Who Says You Can't Go Home? (meszaros)

meszaros

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

By GARTH'S CORNER

Jul 1, 2014 • 9:54 pm

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Who says you can’t go home?

Rochester native Brian Gionta is heading home to Western New York compliments of Tim Murray and the Buffalo Sabres. “Gio… made his bones in New Jersey and in Montreal, now, he’ll lend his leadership expertise to the young, impressionable Buffalo Sabres squad. Yesterday, Gionta was the captain of the Montreal Canadiens. That’s heady stuff. Tim Murray calls it “real stuff…. At his Tuesday afternoon presser, Murray spoke glowingly about Gionta’s leadership and character in his Montreal career.

"That's real stuff," Murray said. "That's legendary stuff. And now he's a Buffalo Sabre."

The 35-year-old right winger just finished a five-year, $25 million deal with the Canadiens. Gionta scored 18 goals and 40 points in 81 games in Montreal last season. He and the Habs knocked Boston out of the second round of the playoffs. He obviously still has a lot of traction left on his skate blades. He’s a stoic, take-charge kind of guy who commands the respect of the guys in the room. Murray got the exact leader that he was looking to add to the young Sabrds core which includes Zemgus Girgensons, Marcus Foligno, Cody Hodgson, Tyler Ennis, Drew Stafford, Nic Delauriers, Chris Stewart, Tyler Myers, Mike Weber, Mark Pysyk, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov, and Sam Reinhart.

Gionta has always walked it and talked it. Now, he’s homeward bound. He’ll drag his teammates into battle every night. He doesn’t rest during shifts. He’s always working. His habits are good and he’s always positively intense. I like this free agent signing. A lot. Gionta’s former club gave him a nice send off on Twitter on the first day of free agency.

Gionta will earn $12.75 million over the next three seasons. I love the term and the dollars on the deal

The Rochesterian Rochester scored 48 goals and 89 points in 82 games in 2005-06 with the New Jersey Devils. His next goal will be his milestone 25oth career goal. He’s produced 485 points in 776 games.

Who says you can’t go home?

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Stick tap, you, Mr. Tim Murray for your brilliance one Day 1 of the free agent signing period. You added grit, character, scoring, leadership and depth.

So much for the rookie GM getting stage fright on July 1, eh?

You also accomplished the feat that your detractors and critics said that you couldn't accomplish. You are now at the salary cap floor. After the free agent freak out on Tuesday, Murray now sits in the clubhouse with a $51,994,166 written on his score card. Murray now has $17,005,834 in cap space to spend to get to the cap ceiling, if he so chooses.

Murray's all about the "Hockey Heaven" flavor in Buffalo.

“I said earlier, it’s always easy to spend money. You guys just didn’t have faith that Buffalo was a destination, that’s all.…

Boom!

“I think our kids are sitting at home going, ‘Wow,’… Murray said. “They know these players. They watch the National Hockey League. They know the quality of the player, they know the quality of the person, they know the character. This is as excited as they are to get drafted by Buffalo in the last couple years. They know it’s a team that is not there. We can say it’s a team on the rise – people have to see that. I just think there’s some kids at home going, ‘This is great’.…

Murray is firing me up!

Murray likes that adding Gionta, Gorges, Moulson, McCormick, and Meszaros to his young core group of forwards and D will provide protection and piece of mind for Sam Reinhart.

"It's going to make it easier for him, for sure," Murray said of Reinhart. "It's going to allow him to play his game a little more. It's going to allow him to not look over his shoulder so often. I think it gives him a comfort level that if he does come into camp prepared, that he's got people around him to help him. And if he makes the team and he plays great out of the gate and all that, we know he's going to hit rough patches. We know he's going to hit speed bumps and that's what these guys are here for. Besides playing, they're here to help our guys get over those rough patches and we're going to have them."

Thanks, Sabres.com

Take a bow, Tim. You are a freakin' rock star.

