Viktor Antipin Expected To Sign With Buffalo Sabres Soon
Originally linked to the Buffalo Sabres by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet back in March, new reports about Viktor Antipin signing with the team have surfaced today. KHL insider Aivis Kalnins reports that the two sides have talked recently, while Brayton Wilson of WGR 550 writes that sources have confirmed Antipin’s intention to sign in Buffalo for next season. The defender is only able to sign a one-year entry-level deal if he can agree to a termination with his club as he’s currently under contract through 2018.
Antipin’s teammate—and the other Magnitogorsk defender that Friedman mentioned in March—Alexei Bereglazov just signed with the New York Rangers, lending credence to the idea that Antipin will also journey to North America for next season. The 24-year old Russian has played in the KHL for six seasons already, and just completed a playoff run that saw him log more than 24 minutes a night for the Gagarin Cup finalists. His performance in the KHL playoffs was among the best, recording 11 points in 18 games and being named the top defenseman in the final series.
It is interesting to note that the Sabres don’t currently have a General Manager, so Antipin’s courtship must now be conducted by someone other than Tim Murray. Should the Sabres land the young defender, he’ll add an interesting option to the team for next year’s blueline. As Wilson reports, it would be likely that the deal would contain a clause for Antipin to return home should the team wish to send him down to the AHL, similar to the one Nikita Tryamkin negotiated into his deal.
Antipin’s success on the powerplay is an appealing factor for the Sabres, who already boasted the top unit in the league this year. Adding another dangerous option on the blueline can only help the team as it looks to rebound from another disastrous season and claw their way back into the playoffs. Antipin will be playing in the upcoming World Championships, where he’ll test himself once again alongside NHL players.
Latest On Buffalo Sabres’ GM Search
The Buffalo Sabres have been without a General Manager for nearly a week now, and owner Kim Pegula told John Vogl of the Buffalo News that they have already “put a lot of work” into the search for a replacement. The team has started holding interviews according to John Shannon of Sportsnet, though he has been told that they’ve not yet asked permission to speak with Dean Lombardi. The Sabres would need to get the Los Angeles Kings’ permission, because of the way firings work in the NHL.
“Relieved of their duties” is the term teams use when coaches and executives are still under contract—which Lombardi was—are fired, retaining their rights around the league. It’s why often teams like Columbus and Edmonton had to give up draft pick compensation even though John Tortorella and Peter Chiarelli had both been fired by their teams. While the compensation aspect was eliminated last year, the fact that you still need to ask for permission to speak with them remains. It would be unlikely that the Kings would deny the Sabres access to Lombardi, but perhaps it signals that he isn’t on their list.
Instead, Craig Custance of ESPN and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet made an interesting connection to Arizona’s John Chayka, who does have ties to the Niagara area after going to school at Brock University in Saint Catharines, Ontario. The Canadian college town sits about 35 minutes away from Buffalo, and is still the home of Stathletes, the advanced analytics company that Chayka founded before being plucked away by the Coyotes. The Pegulas claimed that they wanted experience in the role, and even though he’s just 27 Chayka now has a full year operating in the league.
Friedman also lists Julien BriseBois (Lightning), Chris Drury (Rangers) and Mark Hunter (Maple Leafs) as possibilities, while several other names have been floated in various reports. Our own poll here on PHR ended with Lombardi as the overwhelming favorite for the job, with former Sabres’ President of Hockey Ops Pat LaFontaine as the runner up.
It will be interesting to follow over the next week or so who Buffalo eventually installs in the position, and if he will get to pick in the top-3 during his first entry draft. On Saturday, the Draft Lottery will be held to determine the order of selections, with Buffalo holding a 7.6% chance at the top selection. Even if they were to secure another top-five pick like they have in the past, another excellent player would be added to a young stable that still has the potential to grow into a contender.
Snapshots: Masterton Finalists, Sabres, Worlds
The NHL has announced its finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The Masterton is awarded to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey”. Each team nominates their own candidate for consideration, and the top three vote-getters are announced before the awards. The final three are Ottawa’s Craig Anderson, Carolina’s Derek Ryan, and Anaheim’s Andrew Cogliano.
