Hoss Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Either way there was a window of time available for the team to interview and hire Benning. That time came in went without him being hired which, to me, is a clear indicator that he wasn't the guy. Especially if he decision came shortly after the window supposedly closed. If they really wanted him then I imagine they could've moved the decision up a few days and got "their guy." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 "Went down to the cemetery lookin' for love" Outstanding. One of my favorite bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 On Benning, I think that if PLF wanted him, they would have waited for him. For all we know, he could still be waiting for him since nothing is announced, official, or otherwise. I think PLF and crew are perfectly capable of handling the trade deadline if they need to, and hurrying to fill the position due to the trade deadline flies in the face of the stated objectives relative to hiring a new GM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IKnowPhysics Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 The reaction on this Senator fan forum tells me all I need to know... http://hfboards.hock...d.php?t=1550847 The tears of Sens fans nourish me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assquatch Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 New GM revealed via Sabres Twitter: Is this for real? The tweet appears to have been deleted and Wawrow is saying there are still other candidates in the mix. https://twitter.com/john_wawrow/status/420948583974985728 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Is this for real? The tweet appears to have been deleted and Wawrow is saying there are still other candidates in the mix. https://twitter.com/john_wawrow/status/420948583974985728 It's not over until it's official. Until then, the "process" could be anywhere right now. I wouldn't be surprised if it's someone impatient blowing their wad. PLF doesn't need to hire anyone right now - he needs to hire the RIGHT guy (or gal). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darksabre Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 The reaction on this Senator fan forum tells me all I need to know... http://hfboards.hock...d.php?t=1550847 Our logo is so good they think we're an Original 6 team :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 On Benning, I think that if PLF wanted him, they would have waited for him. For all we know, he could still be waiting for him since nothing is announced, official, or otherwise. I think PLF and crew are perfectly capable of handling the trade deadline if they need to, and hurrying to fill the position due to the trade deadline flies in the face of the stated objectives relative to hiring a new GM. This is plausible and I certainly hope you're right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude_Verret Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 "Went down to the cemetery lookin' for love" Absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I don't get how anyone can get super excited or upset about any of these choices unless you were in the interview process with them, or know for a fact exactly what their responsibilities were with the previous teams and what they actually influenced/had a hand in with the previous teams. We are talking about assistant GMs and heads of scouting, not proven GMs with track records of running teams before. Just because Benning was part of the Bruins front office Staff when they won the cup doesn't mean he knows how to build a winner, or that he will make a good GM, he could have been a gopher getting the GM his coffee or filing scouting reports and making phone calls for all we know. Same with Tim Murray. For all we know, those guys could have also been the masterminds behind their teams success with the guys ahead of them being the figureheads who took the glory. The only way I would use the teams record, playoff success, or cup wins to judge either of these guys is if they were the guys in charge making all the decisions. Until we see what whomever is chosen can do when given the title and control of a franchise, i will reserve judgement on which one is the better choice. Either way, I will stay say its an upgrade over the last idiot in charge.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 The point about Benning was that it was quoted somewhere today that Boston wouldn't let Benning leave until after the Olympics, which was too late for PLF -- and thus he let the window expire (i.e. the post-Olympic timing made it a non-starter for him). I do think this leads to the implication that Benning was the top choice. I don't see it that way at all. If he was the top candidate, PLF would have interviewed him within the window and then decided whether he was worth waiting for. The fact that he let the window expire tells me he was never a top candidate to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apuszczalowski Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 This is plausible and I certainly hope you're right. I would think that too, I think the fans believe this trade deadline is more important/crucial to the franchise then the team does because they want closer on some things and a sign of the future direction sooner rather then later. They want Miller gone now or re-signed cause they don't want things to drag out and risk him leaving for nothing (which could happen if they aren't getting the interest we think he would get in a trade right now for what we think he is worth. They won't higher a guy to be the GM who wants to take this team in a different direction then what PLF, TP, and the guys here want to take the team in, and I would think anyone currently working in an NHL Front office and a top candidate for the position has looked into this team and is well aware of the situation and what they have, they won't need weeks to look over the roster and figure out what they should do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I think it is impossible to gauge how good of a GM he is going to be. I think it's almost impossible to gauge how good of a GM somebody with GM experience is going to be. Making moves, drafting players and signing free agents is a hit-or-miss situation. Sure you need to know what you're doing and be familiar with players, prospects, etc. However if there were GM's that could magically come in and find that perfect draft pick year after year, or the perfect UFA, they would be highly sought after. There is a very, very small handful of NHL front office guys that should be considered 'elite'. Every GM has their list of bad moves. My point is, if you hire me a GM that just went on a 4-5 year tear and won a couple of Cups, there is no guaranty that he will even give the next team winning seasons much less playoff appearances. If you hire a GM with no GM experience from a team that had no playoff success, he could very well come in and make you a contender in two years. In