Buffalo, and anyone outside the hockey dept., needs to chill on the Vesey courtship

A Die By the Blade blog posted a picture of a billboard in Buffalo that was eventually picked up by Yahoo's Sean Leahy and spread to a much larger audience. On it were the words "Buffalo Loves Vesey." The Vesey, of course, is in regards to Jimmy Vesey, the recent Harvard graduate whom the Sabres own the rights to until August 15 when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

A lot has been said and written about the left winger with an NHL-ready frame and two strong developmental years for the Crimson that lead to 56 goals and 104 points in his last 70 games as a junior and senior. There's no question that he'd fit right into what Buffalo is doing and spot in the top-nine is legit at this point in time with the strong possibility that he'd have an opportunity as either Jack Eichel or Ryan O'Reilly's wingman in the top-six.

The Sabres just met with Vesey in Boston last week as Sabres GM Tim Murray, head coach Dan Bylsma and assistant director of scouting Jerry Forton, who helped recruit Vesey when he was an assistant coach at Harvard, all headed to Beantown to make their pitch. The trio represented hockey and the organization and presumably had answers to the questions Vesey had concerning where he fit into the grand scheme of things.

That was important as Vesey is looking at the next two years, his entry-level contract years, as a springboard to a longer, and presumably a more lucrative, NHL contract coming out on the other side. One of Vesey's agents, Peter Fish told the Buffalo News that "the meeting went very well" while also telling WGR550 that Vesey felt "very comfortable" with Murray and Bylsma. "However," continued Fish, "until we sit down with Jimmy and fully digest everything we heard [Thursday], I can’t really comment on how it might affect Aug. 15th.”

The Sabres did well in their sales pitch. Murray, whose known to keep it brief and to the point, said of the meeting to The News, “We went down there, we talked to him about the city and the organization, then we came home.”

That would be the proper amount of pitch without any overwhelming pressure being put on a young man staring down the first big decision of his professional career. What's not proper is the over-the-top "Buffalo Loves Vesey" billboard from Northtown Automotive. Although it attracts attention, in the end, smothering affection like that hurts the process.

As an example, take the Toronto Maple Leafs pitch for then unrestricted free agent Steven Stamkos, a Toronto-area native.

Rare is the time when a free agent of his caliber hits the open market and there was no small amount of interest from a number of teams including the Buffalo Sabres who talked with the Stamkos camp during the open period on draft weekend. The Montreal Canadians were also said to have talked to them and Stamkos also had meetings with Toronto and then Detroit lined up.

But Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun wrote today that the heavy hand of the Leafs soured Stamkos not only on Toronto, but on the process as well. Simmons cites "numerous NHL people who attempted to woo Stamkos" as the basis for his piece.

"The availability of [Stamkos] all but ended after a Monday night meeting in Toronto that included Maple Leafs ownership, front office executives, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Canadian Tire CEO Michael Medline and others from the corporate community," wrote Simmons. "It was apparently an impressive sell with all kind of bells and whistles — just not impressive to Stamkos."

Even though the 26 yr. old Stamkos is an eight-year NHL veteran, facing that kind of crush from Toronto had to be startling. I'm not sure any player could come out of meeting like that expecting to perform even to the lowest of his own expectations were he to sign with any team much less his hometown team. According to Simmons, "He left the meeting with the Leafs, and apparently turned to his advisors and said: 'No more meetings.'"

Sorry Detroit.

The gist of this, other than the utter absurdity at the Center of the Hockey Universe for deploying an army like this to woo Stamkos, is that players want to play hockey where they feel comfortable and the best pitch is simply to lay out what there is to offer and let the chips fall where they may. No amount of bells and whistles and/or socio-political dignitaries and/or money-figures and/or billboards will change a player's perception of what's inside the hockey department and how he'll reach his potential as a hockey player.

The Northtown Auto Group, the Mayor of Toronto and others outside the hockey community needed to back off and let hockey people do their jobs. Although Vesey is no Stamkos, they are both humans and will go somewhere else if the pressure's too much. That's what free agency, or in these two cases, impending free agency, allows a player, the choice of where he wants to play.

Why suffocate them?

