BREAKING: Sabres fire Tim Murray, Dan Bylsma

Yesterday WGR’s Jeremy White said Tim Murray’s meeting with the Pegulas could bring a potential day of reckoning. Well, that day has come.

The Buffalo Sabres have fired both general manager Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma.

Terry Pegula said in his statement -

“After reviewing the past season and looking at the future of our organization, Kim and I have decided to relieve General Manager Tim Murray and Head Coach Dan Bylsma of their duties.

“We want to thank Tim and Dan for their hard work and efforts that they have put in during their tenures with the club. We wish them luck. We have begun the process to fill these positions immediately.”

Murray was hired in January 2014 by then President of Hockey Operations Pat LaFontaine. The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since, but he’s added a handful of big names to the team’s roster, including Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Evander Kane and Ryan O’Reilly.

Bylsma spent two seasons as the Sabres bench boss, totaling a 68-73-23 record. He spent six years with the Pittsburgh Penguins before his stint in Buffalo, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008-’09.

His firing comes a day after Paul Hamilton reported Jack Eichel wasn’t interested in resigning with the Sabres if Bylsma remained the head coach, but Eichel disputed that claim to The Buffalo News later in the day.

The next head coach of the Sabres will be the fifth since Pegula bought the team in 2011.

Pegula will meet with the media to discuss the moves Friday at 10 a.m.

More to come.