**

You want to know why I LOVE the Josh Gorges deal? Because he hates the Toronto Maple Leafs as much as you and I do. Earlier this week, the 29 year old D-man gave the thumbs down on a trade from Montreal to the hated Leafs. On Tuesday afternoon, Gorges spoke candidly and passionately about his decision on Sportsnet 590 The Fan just after the trade to Buffalo for a 2016 second round pick.

"It’s hard to realize after being in Montreal for such along time that you can switch over and play for the Toronto Maple Leafs," Gorges said. "Nothing against that organization or that team, but when you build a rivalry it’s hard mentally, emotionally to think, ‘Wow, I’ve grown to hate this team, to play against them. How could I really go and put my heart and soul into it?’ "So I just wanted to take some time before I made a decision. I’ve been thinking about waiving it to go there over the last few days, and then this came up here today."

Gorges made the decision to play in Buffalo when he learned that is good friend Brian Gionta was on his way to the “716…. Bros. gotta love the loyalty and devotion.

Montreal’s loss is Buffalo’s gain. The Canadiens said “Thanks… to Gorges for his years of loyal service. Now its on to his new opportunity in Buffalo.

Gorges has four seasons remaining on his existing contract at $3.9 million per.

***

Matt Moulson is heading "home" to Buffalo. Tim Murray signed the crafty left winger to a generous 5-year, $25 million contract.

Moulson came to Buffalo from the NY Islanders on October 28 in a trade for Thomas Vanek. Buffalo moved Moulson Minnesota at the NHL trade deadline for Torrey Mitchell and a couple of second-round picks.

Moulson, a three time thirty goal scorer, banged in 11 goals and 29 points in 44 games with the Sabres in 2013-14.

Moulson is a Mississauga boy and will be moving his wife and two young children to Buffalo where they will begin the next chapter of their lives in the Queen City.

***

Tim Murray also summoned home burly forward Cody McCormick from Minny for three more years at $1.5 million per season.

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Talk about going home, Buffalo born Marcus Foligno has been signed to a spanking new two-year contract worth $3.75 million.

Buffalo Sabres today announced the team has signed forward Marcus Foligno to a two-year contract. Its a classic bridge contract.

Foligno has played parts of three seasons with the Sabres since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft from the Sudbury Wolves. Last season, Foligno played in 74 games. He scored 19 points, including 7 goals. In 135 career NHL games, Foligno has recorded 50 points (18G, 32A)..

***

McCormick spent four seasons in Buffalo before being to sent to Minnesota along with Moulson. He brings grit and competitiveness, qualities the Sabres have been seeking.

***

Do I like the Andrej Meszaros signing?

Eh. I'm ok with it. Not in love with it. Just ok with it. Decent player.

Murray knows the kid having spent time around him in Ottawa. Murray has money to throw around so why not, right?

Frankly, I'd rather play Jake McCabe or Rasmus Ristolainen for a full season in Buffalo than give minutes to Meszaros.

Maybe Murray will be making a trade of a D this summer. Chad Ruhwedel maybe? Meszaros?

Here's the press release announcing the Andrej Meszaros signing:

The Buffalo Sabres today announced the team has signed defenseman Andrej Meszaros to a one-year contract.

Meszaros (6'2", 223 lbs., 10/13/85), a nine-year NHL veteran, joins the Sabres after finishing the 2013-14 season with the Boston Bruins. Prior to being traded to the Bruins in March 2014, Meszaros played parts of four seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he recorded 17 points (5+12) in 38 games in 2013-14. With the Bruins, he appeared in 12 regular-season games, registering five points (2+3), and four Stanley Cup playoff games, adding two assists.

"I explained to him that he should come here and become the player he once was, the player that I used to know and only two things can happen," Sabres general manager Tim Murray said. "We can decide to move forward with him or he gets moved to a contender at the deadline and that’s a positive also."

Drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, Meszaros has appeared in 585 career NHL games, tallying 224 points (56+168) and 421 penalty minutes while playing for Ottawa (2005-06 – 2007-08), Tampa Bay (2008-09 – 2009-10), Philadelphia (2010-11 – 2013-14) and Boston (2013-14).

