Buffalo Sabres Firing of General Manager Tim Murray was too Soon

Buffalo Sabres shake up front-office with recent firings of coach Dan Bylsma and GM Tim Murray. Bylsma overstayed, but Murray should have been given more time.

As many of us were reaching for the mid-morning cup of coffee, the Buffalo Sabres were once again searching for answers within their organization. Owner Terry Pegula made the bold decision to fire both coach Dan Bylsma and General Manager Tim Murray early Thursday morning.

It was fair to suspect Dan Bylsma’s time was already running out. Due to Bylsma’s poor record over two seasons, complicated hockey system, and reported unpopularity with various players in the locker-room, it was expected changes would be made.

When his team regressed standings-wise during an expected progression year out of the rebuild. In a league where young superstars run the show, coaches are merely pawns when things go downhill.

As for the impact and vision Tim Murray had, it is debatable whether or not he should have gone. The role of the General Manager is building a championship team.

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For the plan to work, trades must be made, players must be cut, and solid drafting-prospect development must take place. Not all of it is pretty, but it is the reality of being a GM in the NHL.

Murray got to work straight away.

Moulson and his awful salary were shipped to the Wild for draft picks that yielded Brendan Lemieux and Cliff Pu.

Cliff Pu, is enjoying a very productive 35-goal season with the London Knights.

Staying in 2014, Murray sent two-second rounders and McNabb to the Kings in exchange for Fasching and Deslauriers.

In hindsight, the Sabres could have used another defenseman, but Fasching and Deslauriers have not been awful.

Despite a plummet in 2014, the Buffalo Sabres would draft forward Sam Reinhart.

In 2015, Murray made the blockbuster trade with Winnipeg before the deadline. Myers and Stafford were off the Sabres’ books, along with prospects Armia, Lemieux, and a 1st-rounder were also sent to Winnipeg. In return, the Sabres received Kasdorf, Kane, and Bogosian.

After Myers’ 2010 Rookie-of-the-Year campaign, he was never his former self. Stafford was not producing and making the salary-cap scream.

A first-rounder is always difficult to give up, but the Sabres were getting two of the Jets best players. Besides trouble off the ice, Evander Kane has produced.

Murray took the Sabres to the lowest-of-lows in 2015, but Buffalo now has a franchise player in Jack Eichel.

Murray also acquired O’Reilly from Colorado. Despite losing Zadorov, this also gave the team an opportunity to get Grigorenko out of the organization.

Eichel and O’Reilly have produced well for the Sabres.

2016 was the year of a few gambles Murray took. This began with trading a third-round pick for the rights to Jimmy Vesey. But what are the odds of a 3rd-rounder becoming a starter? Very slim. Good gamble by Murray. Low-risk and high-reward potential.

Later, at the NHL draft, Pysyk was traded for Kulikov. Yes, Pysyk had a solid year for the Sabres, but so did Kulikov for the Panthers. The Sabres swapped 2nd-rounders, which yielded Rasmus Asplund, a strong prospect.

Yes, the Sabres performance was unacceptable this year. The rest of the Eastern Conference soared past them, and their defense looked helpless on most nights.

Next: Buffalo Sabres Fire Bylsma and Murray

Murray has provided Bylsma something to work with. At the end of the day, the players must perform on the ice.

They must buy into a system and listen to their coach’s message. If that is not the case, then change may need to happen.

Rome was not built-in a day, and neither are Stanley Cup Championship teams.

In the world of sports, Murray’s firing makes sense, but he should have lived to see another season.

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