Despite the interest, the Blues don't appear to be shopping the 31-year-old as earlier this month general manager Doug Armstrong stated he could see both Elliott and Jake Allen back with the team next season.
Elliott posted the second-best save percentage of his career this season (.930) along with a commendable 2.07 goals-against average.
"This is a situation that just had to happen at this time," Murray said of the deal that saw Andersen head east to the Toronto Maple Leafs for two draft picks - a first-round pick in 2016 and a second-round pick in 2017.
"There was no avoiding it," he added.
Bob Murray says he was dreading possibility that he might have to choose between Gibson/Andersen, but Andersen contract talks prevented it.
Andersen was a restricted free agent Monday morning, while John Gibson, who split the Ducks' crease with Andersen, is signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of $2.3 million. It's Gibson's net now.
Andersen's a No. 1 now, too, with Toronto locking him up to a five-year deal worth a reported $25 million.
The 23-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 15 and he still intends to do so, his agent said according to WKBW's Nick Filipowski.
Vesey was originally signed by the Nashville Predators in the third-round in 2012, but the North Reading, MA native elected not to sign with the club after playing out his entire college career at Harvard. The decision ruffled the feathers of the Predators, and caused a confrontation of sorts between the two camps back in March.
In the meantime, the Sabres will have roughly two months to sway Vesey, lest he hit the open market and sign wherever he chooses.
NEW YORK, N.Y. - The New York Rangers have traded the rights to veteran defenceman Keith Yandle to Florida for the Panthers' sixth-round pick in Friday's NHL draft.
The Rangers said Monday they would also receive a fourth-round pick in the 20...
The New York Rangers traded the rights to defenseman Keith Yandle to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a sixth-rounder pick in 2016 plus a conditional fourth-round pick in 2017 if he signs with the Panthers. SPECTOR’S NOTE: Interesting move by the Panthers, who traded away Erik Gudbranson last month to the Vancouver Canucks. They […]
Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray is giving it his best shot at landing the best player in college hockey.
His club acquired the rights to this season's Hobey Baker Award winner - Jimmy Vesey - and while there is no guarantee Vesey will choose to sign with the Sabres, Murray feels his team could be desirable to the 23-year-old.
"Why not us?" Murray said, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. "Why not give it a shot? We have a spot in our top six for him. We had four third-round picks."
Murray acquired Vesey's rights in exchange for a third-round pick in this year's draft, which was acquired in the trade that sent forward Jamie McGinn to the Anaheim Ducks.
"If I could've traded Jamie McGinn for Vesey's rights at deadline, I'd have done it," said Murray. "We'll give it our best shot."
Murray spoke to Vesey's agent Peter Fish to inform him of trade. Fish also reps Sabre Jack Eichel. Sabres/Pegula/Murray will make a pitch.
Vesey has gone public saying the Boston Bruins would be on his list of potential places to sign, while the Toronto Maple Leafs have been another team speculated, given his dad works as a scout with the team.
In return, the Rangers will receive a sixth-round pick and a conditional fourth-round selection if Yandle signs with the Panthers, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.
The deal comes as no surprise. Earlier in the week, it was reported that both sides had not begun contract talks, even with the 29-year-old set to become a UFA on July 1.
In his first full season with the Rangers, Yandle led the team's blue-liners with 47 points in 82 games.
While the Dubs bested those Bulls' NBA record for regular-season victories this year, we'll always live in a world where many - rightly or wrongly - believe these sorts of marks are only legitimized with a championship.
The 2015-16 Warriors will not win a championship to punctuate their historic 73-9 season, and in failing to do so join a select company of sports franchises that set records for regular-season dominance - only to come up short of their ultimate goal. And with the Warriors joining that club now, it's happened in each of the so-called "big four" North American professional team sports.
2007 New England Patriots
Regular season record: 16-0 End result: Lost Super Bowl
Sure, it took David Tyree making one of the most ridiculous catches in NFL history to secure victory, but the New York Giants' 17-14 upset over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII ensured that no team to date would go undefeated through both a 16-game schedule and the postseason. The 1972 Miami Dolphins went unbeaten in a 14-game slate and three playoff games.
The Patriots' final tally in 2007-08: 18-1, and no Vince Lombardi Trophy.
2001 Seattle Mariners
Regular season record: 116-46 End result: Lost ALCS
Led by a 27-year-old rookie from Japan named Ichiro Suzuki, the 2001 Mariners surpassed the New York Yankees' previous Major League Baseball record for regular-season wins while posting a run differential of +300 and a MLB-best ERA.
The Yankees' pitching out-dueled them in the American League Championship Series, however, with New York players and fans riding the emotion from a still-raw 9/11 to a five-game victory and a World Series appearance. The Mariners haven't returned to the postseason since.
1996 Detroit Red Wings
Regular season record: 62-13-7 (131 points) End result: Lost Western Conference final
Points are generally the benchmark stat for winning in hockey, and the '95-'96 Red Wings came up one short of the league's all-time record (132 by the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens). But these Wings posted more regular-season victories (62) than any other team in NHL history, only to fall in six games to the Colorado Avalanche in the West final.
All was not lost though. The Red Wings bounced back the following season to end a 42-year Stanley Cup drought and win their first of three mugs in six seasons.
The deal should pay Andersen close to $5.5-million per season, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Andersen figures to be the long-term answer the Leafs have been searching for in goal, with James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier splitting the duties over the past three seasons. The 26-year-old Danish netminder posted a .919 save percentage and a 2.30 goals-against average with the Ducks last season.
Lamoriello on Andersen contract: "He has to know that he's our No. 1 goaltender."
Bernier remains under contract for another season at $4.1 million, a heavy price for a backup. Andersen should offer a significant upgrade and put an end to the rotating system Toronto has been recently employing in the crease.