A native of Povazska Bystrica, Slovakia, Meszaros has also played for Team Slovakia at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

So much More to come........

***

Congratulations to Ryan Miller. He's the starting goaltender for the dramatically improved Vancouver Canucks.

Former Buffalo Sabres Director of Scouting Jim Benning, the new GM in Couver, signed Miller to a three-year, $18 million contract on Tuesday afternoon. Fifteen years ago, Benning invested a fifth round pick (138th overall) in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft in a skinny, ultra-competitive Michigan State University goalie named Ryan Miller.

Benning knew what he was doing when he selected Miller to play the role of heir apparent to the throne of Dominik Hasek in Buffalo.

Benning wasted little time reaching out to Miller through his agent Mike Liut during the free agency discussion period. Miller met with the Canucks on Sunday and he is now a Canuck. He has Benning to thank for that.

In 559 career NHL games, Miller has a 294-194-60 record, a 2.59 GAA and .915 save %. He's authored 29 shutouts. He is the winningest goalie in shootouts in NHL history. His 294 career wins place him tied for 31st all-time among NHL goaltenders and fourth among active goaltenders. He’s won the Vezina trophy, has played in two Winter Olympic Games and at three World Championships.

Miller is geeked for this new chapter in his life. He's excited to be playing in a hockey-crazed Canadian market.

“It became an easy choice when Vancouver reached out, I was excited just hearing about the initial interaction between my agent and the team,… said Miller.

“You want to play for a team that wants you and also aligns with the way you work and how you play. Attitude-wise, management was great and this community, team and organization has had a great reputation, so for my wife and I it’s an exciting opportunity to be in a great place.…

Thanks, Canucks TV

Miller's bride, Noureen DeWulf, accompanied him on his trip to Vancouver. He's always wanted to head west to get closer to his wife. He he has the best of both worlds. DeWulf told Canucks.com that she and her beau already love VanCity.

“This city is amazing, it’s gorgeous and metropolitan and it’s close to my home in LA, so I’m looking forward to being close for once,… said DeWulf, who gave some insight into the Ryan Miller she knows better than most. “Ryan is probably the most dependable and kind person you’ll ever meet. I don’t say that lightly or because I’m married to him. I’ve never met somebody so steadfast in his values and morals and his work ethic is something that I’m constantly inspired by, I’ve never been around someone who works as hard as he does.…

***

Miller's new goalie coach Rollie Melanson preaches that his tenders stay in their blue ice to make saves. Miller likes to be aggressive and leave his blue ice in order to cut down shooting lanes and to take away angles from enemy snipers. He'll have to adjust his style to that which his coach is selling. I think that he will adapt.

***

Thomas Vanek's first priority was to sign and play in his home of Stillwater, Minnesota. He had offers to play in other NHL cities for more money per season and a longer team, however, in the end, the humble Austrian Assassin said his heart is in the State of Hockey.

Vanek signed a tidy bridge contract with the Wild.

He now has a 7 minute commute to work.

“The best thing in my career was winning an NCAA Championship with the Gophers,… Vanek said. “To be a part of the Wild now and go after the big prize, having a chance to do it here in Minnesota is beyond my wildest dreams.…

Vanek signed for three years and $19.5 million.

Can you say Hometown Haircut?

I'm happy for Vanek. In the ten years that I covered him in Buffalo, I got to know what makes him tick. He is a devoted family man. In October 2012, before he departed Buffalo to play hockey for his hometown Graz 99ers in Graz, Austria, Vanek told me that he was thrilled to be going home. He told me that home sickness and a longing to be with his wife and three boys would wear on him. Vanek would travel home after a month in Austria. It was time for him to come home and be a family man. Hockey would have to wait.

Playing for the Wild will give Vanek the best of both worlds. He'll continue to play the game he loves, in the state that he loves, in front of the family and friends that he loves.

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