Anderson was forced to take an extended hiatus while his wife was battling cancer. The netminder returned to action after a long stretch away from the rink, and immediately posted a shutout against the New York Islanders in February as he continued his dominance of the crease. His .926 save percentage this season was second among goalies who had played more than 30 games, and was a huge factor in his team making the playoffs. Ryan is a 30 year-old rookie, and spent his entire career toiling in the minors and overseas before finally getting his shot at an NHL roster spot. Cogliano has been unbelievably resilient and tough in his impressive ironman streak, playing over 800 straight games since entering the league. If he has another few seasons of perfect attendance, he could break ironman records thought hopelessly lost to ancient hockey history. The Masteron winner will be announced on June 21st at the NHL Awards show in Las Vegas, which will also feature the announcement of the Golden Knights’ roster selections.
- The Athletic’s Scott Powers gave insight into Blackhawks players possibly travelling to compete in the World Championships. Ville Pokka will not compete for Finland, apparently due to a contract issue. Artem Anisimov will not play for Russia, which is a big blow for that squad, as his size and unique skillset would have been useful. He is still nursing a lower-body injury which impacted his play in the team’s first-round exit. Patrick Kane is unlikely to play for the United States, but has made no official comment on the matter.
- The Buffalo News reflects on the season-long failure of the Sabres to provide their goalies support. Looking forward to a new GM and head coach hire, fans are hopeful for higher standards and less streakiness. This offseason, it seems as though providing goal support for Jack Eichel will be paramount, as the team struggled mightily to find steady production. Comments from players are looking forward to revamping their play style next season at even strength, by not allowing such a disparity in shot opportunities. Offensive help in terms of UFAs will be difficult to find, as there is sparse selection. T.J. Oshie, Radim Vrbata, Kris Versteeg, and Patrick Eaves are all names that should intrigue the Buffalo front-office – though it is uncertain which will still remain unsigned come July 1st.
Morning Notes: Murray, Eriksson Ek, Meier
Tim Murray may have predicted his eventual firing, when he spoke to John Vogl of the Buffalo News two years ago. After Ted Nolan had led the Sabres to a 23-51-8 record, Murray had to fire his coach and try to get it right the next time around. Nolan told Vogl very clearly what would happen if his next coach still didn’t work.
Am I going to find a perfect fit? If I don’t and I’m doing this again next year, then somebody else will get to make that decision when the perfect fit that I’m supposed to be isn’t the perfect fit, and I understand that.
When Dan Bylsma was fired, Murray had to go with him because of the decisions he’s made in the leadership of the organization. That doesn’t mean he won’t find success somewhere else though, as he has a long history of success in lower positions around the league and will be considered for another GM position at some point in the future. For now though, he just wasn’t the perfect fit anymore in Buffalo.
- Joel Eriksson Ek will join Team Sweden for the World Championships, reports Michael Russo of the Star Tribune. The Minnesota Wild forward split his season between the AHL, NHL and SHL in his native Sweden, putting together an impressive campaign all told. The former first-round pick is a big part of the Minnesota future, and will be another example of a player competing in both the World Juniors and World Championships in the same year—Eriksson Ek captained the U20 Swedish squad this year, and recorded nine points in seven games.
- Timo Meier ws returned to the San Jose Barracuda now that the Sharks have been eliminated from the NHL playoffs. The first-round pick will compete for the Calder Cup with the Barracuda, but actually was a -2 rating in his first playoff game last night. The Barracuda will now have to wait until Friday to continue their series that is currently tied 1-1 against the Stockton Heat. Meier has been something of a disappointment this year, but still shows immense potential for the future.
Poll: Who Will Be The Next Sabres GM?
Even though Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula adamantly denies having contacted anyone for the newly vacant General Manager position on his hockey club, names have started to float to the top of the pile around the league. Nothing is further from being decided, but there is a list of candidates who would be on anyone’s list regardless of the city.
Dean Lombardi is the first name that came to everyone’s mind, jobless since he was fired by the Los Angeles Kings earlier this month. With two Stanley Cup rings and the respect of many around the game, he would clearly fit into the role that Pegula laid out. He said experience will be part of the decision this time around, and Lombardi has that in spades.
