Inside the NHL: Sharks give Hamburg's Quentin Musty marching orders on way back to OHL

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Hamburg native Quentin Musty , taken in the first round at No.

26 overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2023, was making big impressions during the clubs rookie tournament, but it didnt last in main camp.

Musty was sent back to the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League last week, and new San Jose coach Ryan Warsofsky had some specific and pointed critiques with which he sent the big winger out the door.

Hes going to have to work on details in his game, so those bad habits dont creep up again here at next training camp, Warsofsky told Bay Area reporters.

You cant go back to junior and go back to your old habits and think its going to be successful.

Hamburg native Quentin Musty, center, poses with Sharks general manager Mike Grier after the Hamburg native was picked 26th overall in the 2023 NHL draft in Nashville, Tenn.

Musty had no points and was minus-3 in two preseason games after a strong performance that included a hat trick against Anaheim prospects in the Rookie Faceoff at the Los Angeles complex in El Segundo, California.

He played on the power play in that tourney with No.

1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, the No.

4 pick last year.

This is the best thing for his development to go back, play OHL, do really well.

Put up some points, Warsofsky said.

Hes got a list of things he needs to work on and continue to work on that.

Much like the spot Matt Savoie was in last year with the Sabres, Musty really could stand to get the opportunity to play in the AHL.

But at 20, he cant go there yet because of the NHL/CHL agreement.

And thats a shame in this case.

Determined to gain strength and learn from experienced pros, Hamburg native Quentin Musty relocated to Toronto this summer to work with renowned trainer Andy OBrien, whose list of clients includes superstars such as Sidney Crosby.

San Joses AHL team, the Barracuda, works out in the same practice facility, and Tech Cu Arena, its 2-year-old game rink, is connected to it.

Musty thus could have NHL eyes on him all the time, a real plus since there is just not a whole lot hes going to learn in junior anymore.

The game is probably too easy for Musty in the OHL, where he had 43 goals and 102 points in just 53 games last season, and he needs the challenge of some older, more advanced competition.

Warsofsky said Musty has to be stronger along the wall in the NHL and needs to work to dominate in that area in the OHL.

Going to the World Juniors in Ottawa, Ontario, likely will be his biggest test.

The size of the players is different.

You can get away with things (in the OHL) that you cant get away with here, Warsofsky said.

Hes just one of those guys that gets away with some things in junior because of the timing.

The game slows down for him.

Our development staffs going to have to stay on him about certain things that we need to see in his game that will now translate to the pro level.

The Buffalo News caught up with Miller during Sabres practice to discuss the reason for his trip to Prague, the role with San Jose, his future in hockey and how he plans to remain involved in the city he called home for most of his career.

Warsofsky nonetheless said he was happy with Mustys attentiveness in camp.

Even throughout practice, hes asking questions, which is really impressive, which is another step in his development, the coach said.

Sometimes, you dont want to say anything, you dont want to ask Coach anything.

Hes asking questions throughout games, in between periods.

So hes trying to learn.

Sabres, NHLPA meet NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh and top assistant Ron Hainsey were in Prague to start the associations annual meetings with each of the 32 teams.

The Sabres were the first team to go through the sessions, which can head in a variety of directions based on player questions.

This year, a good chunk of time undoubtedly was spent discussing the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off in February, the chance for players to play in the 2026 Olympics in Italy and an accelerated start for negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The new CBA may finally address a badly needed reduction in the preseason, with perhaps an increase in the regular season from 82 to 84 games.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN and the Athletic, one of the games most influential media members, loudly has stumped about these two points for several years, and it feels as though momentum is building for him to get his wish.

The current CBA doesnt expire until September 2026, but Commissioner Gary Bettman said at Tuesdays Board of Governors meeting in New York that the league is interested in starting negotiations as soon as January, and is hopeful of getting a deal by the time the Stanley Cup final starts in June.

That obviously would be very good news, ending any chance of a lockout such as the ones in 2004 and 2012.

So now here we are with a new season, with a Ruff reunion feeling like a bit of a Hail Mary by owner Terry Pegula and embattled general manager Kevyn Adams.

In Lindy We Trust feels like an organizational mantra.

The leagues finances are doing well, as Bettman indicated a way, way, way preliminary salary cap figure for next season might be $92.5 million, up from the $88 million teams can spend this year.

