GM Tim Murray - Time for a serious conversation

[GASabresIUFAN]

Or maybe he let them talk a little and when they said they hate DD, he might have said, "I know, and I'm working to fix that."

 

That could just as easily be due to being a young team as a coach.

 

Put two of those three guys in the press box, put the other on the third pair, and play Falk and Fedun.

 

I think there is something to the "young team learning to play together" narrative. Look at the improvement of our really young guys (Reinhart, Eichel, Baptiste, Bailey, ERod), but also consider the slightly older guys: Girgensons finally seems to be clicking, Foligno is playing great (even when he's not scoring) and Kane is the sniper we dreamed he'd be. Last year, earlier this year, that wasn't the case.

 

The new core is emerging and taking the reins, but they are still immature and by no means a finished product. In saying that he needed to fix the D, GMTM tacitly endorsed the job the forward lines and goaltending is doing. The right couple of D to replace our expiring free agents might make a world of difference to this team.

I'd would have loved to see Kulikov and Bogo and Gorges riding the pine or placed back on IR and wouls still like to see it. As I've said before, if they aren't healthy enough to practice and contribute in game, then they shouldn't be playing. Sadly, only Falk is on the roster, therefore to bench more then one, DD would need GMTM to recall someone. Having these guys active (Kulikov and Bogo) and on the roster is a GMTM decision and a continuing mystery to me. Edited March 4, 2017 by GASabresIUFAN

[Taro T]

I've liked Murray for the most part, but keeping Bylsma is pushing me towards his bunker. If Dan is back in October, Tim should be gone by November.

 

I fully expect this team in the playoffs, even w/ Dan, next year. But they'll just barely sneak in under Dan & will likely get swept. Bylsma is a bright guy & understands the game but can't keep from letting his inner Jauron sabotage himself & the team.

 

& taking about him & his (lack of) results is terribly dreary.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Taro T

[DirtDart]

Sky is falling? Great assessment!!!!!

[Marvelo]

funny thing about our D, when multi-millionaires bogosian/franson/kulikov/gorges inevitably go out with injuries, in steps guys from the AHL/minors...Falk, Fedun, Guhle, Nelson etc....and there is little to no dropoff. 

 

Looks to me like Tim doesn't have a clue on how to pick defensemen. And his investment in Lehner has been a big flop.

 

Other multi-millionaires, including Ennis, Moulson, Girgensons and even Gionta...are so not worth it. They've tried to make O'Reilly into a leader too but that's not his role. He's a support guy. And on the Sabres, he's being way overpaid for his production.

 

Murray has chosen exactly the wrong type of player to lock up with the big bucks. Economics of hockey is you need $6 million men to lead the way. The $6million guys have got to be superstars. Then you have the $1-3 million player as support. The $4-5 million dollar player should become dinosaurs. But we're stacked with them, on a multi-year basis that's dragging us down. 

 

We've got well-paid journeymen and they're not leading the way.

[darksabre]

funny thing about our D, when multi-millionaires bogosian/franson/kulikov/gorges inevitably go out with injuries, in steps guys from the AHL/minors...Falk, Fedun, Guhle, Nelson etc....and there is little to no dropoff. 

 

Looks to me like Tim doesn't have a clue on how to pick defensemen. And his investment in Lehner has been a big flop.

 

Other multi-millionaires, including Ennis, Moulson, Girgensons and even Gionta...are so not worth it. They've tried to make O'Reilly into a leader too but that's not his role. He's a support guy. And on the Sabres, he's being way overpaid for his production.

 

Murray has chosen exactly the wrong type of player to lock up with the big bucks. Economics of hockey is you need $6 million men to lead the way. The $6million guys have got to be superstars. Then you have the $1-3 million player as support. The $4-5 million dollar player should become dinosaurs. But we're stacked with them, on a multi-year basis that's dragging us down. 

 

We've got well-paid journeymen and they're not leading the way.

I actually think we're slightly better with Falk/Fedun in the lineup. Both do a better job of generating offense. 

[sabills]

I actually think we're slightly better with Falk/Fedun in the lineup. Both do a better job of generating offense. 

I can not diverge Falk and Fedun in my head. I'm not completely sure that they're different players at this point.

[Doohicksie]

Falk is a more physical player with a simpler game.  Fedun is a smoother skater and better at controlling the puck.  Both are better at generating offense from the blue line than anyone in our bottom four (with the possible exception of Franson on a good day).

I also think their styles complement each other, so if they're both on the roster, they will often be paired together.

[inkman]

I can not diverge Falk and Fedun in my head. I'm not completely sure that they're different players at this point.

Outside of having an F at the beginning of their names, they resemble each other in not one single way.

[darksabre]

Falk is a more physical player with a simpler game. Fedun is a smoother skater and better at controlling the puck. Both are better at generating offense from the blue line than anyone in our bottom four (with the possible exception of Franson on a good day).

 

I also think their styles complement each other, so if they're both on the roster, they will often be paired together.

