GM Speculation

[dudacek]

Hmmmmmm

 

Would you please stop?

(stupid snowstorm, internet rumours, know-it-all posters... grumble, grumble...)

[LGR4GM]

Hmmmmmm

thanks for the update :huh:

 

anyways the Olympic break should be good time for our new GM to work the phones and prepare for the trade deadline.

[26CornerBlitz]

Per Bob McKenzie on TSN during intermission of Isles/Leafs-

 

-He has been told by several people that LaFontaine wants Tim Murray as his GM.

-Jim Benning is out, the window the Bruins gave Sabres permission to speak to him expired today. So, Sabres are now not able to speak with him until end of season.

Here's the TSN Video Link: Insider Trading: Is Tim Murray the frontrunner for the Sabres open GM position?

[wonderbread]

Hmmmmmm

Real coy.

[Hoss]

Hmmmmmm

 

Yawn.

[darksabre]

 

 

It is. The NHL is essentially a private club and they can make whatever rules they see fit. Within the framework of law of course.

 

Sure it is. But the players are the commodity, not the managers. Asking for compensation for hiring office people is like asking for compensation for hiring away a race horse trainer.

[inkman]

My old company didn't get anything from my new company from having me stolen from them...

:devil:

[Doohicksie]

For the record, I don't think teams should be compensated if a guy is getting a promotion (not by title, but by duty) and a raise. If you really wanted to keep a guy around you should've given him a better job.

 

I was just saying that it's clearly different than your everday company, etc.

 

Actually, that's how it works within the company I work for (a largish corporation). My manager can block me from moving laterally. If I can get chosen for a job outside my department that's a promotion, my boss needs to promote me to the same level if he wants to keep me.

 

But if I were to find a job outside the corporation, no, they get no comp.

 

This is what I get from the wiki page:

 

 

Tim Murray (born October 31, 1963) is a Canadian ice hockey executive. He was a candidate for the role of GM of the Buffalo Sabres, but lost the position to Taro Tsujimoto.

 

Most excellent.

[nfreeman]

So it's really going to be Mumbles' nephew? Even though they've won exactly one playoff series in his 7 years there and, if they don't have a 2nd half surge, will have missed the playoffs 3 times in those 7 years? Couldn't they just have kept Darcy?

 

In all seriousness: can someone explain why I should be psyched about this?

[IKnowPhysics]

Tim's a well-regarded scout, judge of talent, and drafter. I think that's a plus for the Sabres and their forty hundred picks. He's worked under a couple of GMs, including Murray in a few places and Sather in NY, and that gives me a little confidence that he has at least some CBA/business acumen.

[dudacek]

So it's really going to be Mumbles' nephew? Even though they've won exactly one playoff series in his 7 years there and, if they don't have a 2nd half surge, will have missed the playoffs 3 times in those 7 years? Couldn't they just have kept Darcy?

 

In all seriousness: can someone explain why I should be psyched about this?

 

For one, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Erik Karlsson were all Tim Murray selections in the second half of the first round.

Maybe you don't have to tank to get impact players.

 

For the one-stop browsers out there, Harrington has posted a story that has nothing really new, but brings all of today's news together.

 

http://www.buffalone...murray-20140107

[darksabre]

Tim's a well-regarded scout, judge of talent, and drafter. I think that's a plus for the Sabres and their forty hundred picks. He's worked under a couple of GMs, including Murray in a few places and Sather in NY, and that gives me a little confidence that he has at least some CBA/business acumen.

 

I like the choice. He's done a wonderful job with the Binghamton Senators and I gather he understands the development model. I like the choice not just for Buffalo but for Rochester as well.

[beerme1]

So it's really going to be Mumbles' nephew? Even though they've won exactly one playoff series in his 7 years there and, if they don't have a 2nd half surge, will have missed the playoffs 3 times in those 7 years? Couldn't they just have kept Darcy?