my opinion it is more important for a modern day GM to be well versed in player relations and have beneficial relationships with the rest of the GM's in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 The reaction on this Senator fan forum tells me all I need to know... http://hfboards.hock...d.php?t=1550847 Wow, they sound JUST. LIKE. US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJFIVEOH Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I don't get how anyone can get super excited or upset about any of these choices unless you were in the interview process with them, or know for a fact exactly what their responsibilities were with the previous teams and what they actually influenced/had a hand in with the previous teams. We are talking about assistant GMs and heads of scouting, not proven GMs with track records of running teams before. Just because Benning was part of the Bruins front office Staff when they won the cup doesn't mean he knows how to build a winner, or that he will make a good GM, he could have been a gopher getting the GM his coffee or filing scouting reports and making phone calls for all we know. Same with Tim Murray. For all we know, those guys could have also been the masterminds behind their teams success with the guys ahead of them being the figureheads who took the glory. The only way I would use the teams record, playoff success, or cup wins to judge either of these guys is if they were the guys in charge making all the decisions. Until we see what whomever is chosen can do when given the title and control of a franchise, i will reserve judgement on which one is the better choice. Either way, I will stay say its an upgrade over the last idiot in charge.............. I was typing my response when you posted this. I agree, good post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doohickie Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Well, it was from Harrington, so take it with however much salt you like: http://www.buffalone...murray-20140107 Notice how he uses the word "apparently" -- I interpret this as "I don't have any of my own sources on this, but someone else said it, so I'm going to use it." In any case, I doubt we'll ever know whether Benning was the top choice. Exactly. I saw it on Twitter, so I'll use some weasel words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudacek Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Well, Murray gets full marks for Getzlaf and Perry, but Niedermayer and Pronger were the guts of that Cup-winning Ducks team -- and both were acquired after Murray left. I agree, with some chagrin, that the Senators have done a better job transitioning than the Sabres have -- but it seems more of an incremental difference than a quantum-leap difference. The Sens have 4 playoff appearances and 1 series win in the 7 years since Black Sunday as opposed to 2 appearances and zero series wins for the Sabres. I guess I just wanted to see some rings, or some banners, or something that I could feel confident about. This feels more like Dick Jauron than Bill Cowher. Every guy with rings and banners was a first-time winner somewhere. I wanted a younger guy with experience, knowledge, a leader's personality, and a burning desire to build "his" team. Not a retread Dick Jauron would have been Bryan Murray. That's fair. I will say that I would be quite disappointed if LaFontaine chose to forego his top choice because of the timing of the hire--I agree with what Tom Webster said earlier in the thread, that getting the right guy should trump every other concern, even if it means waiting until the offseason. Patty made it pretty clear early on he was willing to wait as long as it took to get his guy, even if it meant waiting for summer. He's had two months to sign Benning or Murray. I doubt Murray is his second choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I think it's fair to get a little excited or down. Not a whole lot, but a little. Looking at their track record of moves and then also just listening to them. Us, as fans, might get excited to hear a guy with more energy in his voice than Darcy "I am tired and beat up and not afraid to show it" Regier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfreeman Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Either way there was a window of time available for the team to interview and hire Benning. That time came in went without him being hired which, to me, is a clear indicator that he wasn't the guy. Especially if he decision came shortly after the window supposedly closed. If they really wanted him then I imagine they could've moved the decision up a few days and got "their guy." I don't see it that way at all. If he was the top candidate, PLF would have interviewed him within the window and then decided whether he was worth waiting for. The fact that he let the window expire tells me he was never a top candidate to begin with. I think the window expiring is kind of a red herring here. The point is that Boston (allegedly) attached conditions to Benning that made it unworkable for PLF, so he walked away from Benning. My concern, based on reports a few days ago from credible sources that Benning was the guy, is the possibility that if those conditions had not been attached, Benning would have been hired. In that scenario, PLF had to settle for his 2nd choice. I would think that too, I think the fans believe this trade deadline is more important/crucial to the franchise then the team does because they want closer on some things and a sign of the future direction sooner rather then later. They want Miller gone now or re-signed cause they don't want things to drag out and risk him leaving for nothing (which could happen if they aren't getting the interest we think he would get in a trade right now for what we think he is worth. They won't higher a guy to be the GM who wants to take this team in a different direction then what PLF, TP, and the guys here want to take the team in, and I would think anyone currently working in an NHL Front office and a top candidate for the position has looked into this team and is well aware of the situation and what they have, they won't need weeks to look over the roster and figure out what they should do. Well, it's pretty reasonable to look at Miller, Moulson and Ott, and their potential return at the deadline, and conclude that this deadline is pretty important for the Sabres. Miller is the team's only star and one of its only good veteran players. Moulson is the team's best goal-scorer -- they're already scoring at an historically low rate -- what happens if he's gone? And Ott is the team captain and a true blood-and-guts warrior. The decisions on whether to try to re-sign these players before the deadline as opposed to trading them will be important ones. And if the decision is to trade any or all of them, we're going to want someone who knows how to run a trade deadline on the scene. If all 3 are traded, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect a total haul in the