Sabres on the sidelines for yesterday's fireworks

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


For those on the sidelines yesterday, a group of NHL teams put on an impressive display of fireworks with some stunning moves:

--Steven Stamkos agrees on a contract  extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning
--the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators pull off a trade of top-notch defensemen
--the Columbus Blue Jacket extend defenseman Seth Jones
--and Peter Chiarelli drops a huge bomb trading Taylor Hall to New Jersey


Stamkos

For the Buffalo Sabres, the Steven Stamkos deal had the most significance as Buffalo GM Tim Murray and the Brinks truck were said to be rollin' hard and fast to Toronto to try and land the prized free agent. Stamkos did the right thing in staying with the Lightning as they have everything he said he wanted including an eighth year on his contract. The $68M total value of the deal was a final offer by GM Steve Yzerman and Stamkos took it.

With the Lightning coming of back-to-back deep playoff runs--one of which brought them to within two wins of the Stanley Cup--that part of Stamkos' equation seems to have taken a front seat to finances in the matter. The $68M was significantly less than what he could have gotten on the open market considering that the Sabres were rumored to be headed into the $12M/year area which would be $84M on a seven-year deal. A $68M payday is nothing to sneeze at, and it goes a little farther in a state tax-free state like Florida, Stamkos left a lot of money on the table.

Although it's not good news for the Sabres either short-term or long-term, good for him. Quality move by a quality individual.

2016 Draft Weekend Recap--Picks, Trades and Stamkos

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Before we get into a busy weekend at the First Niagara Center as the NHL descended upon the First Niagara Center for the Entry Draft, big props to the Pegula's and their charges at Pegula Sports and Entertainment. Simply put, they put on a good show.

The centerpiece of the rejuvenation of downtown Buffalo is HARBORCENTER, a $190 million multi-faceted building conceived of and built by Kim and Terry Pegula, owners of the Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills. The original idea designed around building a dual-rink complex complete with parking garage as a magnet for hockey, but once Kim got her hands on it the idea turned into a mult-faceted building complete with a Marriott hotel, sports bar and other amenities that make it a downtown destination.

Details of how the Pegula's helped kick in the rejuvenation of downtown Buffalo can be found in a wonderful piece from Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronical. Kim Pegula states in the article how her husband wanted grass planted in the area that is now HARBORCENTER and the adjoining area known as Canalside. Maiorana aptly described it as "the depressingly unkempt space underneath the Skyway between the arena and the river." Terry was quoted by his wife at the time as saying of the area, "If they could just plant some grass. You know, at least make it look somewhat like you care," and thus it was born.

From grass to the NHL Draft and more to come.

I had the pleasure of striking up a conversation with a number of credentialed out-of-towners who were thoroughly impressed with everything in and around the F'N Center and HARBORCENTER, which is a good thing. Hopefully we won't be waiting another 18 years before the city of Buffalo hosts another NHL Draft but until then the Pegula's and Buffalo will be hosting their third consecutive NHL Combine in 2017 as well as the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championships.

Not bad for an idea that was as simple as planting grass. "We’re talking grass," said Kim in the article, "that’s all it was.”

Teams will line up for Steven Stamkos but Buffalo might be the best fit.

Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com


Unless you're the Pittsburgh Penguins or Chicago Blackhawks, two teams heavily invested in two players each for a lengthy period of time, there's no reason any NHL team shouldn't be at least entertaining the thought of making a pitch for Lightning center Steven Stamkos should he hit free agency on July 1st. Even teams like the Ottawa Senators or Arizona Coyotes with an internal salary cap may toy with the idea of fitting in a projected Stamkos cap-hit of $10M-plus.

Google "Steven Stamkos news" right now and you have writers covering teams like the NY Rangers, Boston Bruins and NY Islanders with articles concerning the 26 yr. old former first-overall pick (2008.) That said, as we head towards free agency five weeks from now, only a few teams with the right combination of financial wherewithal, cap-space, comfort and opportunity will be left standing to receive the rose from the hockey world's most eligible bachelor.

Why Stamkos is available is a drama worthy of an soap opera status. The loyal face of the franchise endures years of rebuilding and after the team came oh so close to the holy grail, said team investigates trading him.