 

In all seriousness: can someone explain why I should be psyched about this?

 

While that is true keep in mind the whack job owner that it has occurred under and the financial constraints. Darcy should make an excellent GM for Melnyk! :w00t:

[nfreeman]

 

 

For one, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Erik Karlsson were all Tim Murray selections in the second half of the first round.

Maybe you don't have to tank to get impact players.

 

••slobber••

 

OK -- that was a pretty compelling response. Nicely done.

 

Still -- aren't you a bit concerned about the playoff record?

[darksabre]

 

 

••slobber••

 

OK -- that was a pretty compelling response. Nicely done.

 

Still -- aren't you a bit concerned about the playoff record?

 

We're not making the playoffs right now anyway, how could he do any worse? :P

[dudacek]

••slobber••

 

OK -- that was a pretty compelling response. Nicely done.

 

Still -- aren't you a bit concerned about the playoff record?

 

Anaheim won the cup with a team built by the Murrays.

Ottawa and the Sabres were both built to peak in the back half of the past decade, both came close, neither got it done.

Ottawa has done a better job of transitioning than Buffalo, despite the fact it has a whack job owner.

 

Looks like Tim Murray has handled the talent evaluation for Uncle Bryan and I guess I like what has done with the cards he's been dealt.

Also seems to be a no-BS type in his interviews.

[Hoss]

••slobber••

 

OK -- that was a pretty compelling response. Nicely done.

 

Still -- aren't you a bit concerned about the playoff record?

 

Well he helped finish off the Ducks championship team. He left the year before they won.

[Huckleberry]

His uncle won't let him go, Botteril will be our man :P

[bunomatic]

So it's really going to be Mumbles' nephew? Even though they've won exactly one playoff series in his 7 years there and, if they don't have a 2nd half surge, will have missed the playoffs 3 times in those 7 years? Couldn't they just have kept Darcy?

 

In all seriousness: can someone explain why I should be psyched about this?

 

I kind of feel the same. Not overly thrilled. Should I be ? I was hoping for someone who is trending up not treading water. Oh well, it could be worse. It could be Darcy.

[TrueBlueGED]

Anaheim won the cup with a team built by the Murrays.

Ottawa and the Sabres were both built to peak in the back half of the past decade, both came close, neither got it done.

Ottawa has done a better job of transitioning than Buffalo, despite the fact it has a whack job owner.

 

Looks like Tim Murray has handled the talent evaluation for Uncle Bryan and I guess I like what has done with the cards he's been dealt.

Also seems to be a no-BS type in his interviews.

 

The owner thing is really big for me--the Murrays are basically working for a Canadian Rigas. They're 26th in the league in payroll and icing a decent team. Last season they had about every injury problem imaginable, and still made the playoffs--speaks to organizational depth, which Tim is largely responsible for. Also consider some of the moves Ottawa has made recently:

 

Picks/prospects for Bobby Ryan: shows willingness to make a big move when the team judges it is near enough contention to do so. Also means drafting has been solid since they had desirable pieces to move for a top line player.

 

Rundblad (D prospect) and 2nd round pick for Kyle Turris: Using an organizational strength to fill an organizational hole, taking a risk, and recognizing how important it is to secure the center position. FWIW, Rundblad has struggled mightily and might not even be an NHL regular going forward. Turris is also on a great value contract.

 

Acquiring Ben Bishop for a 2nd round pick, then flipping Bishop for Cory Conacher: Not sure if they planned on flipping Bishop when they acquired him, but it still shows a willingness to give up a "spare" (Anderson is at least serviceable and Lehner is a high-end goalie prospect) asset to fill a roster hole

 

Nick Foligno for Marc Methot: A good ol' fashioned hockey trade, with each team filling a need and no clear winner

 

I know the results in the standings haven't been spectacular, but I see in Ottawa a team that has been willing to make genuine hockey trades to improve the team and fill holes, has drafted very well, and managed to avoid giving out abominable contracts. The approach is basically the anti-Darcy, even if the results aren't eye-popping. We'll never know how much of a role Tim had in any of this, but I don't think *too* much weight should be put on the W/L record when the process and approach has been, IMO, very sound. Obviously GMs will ultimately get judged on their W/L record (and rightly so, after a time), but I think there's a lot of encouraging signs here.

