With the March 2 NHL trade deadline fast approaching, Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray says the market might not be as busy as people think.
“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,” Murray told Buffalo radio station WGR 550 Wednesday. “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…It has, to me, been surprisingly quiet. People aren’t even kicking tires.”
The Sabres are currently dead last in the NHL standings and are expected to be sellers at the deadline. A number of Buffalo players’ names have been out there in trade rumours this season, including forwards Chris Stewart and Torrey Mitchell, plus defenceman Tyler Myers and pending UFA goalies Michal Neuvirth and Jhonas Enroth.
Murray said nothing is immanent on the trade front and that deals are more difficult to complete than many people think.
“It’s easy to talk about trading players in fantasy hockey (but) these guys are men. These guys have families. It’s hard on them,” Murray explained. “I read every day I’m trading Tyler Myers, I’m trading this guy, that guy…There are a lot of rumours out there that are completely unfounded…
“I think other teams know exactly where I stand. We have to get better and our better is not today. Our better is in the future, so I think they know that I’m ready to listen and be a trade partner if that makes sense. In saying that, though, the amount of rumours that have been out there are probably about 50 times more than the conversations I’ve had.”
The Sabres are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames Tuesday and visit the Edmonton Oilers Thursday in a battle of basement dwellers.
