Murray - Buffalo Hockey Beat

After emotional exit from Canadiens, Josh Gorges happy to be with Sabres

BUFFALO – Tim Murray’s phone rang Tuesday. On the other end, a Montreal Canadiens decision-maker asked the Sabres general manager if he was interested in defenseman Josh Gorges.

“I said, ‘Yes, but what’s the point of being interested? He’s got a no-trade (clause),’” Murray said inside the First Niagara Center.

The Canadiens told Murray that Gorges had added the Sabres to his list of teams he would accept a trade to. Shortly after that, ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Tim Murray excited about moves: ‘It’s easy to spend money’

BUFFALO – Here are some quick quotes from Sabres general manager Tim Murray’s chat with the media following a busy day. Murray was very pleased after signing four players and trading for another. He’s not ready to call the Sabres contender yet, however.

The Sabres began the day $20,580,834 under the cap floor. Now they’re just $55,834 under. Yes, you read that correctly.

Murray on the floor:

“You guys always ask about the floor, ... Read the full article

Sabres sign former Canadiens captain Brian Gionta to 3-year deal

BUFFALO – The Sabres have landed their first big free agent, signing Greece native Brian Gionta to a three-year contract worth $4.25 million annually, according to reports.

General manager Tim Murray has recently stated the rebuilding Sabres would be a desirable location for some veterans. Signing Gionta, the Montreal Canadiens’ captain for years, proves that.

The 35-year-old, a winger, has 249 goals and 485 points in 776 NHL games. He had 18 goals and 40 ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray believes Sabres can add veterans in free agency, not worried about cap floor

BUFFALO – The Sabres have a pretty simple free agency plan. The rebuilding club wants to add some respected veterans, preferably skilled ones who can mentor the team’s youngsters and are willing to take a short term, perhaps just a year or two.

Yes, the Sabres need to add salary badly when the market opens at noon today. After all, they’re a stunning $20,580,834 under the floor. But reaching that mark, a touchy subject for ... Read the full article

Sabres let Cory Conacher, Jamie McBain go

BUFFALO – The short Sabres careers of winger Cory Conacher and defenseman Jamie McBain are over.

The rebuilding club passed on giving them qualifying offers as restricted free agents, making them free to sign with any team.

The Sabres also didn’t qualify defensemen Nick Crawford and Matt MacKenzie, who played in Rochester, and goalie Connor Knapp, who played two NHL games last season.

Sabres general manager Tim Murray said Monday morning McBain, who struggled his ... Read the full article

Sabres won’t qualify Canisius product Cory Conacher

BUFFALO – The Sabres didn’t give a qualifying offer to Canisius College product Cory Conacher, making the winger an unrestricted free agent.

Conacher’s agency, Uptown Sports, tweeted the news this afternoon. Sabres general manager Tim Murray said “maybe” when asked this morning if the 24-year-old, then a restricted free agent, would be offered a contact.

Conacher had three goals and six points in 19 games after the Sabres claimed him off waivers from the ... Read the full article

Sabres GM Tim Murray on Christian Ehrhoff: ‘He didn’t seem to be all in here’

BUFFALO – General manager Tim Murray said the Sabres discussed every scenario regarding Christian Ehrhoff’s future. Yes, they could’ve traded the defenseman. Ultimately, that could’ve bitten them badly in several years, as much as $10 million against the cap in dead money, according to capgeek.com.

So the Sabres, fearing that cap recapture penalty, bought out the final seven years of the 31-year-old’s 10-year, $40 million contract Sunday. They owe him $12 million.

“With the ... Read the full article

Sabres won’t qualify Jamie McBain and Connor Knapp, undecided on Cory Conacher

BUFFALO – Defenseman Jamie McBain’s short Sabres career is over.

The 26-year-old restricted free agent won’t be given a qualifying offer, general manager Tim Murray said this morning inside the First Niagara Center.

McBain struggled much of last season, compiling six goals, 17 points and a minus-13 rating in 69 appearances. The Sabres acquired him in the Andrej Sekera trade with Carolina a year ago today.

What about the other RFAs?

Murray said “maybe” when ... Read the full article

Christian Ehrhoff wasn’t expecting buyout from Sabres

BUFFALO – Despite a manageable $4 million cap hit and $22 million of Christian Ehrhoff’s 10-year, $40 million contract already paid, the Sabres didn’t want to keep the defenseman.

Why?

If Ehrhoff retired early, the Sabres could’ve been charged a huge cap recapture penalty, as much as $10 million, according to capgeek.com. Imagine having that dead money eating up space when the Sabres need to lock up their youngsters in several years.

So the Sabres ... Read the full article

Prospect Brendan Lemieux impressed Sabres in difficult draft interview

PHILADELPHIA – Brendan Lemieux thought he flunked his recent interview with the Buffalo Sabres badly. The team pushed the 18-year-old, grilling him about his relationship with his Barrie Colts teammates and other difficult subjects.

“We made it uncomfortable for him a little bit,” Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray said Saturday after selecting Lemieux 31^st overall at the NHL Entry Draft.

But the way Lemieux, the son of legendary NHL agitator and playoff hero ... Read the full article