[Weave]

So it's really going to be Mumbles' nephew? Even though they've won exactly one playoff series in his 7 years there and, if they don't have a 2nd half surge, will have missed the playoffs 3 times in those 7 years? Couldn't they just have kept Darcy?

 

In all seriousness: can someone explain why I should be psyched about this?

 

Hope and change. :devil:

[That Aud Smell]

On a mobile, so I apologize for not quoting people.

 

Liger's observation that a guy who's worked under a self-imposed cap should be even better once the shackles are off made me think of what some said about DR in early 2011. But then I just read someone immediately above say that Murray's approach has been very un-DR-like. So, haroo! for that.

 

It caught my eye that Murray is a Bobby Ryan guy and became one while working for Burke in Anaheim, since the latter ripped Ryan ("sleepy" "can't spell intense") in that behind the scenes piece on the U.S. Olympic team.

[Taro T]

On a mobile, so I apologize for not quoting people.

 

Liger's observation that a guy who's worked under a self-imposed cap should be even better once the shackles are off made me think of what some said about DR in early 2011. But then I just read someone immediately above say that Murray's approach has been very un-DR-like. So, haroo! for that.

 

It caught my eye that Murray is a Bobby Ryan guy and became one while working for Burke in Anaheim, since the latter ripped Ryan ("sleepy" "can't spell intense") in that behind the scenes piece on the U.S. Olympic team.

Didn't see the post about a guy being good w/ ownership imposed constraints, so he should be better w/out them. (Though that was the hope w/ DR.)

 

Muckler was not successful in Buffalo UNTIL he was given restraints. W/ carte blanche he was very disappointing.

 

Hopefully (for our sakes) TM can function under either realm.

[LGR4GM]

On a mobile, so I apologize for not quoting people.

 

Liger's observation that a guy who's worked under a self-imposed cap should be even better once the shackles are off made me think of what some said about DR in early 2011. But then I just read someone immediately above say that Murray's approach has been very un-DR-like. So, haroo! for that.

 

It caught my eye that Murray is a Bobby Ryan guy and became one while working for Burke in Anaheim, since the latter ripped Ryan ("sleepy" "can't spell intense") in that behind the scenes piece on the U.S. Olympic team.

To clarify, I was not thinking Murray to Regier. I was thinking Murray v Benning. In my mind I was comparing how I thought a restrained Murray v Benning and then an unrestrained Murray v Benning. The thought process being that if Murray could help to facilitate Ottawa being a playoff team with limited resources than perhaps with the improved resources he could go from playoffs to cup.

 

Darcy on the other hand I view differently. He went from Cup (almost) to toilet and couldn't figure out why. He had his restraints removed and couldn't figure out why.

 

Benning helped make a cup team. He is good, but in my mind he is tainted by his earlier associations with Buffalo. I understand that is a flawed and biased way to look at things. Benning could be a great GM and so could Murray, we don't know yet. I just want new and different.

[That Aud Smell]

I understand what you are saying about Benning versus Murray but Murray works under heavy financial restrictions which is something to keep in mind. Ottawa has an internal cap.

I am saying that Murray not having a cup to Benning having one doesn't impress me when I know that Ottawa realistically can not spend the $ to win it unless they get very lucky. I guess in my experience, ppl who can operate with less resources and win are more apt to keep winning when they are given more resources. They value things differently and look at things differently. Benning could be a fine GM, idk, never heard him talk or such. Who knows, I will be happy with anyone not named Reiger for at least a couple weeks.

 

Here's that to which I was reacting.