Assistant GMs may not have experience completely running a team, but they do have a ton of know-how in front offices and with contract structuring. Norm Maciver has been with the Blackhawks since 2006 in various roles, and held the AGM position since 2012 after Marc Bergevin moved into the Montreal vacancy. Julien BriseBois in Tampa Bay has been praised continuously for his success with the Syracuse Crunch, and has been mentioned as a candidate to take over a team several times over the past few years.
John Shannon of Sportsnet suggests that former Canucks GM Mike Gillis should be considered a candidate, and his predecessor Dave Nonis has been expected to get another chance after his short stint in Toronto. Both have checkered pasts in the GM position, but have the experience part of the requirement down pat.
There is also the issue of Brad Treliving in Calgary, whose deal is about to expire. He met with the media today and told Kristen Odland of Postmedia that his contract would “get dealt with when it gets dealt with.” If for any reason that contract doesn’t go through, he would be an easy target for the Sabres to bring in a respected name. There are tons of names that could possibly get the job, so we ask—who will be the next GM of the Buffalo Sabres?
Who will be the next GM of the Buffalo Sabres?
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Dean Lombardi 49% (303)
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Pat Lafontaine 13% (81)
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Norm Maciver 12% (76)
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Pierre McGuire 10% (63)
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Julien BriseBois 7% (40)
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Brad Treliving 4% (27)
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Mike Gillis 3% (16)
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Dave Nonis 1% (6)
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Other (List in comments) 0% (1)
Total votes: 613
Mobile users click here to vote.
Latest On Buffalo Sabres Front Office Situation
The owner of the Buffalo Sabres Terry Pegula held a press conference this morning to explain the firings of both Dan Bylsma an Tim Murray, and was very forthcoming about the situation. The whole thing lasted about 15 minutes, but Pegula was peppered with questions about how the decision was made, who will be considered for the vacant jobs, and even the perceived “tanking” of the 2014-2015 season. The full audio of the presser can be found here.
The main theme of what Pegula had to say was that the team needed better discipline and structure throughout the organization, and that he didn’t feel as though Murray had built that well enough. He regretted not being part of the GM search in the first place—which was conducted by Pat Lafontaine when he served as President of Hockey Operations, a position that lasted only three months—and that he would be much more involved this time around. Pegula will be pursuing someone of experience, though he matter-of-factly shot down the notion that Dean Lombardi had already been interviewed, saying it was a “complete fabrication”.
With those same words, he denied the Jack Eichel “coach-killer” rumors, saying that he stands with Eichel’s agent Peter Fish in defense of the star player. Pegula did however admit that he spoke to players before making the decision to move on from Bylsma and Murray, and perhaps the perceived discontent this year is part of the “discipline” problem with the Sabres.
When asked about the tanked season that resulted in Eichel—but was done for Connor McDavid—Pegula stressed that it was a rebuild, not a tank, and that his team has never wanted to lose. While it was clear that winning the draft lottery and acquiring McDavid (or Eichel) was a goal, it would be hard to say that any group of professional athletes would intend to lose, and Buffalo was no different. Whatever it is deemed, tank or rebuild, it did result in one of the best young players Buffalo has seen in a long time.
While Pegula assured the media that he hadn’t spoken to anyone about the vacancies yet, he did explain that Jeff Crisp the Sabres head scout would be handling all of the amateur scouting leading up to the draft. The team also let go both pro and amateur scouting directors yesterday, a bold move with both expansion and entry drafts following so soon. Whichever GM takes the job will have to rely heavily on Crisp for the upcoming draft, as Buffalo again has a good chance at a top-5 pick.
Snapshots: Sabres, Montgomery, Gillies, Henderson
When the Buffalo Sabres fired both head coach Dan Bylsma and GM Tim Murray this morning, they effectively cleaned house and set themselves up to start all over again from the top down. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet now reports that it wasn’t just those two that were shown the door, but also Director of Pro Scouting Rob Murphy and Director of Amateur Scouting Greg Royce. It’s very surprising that these two would be let go so close to both the entry and expansion drafts, as whoever comes in will have to rely entirely on the scouts themselves to work through the process.
