GM Tim Murray - Time for a serious conversation

[MattPie]

I think this is cutting it way too fine. We could be rebuilding for decades then? Along with many other teams? The term has to be defined more narrowly. I'd say the rebuild is over when the Sabres are an NHL team again. It should have been over by now.

Seems to be working for Toronto! :devil:

[Doohicksie]

I was ready for DD to go, but I was shocked when GMTM was fired.  As a fan I'd rejected DD and his "system" (or lack thereof).  But GMTM had, to me, become the face of the team.  He's the one that formed the team and even if I was disappointed by setbacks, I felt that overall we were going in the right direction.  He was building an identity for the Sabres, and I was starting to like it.

 

Some suggest his downfall was triggered by a refusal to fire Bylsma.  I don't accept that.  If TP wanted Bylmsa out, GMTM.... er.... just TM now I guess.... would know that standing up for DD would get TM fired as well.  So either there were other factors and TM wanted out and used the firing of DD to bring it to a head, or TP just plain wanted him out.  I can see reasons, but at the same time, I think TM was working to fix the holes, but #Buffaluck doomed him.  Who'da thunk that Moulson would become the latest Ville Leino?  Or that a freak training camp injury would mess up Kulikov for the year?

 

In the end, I think the thing that did TM in was his management of the salary cap.  The team is saddled with some bad contracts and TP didn't want the situation to get worse.  I expect the next GM to be a salary cap wonk, someone who worked in the bowels of an organization like the Blackhawks, who knows the right mix of stars, veterans, up-and-comers and journeymen.  I hope whoever the new GM is, he will not get rid of current players just because they were members of the old GM's team.  I look forward to a GM and coach working together to bring a system in, bring in the right players to play within the system, and then tweak the system to adapt it to the unique talents that the GM manages to land.

 

Good luck, TM.  You came into a tough situation and you knew it.  Things didn't work out, but I won't be surprised if you get another GM job and things end up much better for you.

[Scottysabres]

I was ready for DD to go, but I was shocked when GMTM was fired.  As a fan I'd rejected DD and his "system" (or lack thereof).  But GMTM had, to me, become the face of the team.  He's the one that formed the team and even if I was disappointed by setbacks, I felt that overall we were going in the right direction.  He was building an identity for the Sabres, and I was starting to like it.

 

Some suggest his downfall was triggered by a refusal to fire Bylsma.  I don't accept that.  If TP wanted Bylmsa out, GMTM.... er.... just TM now I guess.... would know that standing up for DD would get TM fired as well.  So either there were other factors and TM wanted out and used the firing of DD to bring it to a head, or TP just plain wanted him out.  I can see reasons, but at the same time, I think TM was working to fix the holes, but #Buffaluck doomed him.  Who'da thunk that Moulson would become the latest Ville Leino?  Or that a freak training camp injury would mess up Kulikov for the year?

 

In the end, I think the thing that did TM in was his management of the salary cap.  The team is saddled with some bad contracts and TP didn't want the situation to get worse.  I expect the next GM to be a salary cap wonk, someone who worked in the bowels of an organization like the Blackhawks, who knows the right mix of stars, veterans, up-and-comers and journeymen.  I hope whoever the new GM is, he will not get rid of current players just because they were members of the old GM's team.  I look forward to a GM and coach working together to bring a system in, bring in the right players to play within the system, and then tweak the system to adapt it to the unique talents that the GM manages to land.

 

Good luck, TM.  You came into a tough situation and you knew it.  Things didn't work out, but I won't be surprised if you get another GM job and things end up much better for you.

Maybe. But in the final analysis, all good intentions are is just that, intentions. Tough situation or not, Murray was given the opportunity to build a team. I won't get into the specifics of his assembly, but it failed, that much is certain.

And failure is not an option here. This isn't a job where participation trophies are handed out.

 

Murray's departure was necessary. The Pegulas must right the ship and get it back on course post haste.

 

Today starts that process.

 

And so it has come to pass, our time for the serious conversation on Tim Murray has come to an end. My suspicions were correct, as well as others on this board. Onwards and upwards.

[Marvelo]

So long GMTM. May your road be paved with unicorns, rainbows and jujubes.