On the Buffalo Sabres …
Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News: Sabres GM Tim Murray will be having meeting with owner Terry Pegula in the next few days.
Both Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma have three years left on their deals, with Bylsma making $3 million a season. Pegula may not be interested in paying Bylsma that much to not coach.
John Vogl of the Buffalo News: At Murray’s season ending press conference, he couldn’t comment on KHL free agent defenseman Viktor Antipin as he was still playing.
On the New York Islanders …
Arthur Staple of Newsday: Islanders owners Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky could have made some big moves with their management, but it appears GM Garth Snow will remain in charge. The interim tag was removed from Doug Weight last week as he was named their head coach. Malkin and Ledecky are thinking about John Tavares and a long-term contract extension.
There had been talk of ownership wanting to bring in a president of hockey operations but they either weren’t able to find the right candidate or they were happy enough at the way the season ended, 24-12-4 over their last 40 games.
Newsday learned they offered Wayne Gretzky the role a few months ago but he obviously declined. Ownership had been trying to bring Tavares’ agent Pat Brisson into the organization all season.
Tavares is eligible for a contract extension after July 1st, and he will likely let them know in the next few weeks if he’s interested in signing one. He could look for an eight-year deal at more than $10 million a season.
If he’s not interested, Snow would likely look to trade him before the start of next season.
The Islanders could use a No. 2 center behind Tavares and could look to move one of their established defenseman to get one. They could end up losing a defenseman in the expansion draft.
