Buffalo Sabres Show Fans The End Is Near
By Adam Savard
The Buffalo Sabres made the seasons boldest move today in acquiring Evander Kane. Love or hate the trade, it represents something great for Sabres fans.
Buffalo Sabres fans have had their loyalties tested severely over the past several seasons. They watched Chris Drury and Daniel Briere walk away for nothing. Homegrown talent such as Ryan Miller, Jason Pominville and Thomas Vanek were traded away after several seasons of falling short together. The former general manager spoke of “suffering” at length. Pat LaFontaine was hired by new owners Terry and Kim Pegula, only to leave his post shortly afterwards. Rock bottom for Sabres fans may have been when all-time NHL great Dominik Hasek had his #39 retired to the rafters of the First Niagara Center. Fans were quick to show displeasure with how the Sabres organized the presentation. All of this on top of what could be the worst back-to-back seasons in league history. Can it get any worse?
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Well todays actions by GM Tim Murray should show to Buffalo Sabres fans that it won’t, and that patience will be rewarded as soon as next season. Murray and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff unleashed a blockbuster trade that sent the injured Kane, defensemen Zach Bogosian and goaltending prospect Jason Kasdorf to the Blue & Gold for Tyler Myers, Drew Stafford, Joel Armia, Brendan Lemieux and the lowest of the Sabres first round picks. Not stopping there Murray than spun starting goaltender Jhonas Enroth to the Dallas Stars for another goalie, Anders Lindback, as well as a third round pick that becomes a second if Enroth wins four playoff games this year, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie:
If Jonas Enroth wins 4 playoff games for DAL, BUF gets 2nd round pick instead of 3rd. That's the condition. But BUF guaranteed at least 3rd.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) February 11, 2015
With the acquisition of Kane, Murray finds a 23-year-old star with NHL experience and moxie to spare. His on-ice work ethic is not in question and will certainly be a leader by example and vocally in a young locker room. Bogosian carries a similar description with a sound game that continues to develop as he is only 24 and just entering what will be the prime years in his career. Both Kane and Bogosian have battled injuries but when healthy both play a skilled yet physical game that adds both scoring and toughness to the Buffalo Sabres. The long-term health of both players is the risk to this deal for Buffalo, not the off-ice issues with Kane. Murray said as much during his press conference announcing the trade, which you can listen to here. The tone of his voice says it all: he has had it with the rebuild. These trades make this a build.
What this means for Buffalo is that for all the pick acquiring and prospect selecting, Murray is willing to move young players with promise for young players that have proved they can get it done at the NHL level. This deal tells Sabres fans they have had enough of being patient. There are enough young players in the system that Murray, with his scouting background, knows who he can trade to get the kind of NHL talent he needs to support his young, developing team.
At this point there are still nearly three weeks before the NHL trade deadline and Murray is most likely not close to being done. Chris Stewart and Michal Neuvirth are both unrestricted free agents and you see how that worked out for Enroth and Stafford. Looking forward to the start of next season the Buffalo Sabres will have a roster including Kane, Sam Reinhart, Tyler Ennis, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov, Mark Pysyk, and one of either Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel. That’s not Stanley Cup or bust yet. But it’s a heck of a start and gives Sabres fans a reason to be legitimately optimistic about the playoffs as soon as next season. Did you wake up Wednesday thinking you could say that?
Murray is here to do that. He makes no bones about his desire to be more than just competitive sooner than later. After today he is showing you light at the end of the tunnel that isn’t a train headlight. At this pace perhaps in a few years that glare could be the reflection off the Stanley Cup.
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