Almost from the moment that Tim Murray left the Ottawa Senators to become the new GM of the Buffalo Sabres, the rumor mill started and people began speculating as to how the Senators would make themselves a better team at the expense of the Sabres.
Well, don’t hold your breath.
Jan 9, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres special assistant to the hockey department Craig Patrick (left), general manager Tim Murray and president of hockey operations Pat LaFontaine pose for a picture after a press conference at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Tim Murray is in the unenviable position of almost starting from scratch. Yes, they have amassed a number of young prospects (Nikita Zadorov, Rasmus Ristolainen, Mikhail Grigerenko to name a few), but the fact is that he also has to make his way on his own in the league and make a name for himself.
This means that there won’t likely be a trade between Ottawa and Buffalo, despite the Murrays’ relationship, any time soon. While impending Free Agent Matt Moulson (as the most common rumour suggests) might be on the block, I’m not sure Tim would want his first big move as an NHL GM to be to hand a solid player over to a divisional rival and his former team helmed by his uncle, even if the return was draft picks and/or solid prospects.
I don’t think that type of move would sit well with the Buffalo fan base, and Tim Murray needs to get their confidence. I’m not saying there will never be any trades between the Murrays, but the younger one will have to build up a bit of a profile and reputation around the league and in Buffalo itself before that happens.
Tim knows the players and the personnel in the Senators’ system, and obviously he thinks very highly of a number of them. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least that a couple of the prospects in the Ottawa organization end up in the Buffalo system in the next couple of years.
But it won’t be right away.