Perhaps Buffalo has a plan in place already, as both Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News and Chuck Gormley each have heard the name Norm MacIver in consideration for the position. Don’t count the Blackhawks’ assistant GM as hired yet, but he has long been thought of as a future GM in the league and would be a solid hire for the Sabres. For now, Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula will address the media tomorrow to explain all of the decisions, and likely give some insight as to where the team goes from here.
- Jim Montgomery will interview for the vacant Florida Panthers position according to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. The college coach who led the University of Denver to victory over UMD in the NCAA Championship game, will meet with the Panthers in the next 7-10 days to see if there is a fit. Chambers says that Montgomery leaving could prompt several players to leave the school early and turn pro, as they committed to working with him and not whoever would follow in the position. Earlier this month it was reported that Henrik Borgstrom will return for his sophomore season, but he could easily follow Montgomery to Florida should he choose. The 19-year old was a first round pick of the Panthers last summer.
- The Calgary Flames have sent Jon Gillies back to the Stockton Heat for their playoff series after he watched the Anaheim Ducks defeat his NHL club. Gillies was serving as the emergency goaltender in Calgary and will now return to Stockton where he played the majority of the year. The Heat also signed Tyler Parsons to an amateur tryout today, meaning the goaltending situation in Stockton is quite full. Gillies will likely get the lion’s share of the starts in the postseason.
- In a story that just won’t go away, Don Henderson—the linesman injured by a blindside Dennis Wideman hit last season—has filed a $10.25MM lawsuit against Wideman and the Flames organization, according to Rick Westhead of TSN. Henderson has never returned to the league, and according to Westhead is now claiming he “has suffered a limitation of activities and loss of enjoyment of life” and a long list of medical symptoms from this incident.
Buffalo Sabres Fire Tim Murray And Dan Bylsma
The Buffalo Sabres have relieved both GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma of their duties. This comes just a day after a report that Jack Eichel would not sign an extension with the team if Bylsma remained, though both Eichel and his agent both vehemently denied it. Murray had signed a multi-year extension in October, but after another failed season has now been shown the door. A quote from Sabres’ owner Terry Pegula explains the decision:
After reviewing the past season and looking at the future of our organization, Kim and I have decided to relieve General Manager Tim Murray and Head Coach Dan Bylsma of their duties. We want to thank Tim and Dan for their hard work and efforts that they have put in during their tenures with the club. We wish them luck. We have begun the process to fill these positions immediately.
Though Eichel admitted that he would work with Bylsma and wanted to stay in Buffalo for a long time, the fact remains that since he took over before the 2015-16 season, the Sabres have gone 68-73-33 and missed the playoffs in both years. Murray has an even longer resume of futility since being hired in January of 2014. Though he did acquire Eichel in the draft, he has also made some questionable decisions when it comes to transactions, including the big deal for Kyle Okposo last summer, and dealing for both Ryan O’Reilly and Evander Kane who, while good players, have not reached the heights expected of them.
The Sabres will now start a search for a new GM, and some will immediately point to the jobless Dean Lombardi who was just pushed out of Los Angeles as a prime candidate. While the team may go for someone with less experience, Lombardi does come with a successful history and two Stanley Cup Championships. As Buffalo and Western New York fans can attest to, is entirely impossible to predict where the Pegulas will look to fill the vacancy. For the head coaching position, there are several experienced names like Darryl Sutter and Willie Desjardins available, or college coaches like David Quinn (Boston University) and Jim Montgomery (Denver).
Jack Eichel Responds To Contract Reports
Earlier today it was reported by Paul Hamilton of WGR 550 that Jack Eichel had “no desire” to sign an extension this summer should Dan Bylsma be retained as the coach in Buffalo. Immediately, agent Peter Fish reached out to John Vogl of The Buffalo News to try and put out the fire created by the report, saying that it was “ridiculous” and that everyone was misunderstanding what had gone on. Now, Vogl has released an interview with Eichel himself, which goes into detail about how he’s dealt with the news today.
