Buffalo Sabres: Tim Murray Needs to Make an Impact in Free Agency
By Paul Taylor
This will be one of the most important free agency periods in recent years for the Buffalo Sabres, but can Tim Murray work his magic and help the franchise take another significant step towards becoming a contender?
Despite the start of free agency representing one of the highlights of the hockey offseason, Buffalo Sabres fans could be forgiven for not being particularly excited. After all, the last two years have not exactly been inspiring for the residents of Western New York.
However, this year is different, not least because the Sabres are coming off a season in which they improved considerably on two consecutive last-place finishes. The franchise is finally headed back towards playoff contention, with free agency offering the chance to speed up the process.
In that respect, Tim Murray’s third attempt at the NHL’s annual circus will be his most important one to date. Not that the Sabres general manager is feeling the pressure, if his comments this week are anything to go by.
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Speaking to John Vogl of The Buffalo News and the rest of the local media, Murray said: “We do need to add, whether through a trade or free agency.
“We will add something, but I don’t see any critical date or position. We’ll find a way to get better, for sure.”
The question is, who will the Sabres look to, as they attempt to bolster their roster? One option is Kyle Okposo, the top free agent on the open market after Steven Stamkos‘ decision to remain in Tampa Bay.
As per Cam Tucker of nbcsports.com, the Sabres are reportedly among the teams making inquiries about Okposo. Whether Buffalo get him or not remains to be seen, but what we do know is they will be able to meet his apparent demand for between $6-7 million per season.
Given the Sabres ability to cover the financial side of things, it really comes down to Murray’s ability to convince players that Buffalo is a go-to destination. Certainly, he knows how close the team is to being a contender.
Murray said: “If you look at last year and we had won one more game a month from October to April, we’re a playoff team. We played half the year without Robin (Lehner) and a whole lot of other things you guys might call excuses, but I would just call life.
“I’m optimistic. We could have been better last year if the suns and the moons aligned and they didn’t. That’s fine.”
One position the Sabres will be aiming to strengthen, is at center. Of the available options, Eric Staal and Frans Nielsen seem to stand out most.
However, one thing going against Staal and Nielsen is their age, with both players now in their thirties. A better alternative could be Sam Gagner, who has never fully exploited a skill set which saw him drafted sixth overall in 2007.
Another area where Buffalo could use some help, is between the pipes. The likable James Reimer in particular, is an intriguing possibility.
Overall, Murray sounds ready for free agency: “We made up a big chunk last year and everybody says, ‘Well, you had no choice,’ and I kind of agree with that, to be truthful. But it’s time to take another big jump.”
Next: What does the future hold for Zemgus Girgensons?
Understandably, it’s tough to predict what the Sabres will do during this free agency period. However, what moves do you think Tim Murray has to make, for it to be considered a success? Let us know in the comments section below.