neighborhood of 2 first-rounders, 2 second-rounders and 2 good prospects -- or more. We wouldn't want the Sabres to undersell themselves on this. I think it's quite possible that PLF may be thinking along these lines. Or, he may have concluded, e.g., that Miller and Moulson are not going to re-sign and thus need to be traded, and that he needs the GM in place for the auction. We'll see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoss Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 The reports, as far as I can remember, were all saying that Benning was a finalist but no decision was done. Maybe, just maybe, this organization is going to take the tight-lipped approach to everything and not tip their hand until the decisions have been made? I really don't think Benning was ever number one. If he was, we'd be seeing him at a press conference or would have already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Well, it's pretty reasonable to look at Miller, Moulson and Ott, and their potential return at the deadline, and conclude that this deadline is pretty important for the Sabres. Miller is the team's only star and one of its only good veteran players. Moulson is the team's best goal-scorer -- they're already scoring at an historically low rate -- what happens if he's gone? And Ott is the team captain and a true blood-and-guts warrior. The decisions on whether to try to re-sign these players before the deadline as opposed to trading them will be important ones. And if the decision is to trade any or all of them, we're going to want someone who knows how to run a trade deadline on the scene. If all 3 are traded, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect a total haul in the neighborhood of 2 first-rounders, 2 second-rounders and 2 good prospects -- or more. We wouldn't want the Sabres to undersell themselves on this. I think it's quite possible that PLF may be thinking along these lines. Or, he may have concluded, e.g., that Miller and Moulson are not going to re-sign and thus need to be traded, and that he needs the GM in place for the auction. Reasonable, but only one interpretation of the situation. We don't know what Miller, Ott, and Moulson have told PLF, and we don't have the data that PLF has to work with. We don't know what the current "blueprint" is for the team going forward, other than to build a cup winner, if not a multiple cup winner. We don't know what the internal assessments are for the team, and how each player fits into the plans for the future. There are too many unknowns right now. What we do know is that all three have not discounted the idea of re-signing; indeed, all three have said they like being in Buffalo despite the struggles. Ott, specifically, has publicly expressed an interest in re-signing. We know that a GM hasn't been announced or hired, and that the Olympics are fast approaching. We know the trade deadline is fast-approaching. We know the Sabres are in desperate need of scoring and that they have three high-profile contracts expiring. Based on what we do know, it seems to me that PLF is not overly concerned with the Miller, Ott, and Moulson contracts, for whatever reason. If he were, I speculate he'd have a GM in here now to start assessing the roster and work on those contracts or trades. And if PLF is not panicking over those contracts, I doubt he is panicking over the hiring of a GM, or how they will build up the roster. The latter suggests that what PLF said initially is still in effect, that he intends on hiring the right GM to get the team where they want it to be. Thankfully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Dwight Drane Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 If that picture shows up on a flyer in the mailboxes of Clarence residents a month after he closes on his house....I'm gonna be pissed...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 Tim Murray to meet with Sabres owner over GM's job Bruce Garrioch ,Ottawa Sun Tim Murray has one hurdle left before being introduced as the GM of the Buffalo Sabres. League sources told the Ottawa Sun the Senators assistant GM is scheduled to meet with owner Terry Pegula and club president Pat LaFontaine Wednesday night to get the stamp of approval to take over the struggling franchise. As the Sun reported first on Monday, Murray is the frontrunner for the job that came open in November when Darcy Regier was fired. If that meeting goes as planned and Pegula agrees with LaFontaine's choice of Murray, then the two sides have to get a contract in place. At this juncture, it appears Murray could be named the team's GM as early as Thursday morning. "The Sabres want somebody with a scouting background and Tim Murray has a strong scouting background," said a league executive Wednesday morning. While the two sides have been trying to get together since Monday, weather issues in Buffalo have delayed the 50-year-old Murray's ability to travel to the city. The club's game against the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday at home was postponed because of a snowstorm. Other candidates -- including Brad Treliving of Phoenix -- have been told they are out of the running. Once Murray's move to Buffalo is official, Senators GM Bryan Murray could promote director of player personnel Pierre Dorion and director of player development Randy Lee into assistant GM roles. Bryan Murray has been working on a contract extension with the Senators that will likely be done by the end of the month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I think the window expiring is kind of a red herring here. The point is that Boston (allegedly) attached conditions to Benning that made it unworkable for PLF, so he walked away from Benning. My concern, based on reports a few days ago from credible sources that Benning was the guy, is the possibility that if those conditions had not been attached, Benning would have been hired. In that scenario, PLF had to settle for his 2nd choice. I don't think this is true. The Benning is the top guy rumor came from Elliotte Friedman, who based it on that Benning skipped the WJC, which he never does and was expected to go, and suddenly skips it. Friedman even apologized for his error of judgement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two or less Posted January 8, 2014 Report Share Posted January 8, 2014 I believe Dorion is their directer of amateur scouting. While I'm with LGR in that I'd be surprised if Ottawa let him leave with Murray, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Murray wanted to replace Devine with his own guy. Me too. And i am sure Murray would love to bring his people with him but i am sure he respect the Sens by not stealing guys. But i don't think that should worry anyone. Our scouting department is the biggest in the league and there is a lot of room for growth. Murray has at his disposal a ton of voices and eyes, and could add if he feels the need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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