Friedman on Sabres' Stewart, Predators, Flames, Bruins, Senators
/Elliotte Friedman was on Edmonton’s 630 CHED on Friday afternoon.
On Chris Stewart:
“Chris Stewart is one of the most frustrating players in the entire league. Because he has the gifts. He’s a gifted player. He has the size. He has power. He has skill. He’s not the fastest guy in the world, but he can get there. And it’s always been motivation.
“You look at teams that have had him. Colorado gave up on him. St. Louis gave up on him. And now Buffalo is about to give up on him.
“He had a game this year against Boston where he picked a fight against Milan Lucic, and there’s no question why he did that. He wanted to show the Bruins, ‘I’m worth getting.’
“Part of it has been his salary, as a guy making $4.25 million. That’s a lot easier for teams to absorb later in the year, as opposed to the beginning. Part of it I think is what Tim Murray was asking for at the beginning of the year. But I think that now it’s almost like just a couple of not big prospects can get this done, but teams just aren’t sure.
“Nashville was looking at him. Calgary is obviously looking at him. Boston has been looking at him. Ottawa has been looking at him. He’s a polarizing player, and it’s particularly because of what you said about last night. He doesn’t look like he gives a lot of effort on a lot of nights.
“This is the kind of guy – if he was able to be 50 percent better than he is, he’d be locked up long-term at pretty good money. But teams are very wary of him.”
Also:
“If I was him, I’d be looking at it and saying, ‘If I have any kind of run here at the end of the season, I’m going to turn it into some good money.’
“But he just doesn’t seem to have it in him.”
Source: 630 CHED/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey
Related: Friedman: Will Sabres' Hodgson be a buyout candidate?
Related: Sabres' Murray expects "fair amount of trades at the wire"
Related: Murray open to trading Sabres' later 2015 first round draft picks