Murray - Buffalo Hockey Beat

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

Sabres GM Tim Murray leaves draft happy: ‘I think we went after potential’

PHILADELPHIA – The rebuilding Buffalo Sabres added nine new prospects, seven of them forwards, including No. 2 pick Sam Reinhart, at the NHL Entry Draft this weekend. Of course, hold any judgments on their performance for three or four years.

On Saturday afternoon, however, in the afterglow of his first draft, general manager Tim Murray called it “outstanding,” saying, “Our guys are happy.”

“We have a potential top-two center that can play for us ... Read the full article

‘Crushed’ Brendan Lemieux figured Sabres had no interest

PHILADELPHIA – Brendan Lemieux left the NHL Entry Draft on Friday night “crushed,” the agitating winger said. The 18-year-old figured he was a surefire first-round selection.

Then everyone passed on Lemieux, the son Claude Lemieux, one of the most notorious pests and clutch players in NHL history.

“They gave one of the more fiery guys in the draft, I’d say, a lot more fire,” Lemieux said this morning after the Buffalo Sabres started the second ... Read the full article

Sabres don’t hesitate: Sam Reinhart’s their man

PHILADELPHIA – Sam Reinhart said he had been “prepared for it for a long time.” The slick 18-year-old center knew the Buffalo Sabres, a team desperate for elite forward talent, wanted to draft him with the No. 2 pick.

“I’ve certainly visualized myself in this uniform,” Reinhart said Friday inside the Wells Fargo Center after the Sabres selected him at the NHL Entry Draft. “I’m just thrilled and ecstatic to really make an impact there ... Read the full article

GM Tim Murray believes draft lottery changes aren’t targeting Sabres

PHILADELPHIA – The Buffalo Sabres’ chances of winning the Connor McDavid sweepstakes could be taking a small hit.

General manager Tim Murray said Friday the NHL will likely alter its draft lottery next year.

What’s going to happen?

Murray said the odds of the league’s worst team getting the No. 1 pick will drop from 25 percent to about 19 or 20 percent. The tradeoff? The 30^th team can’t fall past the No. 2 ... Read the full article