott deals were actually two separate trades.

Murray said that he called down to Nolan at around 5:45 to tell him to keep Miller off the ice. Around 6:15, he called to say that Ott would not be playing tonight.

Murray said that the Blues were the team that showed the most amount o interest in Miller and it started before the Olympics. During the Olympics, Blues GM Doug Armstrong called Murray a couple of times from Sochi to keep the talks open.

Thank, Sabres.com

Steve Ott led off the farewell press conference by thanking the Sabres organization, his teammates, the fans and the Buffalo community for embracing his family.

Ryan Miller had a tough time composing himself. He spoke from the heart and thanked the fans as well for his 12 years in Buffalo.

***

Ryan Miller and Steve Ott were very emotional, and rightly so in their farewell presser.

They shook hands with reporters in their way out the door.

Those are my guys.

I will miss them both.

Ott knows Doug Armstrong, Ken Hitchcock and many of the Blues players from having been an integral part of the Dallas Stars organization.

Miller has many friends in the St. Louis room.

They will bond that Blues room together and take that team deep into the playoffs this season.

Count on it.

**

St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced Friday the Blues have acquired goaltender Ryan Miller and forward Steve Ott from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Jaroslav Halak, Chris Stewart, William Carrier, a first-round pick in 2015 and a third-round draft pick in 2016.

Miller and Ott are scheduled to join the team in Phoenix, where they will face the Coyotes on Sunday at 7 p.m. (CST).

Miller, 33, has appeared in 40 games for Buffalo this season, posting a 15-22-3 record and a 2.72 goals-against average. His .923 save percentage ranks 10th overall. The East Lansing, Michigan native recently represented the United States at the 2014 Sochi games, marking his second consecutive appearance at the Olympics (2010-silver medal) and fifth time representing the U.S. in international competition overall.

Miller is a two-time All-Star, earning first team honors in 2010, the same year he captured the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender. That season he appeared in 69 games, ranking fourth with 41 wins and second with a .928 save percentage.

Overall, the 6-foot-2, 168-pound goaltender has appeared 11 NHL seasons (all with Buffalo), posting a record of 284-186-57 along with a 2.60 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and 28 shutouts. In addition, he has appeared in the postseason four times, compiling a 25-22 mark to go along with a 2.47 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and three shutouts.

Among active goaltenders, Miller ranks eighth in career games played (540) and seventh in wins, while sharing ninth in save percentage and 13th in shutouts.

Miller was originally drafted by Buffalo in the fifth round, 138th overall, of the 1999 Entry Draft.

Ott, 31, has dressed in 59 games as captain of the Sabres this season, ranking sixth on the club with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists), while leading Buffalo forwards in ice time per game (19:42).

The 6-foot, 189-pound forward is a veteran of 11 NHL seasons, including stints in Dallas and Buffalo. Ott has complied 264 points (103 goals, 161 assists) in 673 career regular season games, as well as 1,318 penalty minutes, which ranks 8th among active skaters.

Updated 7:20pm:

The news is true.

Im in the media room at First Niagara Center now where Miller and Ott will speak after th efirst period.

Stay close. A lot more reaction to this blockbuster trade to come.

***

Updated 6:42 pm:

TSNs Bob McKenzie's speculation:

STL would get Miller, OTT would get Chris Stewart, BUF would get prospects from OTT. If Ott (the player) included to STL, 1st rder to BUF.

***

Updated 6:30pm:

Jhonas Enroth led the Sabres onto th eice for the warm-ups. No Ryan Miller or Steve Ott on the ice right now. They are late scratches.

Have they been traded to St. Louis?

__________________________________________________________________________

In six weeks on the job as Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray is getting more pub and is creating more buzz than other general manager in the NHL.

Earlier this week, before the Sabres-Hurricanes game, Murray said that the it wasn’t realistic for Ryan Miller to re-sign with the Buffalo Sabres while the team is about to embark on a youth movement. On Friday, Murray joined HC@Noon to further clarify his position on the Ryan Miller situation. Murray said that when he spoke about Miller in his scrum on Tuesday night, that he wasn’t putting words in Ryan Miller’s mouth regarding wanting to move on. To paraphrase, Murray said that the Sabres haven’t made a contract extension proposal to Miller through his agent and the Sabres haven’t received a request for proposal from Miller’s representative for a contract extension. The conclusion drawn from the lack of dialogue between the two sides is that Miller is content to move onfrom Buffalo. Miller said on Tuesday night that he thought that it might be best for all parties concerned if he were to move along.

Listen closely as Murray delves deeper into the Miller matter, and he hit on other topics like where he will find leadership for a young Sabres squad if veterans like Miller, Steve Ott, Matt Moulson, Hank Tallinder, Christian Ehrhoff are traded in the next few days leading up to the March 5 NHL trade deadline. He also said that he doesn’t necessarily have to take back a starting goalie in a trade for Miller. He said Jhonas Enroth can hold down the fort. Murray also said that he wants to get his hands on more high draft choices in the 2014 NHL entry draft. He said that teams that are on stage multiple times at the draft are the successful teams.

Per usual, Murray entertained and informed me.

Just press play.

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