I want to be a Sabre and I want to be a Sabre for a long time and I want to be a part of Buffalo when we win. I know it’s an organization that is capable of doing that, and I want to be a part of it and I want to be a centerpiece of it.
I want to be here for a long time. That’s the way I look at it. I don’t want to go anywhere else. I don’t want anybody to think that I want to be somewhere else. I want to be here, and I want to help this team win in any way that I can do that. I just want all the people there to know that.
Eichel made it very clear that he wishes to remain in Buffalo long-term, and that his conversation with Bylsma at the end of the year was very productive. He left that meeting thinking that they were “on the same page” about where the team was headed, and what the coach expected of him. While he doesn’t come right out and say it, it very much seems like Eichel is fine with going forward with Bylsma, regardless of whether or not they were in disagreement at times this year.
It’s not common for an athlete to come out and address the rumors so candidly, and Eichel should be praised for that. For a player who has been surrounded by nothing but disappointment since his entering the league—even the disappointment in Buffalo that they missed out on Connor McDavid despite finishing last in the NHL—it is obviously bothering him that he hasn’t been able to turn around the franchise to this point.
If Eichel does in fact head into a negotiation with the Sabres this offseason, it will be interesting to see where a contract would land for him going forward. Nathan MacKinnon was three years into his career when he signed his seven-year extension in Colorado, which will pay him $44.1MM ($6.3MM AAV) and buy out three UFA years. Tyler Seguin gave up just two free agent years when he signed his six-year, $34.5MM ($5.75MM AAV) deal in 2012 two years into his career with worse numbers than Eichel.
Depending on how many seasons of free agency he gives up, inking an extension now after a season marred by injury may be the best thing for the Sabres but worst for Eichel. If he trusts that he’ll succeed next season, he would be putting himself in a greater position of leverage and could easily surpass both MacKinnon and Seguin’s deals by signing an eight-year extension. It will be interesting to see where the dollar mark lands, and if the two sides can come to an agreement on length. If Eichel really does want to be a Sabre for a long time, there is a clear want from Buffalo to keep him around.
Jack Eichel May Refuse To Sign Extension While Dan Bylsma Remains Coach
In a bombshell dropped by Paul Hamilton of WGR 550 in Buffalo, he reports that Jack Eichel will not sign an extension while Dan Bylsma coaches the Sabres. The two have been rumored to have differences of opinion all season, though General Manager Tim Murray made it clear recently that he hoped to lock up Eichel long-term this summer. John Vogl of The Buffalo News got in touch with Peter Fish, Eichel’s agent for a response on the matter, who said that the report is “ridiculous” and that the whole situation is “very misunderstood.”
Obviously, things can change on a day-to-day basis with contract negotiations, but this is just the latest example of unrest Eichel has recently shown with the state of the team. In his year-end press conference, the superstar forward told media that the team couldn’t be “satisfied with the fact you’re in the NHL” and that his team needed to dedicate their lives to the game. Some of that frustration may come with the fact that he’d just lost out on a $2MM performance bonus the night before, but he’s clearly not happy.
As he heads into his final year of the three-year entry-level deal he signed after the draft, Eichel was eligible for an extension on July 1st. Murray obviously had plans to talk to his camp as soon as possible, but this may throw a wrench into those plans. To be clear, this is not Eichel or anyone in his camp publicly saying they wouldn’t negotiate, but perhaps not entering the room in good-faith from the start. If he does refuse, it would be an extremely hot seat this season for Bylsma to turn the team around and show some success. Another season out of the playoffs combined with the ire of your team’s best player would easily be enough to lose his job.
Eichel doesn’t have a ton of leverage here, as even though his contract is up after next season he will not be an unrestricted free agent. We have seen time and again how holdouts rarely end in the player’s favor, but with a player the caliber of Eichel things may be slightly different. Either way, that is still more than a year away and shouldn’t be considered a likelihood. For now, the Sabres will just have to deal with this bad press about their head coach—who, of course, is a former Stanley Cup champion and Jack Adams winner for coach of the year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images