Sabres' Murray on "surprisingly quiet" trade scene, "completely unfounded" rumors
/Sabres GM Tim Murray was on Buffalo’s WGR 550 on Wednesday morning.
On if it’s time to have real trade talks, instead of just having people kick tires:
“That would be my intention, but I don’t know if everybody is on the same schedule as I am.
“It’s been quiet, to be frank. It’s been very, very quiet. We’re fairly close to the deadline and I didn’t expect it. I don’t expect every team to be active, but there usually are a small amount of teams that don’t wait for the deadline, that like to get it done before the deadline.
“I’m here in Buffalo. I’ve got a couple of games to see... not with our club. But you go into the office and it has been, I think to me, surprisingly quiet. So people aren’t even kicking tires I guess, is the answer to that question.”
On if it’s fair to say the other 29 GMs know where he stands on the players that he’s open to discussing:
“Yeah. Yeah, I think it is. I don’t like to – there’s been a lot of speculation in the press about which player I’m going to trade and not trade. I think that’s unfair because it’s easy to talk about trading players in fantasy hockey. These guys are men. These guys have families. It’s hard on them. So I try to stay out of the press. I read every day I’m trading Tyler Myers. I read everyday I’m trading this guy or that guy. I don’t know where it comes from, because it doesn’t come from me...
“And I get that. Listen, I understand. I understand everybody has a job to do... You have time to fill. And so does TSN. And so does Sportsnet. And so does ESPN and NHL Network. And I understand that completely. But there are a lot of rumours out there that are completely unfounded, and I just don’t think they’re fair to players and the players’ families.
“In saying that, to go back to answer your question; yes, I think other teams know exactly where I stand. We have to get better. And our better is not today. It’s in the future. So I think they know I’m ready to listen. I’m ready to be a trade partner if it makes sense.
“In saying that though, the amount of rumors that have been out there probably are 50 times more than the conversations I’ve had.”
Source: WGR 550/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey
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