Yup. It's accidentally a good pairing.

[Randall Flagg]

I actually think we're slightly better with Falk/Fedun in the lineup. Both do a better job of generating offense. 

13-9-3 with Fedun in particular, I believe. 14-18-9 without.

We are 19-21-10 with Gorges and 8-6-2 without him, just for fun

[darksabre]

13-9-3 with Fedun in particular, I believe. 14-18-9 without.

 

We are 19-21-10 with Gorges and 8-6-2 without him, just for fun

My man! Nice work.

[Doohicksie]

Yup. It's accidentally a good pairing.

 

Accidental?  Maybe.  Maybe not.  When GMTM signed them, he may have seen them as complementary pieces.  They're not Top 4 pieces but I sure feel better having them to call on when needed.

[spndnchz]

Falk is a more physical player with a simpler game.  Fedun is a smoother skater and better at controlling the puck.  Both are better at generating offense from the blue line than anyone in our bottom four (with the possible exception of Franson on a good day).

I also think their styles complement each other, so if they're both on the roster, they will often be paired together.

 

Question: Would you have rather had them as call-ups in the 1999 Playoffs?

[Doctor of Philhousley]

Question: Would you have rather had them as call-ups in the 1999 Playoffs?

Yup.

[Brawndo]

Yup.

Not really Falk was 10 and Fedun just turned 11. I'm sure they were good at that age, but the Stars would have knocked them around pretty easily.

[dudacek]

Brett Hull

[sabills]

Outside of having an F at the beginning of their names, they resemble each other in not one single way.

Thats fair, but they're always mentioned in the same breath and I can never remember which one is which.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Question: Would you have rather had them as call-ups in the 1999 Playoffs?

 

Definitely in 2006, not sure about 1999, but probably.

 

IMO, if they were around in 2006 we would have beaten the Canes and then the Oil.

 

+++++

 

EDIT TO ADD:

 

And what duda said about Hull ...  :censored:

Edited March 7, 2017 by Sabres Fan In NS

[Doohicksie]

And what duda said about Hull ...  :censored:

 

I actually met and got a chance to talk to Brett Hull in the summer of 2000.  He was kind of sheepish about the goal:  "The officials called it a good goal; it's not like I could take it back."  He also said that he caught a lot of guff from players on other teams that reminded him the whole next season that it was not a goal.  :w00t:

[PromoTheRobot]

Here is a post on the Sabres thread over at TwoBillsDrive.com from a poster who claims to know the owner of the Binghamton Senators. Take it for what it's worth.

 

"The day the Sabres hired Murray I was able to speak with the Binghamton Senators owner, Tom Mitchell. I asked him if the Sabres were getting a good one and he laughed and said, "good riddance to him."

[Jacque Richard]

Here is a post on the Sabres thread over at TwoBillsDrive.com from a poster who claims to know the owner of the Binghamton Senators. Take it for what it's worth.

"The day the Sabres hired Murray I was able to speak with the Binghamton Senators owner, Tom Mitchell. I asked him if the Sabres were getting a good one and he laughed and said, "good riddance to him."

Great! Now what wait for another rebuild

[WildCard]

Here is a post on the Sabres thread over at TwoBillsDrive.com from a poster who claims to know the owner of the Binghamton Senators. Take it for what it's worth.

 

"The day the Sabres hired Murray I was able to speak with the Binghamton Senators owner, Tom Mitchell. I asked him if the Sabres were getting a good one and he laughed and said, "good riddance to him."

Gonna take that to mean nothing honestly

[LTS]

Here is a post on the Sabres thread over at TwoBillsDrive.com from a poster who claims to know the owner of the Binghamton Senators. Take it for what it's worth.

 

"The day the Sabres hired Murray I was able to speak with the Binghamton Senators owner, Tom Mitchell. I asked him if the Sabres were getting a good one and he laughed and said, "good riddance to him."

 

Too ambiguous.  The guy may not like dealing with Murray for many reasons that don't have anything to do with Murray being a competent GM.  Was Murray handling that role for Binghamton or did the owner have to deal with Murray's decisions on who he sent down?

[Eleven]

Too ambiguous.  The guy may not like dealing with Murray for many reasons that don't have anything to do with Murray being a competent GM.  Was Murray handling that role for Binghamton or did the owner have to deal with Murray's decisions on who he sent down?

 

Your last sentence was my first thought.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Here is a post on the Sabres thread over at TwoBillsDrive.com from a poster who claims to know the owner of the Binghamton Senators. Take it for what it's worth.

 

"The day the Sabres hired Murray I was able to speak with the Binghamton Senators owner, Tom Mitchell. I asked him if the Sabres were getting a good one and he laughed and said, "good riddance to him."

I was going to dismiss this third statement out of hand, but given his decisions on our defense from it's acquisition, to his failure to try to fix it during the season or at the deadline, to the emptying of the D prospect pipeline, I'm beginning to think it has merit.