A lot of teams will like that news, and the Sabres are one of them, given the cadre of restricted free agents they have to sign for the 25-26 season that includes JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, Ryan McLeod, Bowen Byram and Devon Levi.

Key 5-on-5 number bodes well Did you realize the Sabres were tied for 12th in the NHL last year in both 5-on-5 goals (174) and 5-on-5 differential (plus-15)? While it didnt feel that way, at times, it really shows the clear mandate for Lindy Ruff and new assistant Seth Appert: Fix the power play.

In the Atlantic Division last year, that plus-15 figure was fourth behind Bostons plus-39, Floridas plus-36 and Torontos plus-32.

Tampa Bay made the playoffs despite being minus-18 at 5-on-5 because it had the leagues No.

1 power play at 28.6%.

Last-place Montreal was only minus-5 at 5-on-5, which was better than the two Atlantic contenders in Detroit (minus-11) and Ottawa (minus-29).

Everyone has more of a chip on their shoulder, says Mattias Samuelsson.

"Its the best league in the world for a reason.

It made some of us young guys, including me, realize how hard it really is to be one of the 16 that gets in.

The Sabres were 29th on the power play last season, while four Atlantic teams were in the top 10: In addition to Tampa Bay, the teams ranked 7-8-9 were Toronto, Florida and Detroit.

A key difference that has to change.

Start of schedule crowns Kings If you want to see a Western Conference team with a crazy schedule, go check out what the Los Angeles Kings are doing right now.

The Kings were scheduled to finish their preseason Saturday night in Quebec City against Florida, with their second exhibition there in three days following Thursdays 4-1 win over Boston.

After a couple of days of practices there, they will come to Buffalo to open their season Thursday night in KeyBank Center and the Sabres home opener is part of a season-opening, seven-game road trip for the visitors.

The Kings leave Buffalo for games in Boston, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal before heading home on Oct.

18.

Theyre back on the road for games in nearby Anaheim (Oct.

20) and Vegas (Oct.

22) before finally getting their home opener in the eighth game of their season, Oct.

24 against San Jose.

One of the Sabres' recent problems trying to make the playoffs has been the strength of the Atlantic Division.

For six straight years, an Atlantic team has played in the Stanley Cup final, remarkable even for a top-heavy grouping.

And remember that theyre going to endure all of this without defensive stalwart Drew Doughty, out on a month-to-month basis after surgery to repair a fractured ankle suffered in a preseason game last week.

Long day for Ferraro ESPN announced Thursday that top analyst Ray Ferraro is going to try to call two of the three games on the networks opening night tripleheader.

Ferraro will be between the benches for the 4:30 p.m.

game that has St.

Louis at Seattle, and will head directly to the airport to try to make the Utah Hockey Clubs 10 p.m.

inaugural game against Chicago in Salt Lake City.

Im pumped to do it, Ferraro said on a network conference call.

It came out of an offhanded conversation at lunch one day that Hey, that would be neat to do two games on the first day, and the good folks put it together at ESPN, and I get to do it.

Im really excited to do it.

ESPN is going full throttle on the Utah opener, sending its studio crew to a set outside the Delta Center and having one inside the rink, as it would do for a Stanley Cup final game.

Theres an outdoor concert, and fans are being invited, so the atmosphere is akin to College Gameday, the networks iconic Saturday football pregame show.

Mersch calls it a career As expected, Michael Mersch made his retirement official last week after four strong seasons in Rochester where he became the captain and one of the most beloved veteran Amerks in recent times.

The breakthrough began in January and carried through the rest of the season, earning Luukkonen a four-year contract extension and strengthening his hold on the Sabres starting job.

Mersch, 32, is returning to his native Illinois to spend more time with family.

He played 17 games with the Kings in 2015-16, scoring one goal, and had an AHL career that consisted of 597 regular-season games and 68 more in the playoffs, including a Calder Cup title in 2015 with Manchester.

Appert loved Merschs leadership skills with all the young Sabres prospects in the Amerks locker room, and it helped lead Rochester to three straight playoff berths.

Mersch was captain for three years, and his best season with the Amerks was 2021-22, when he set career-highs in goals (26), assists (28) and points (54), while placing second on the team in goals and third in points.

Around the boards Adams sat down with The Buffalo News for a conversation about the NHL's salary cap for next season, the process that led to Rasmus Dahlin being named team captain last week and several other topics as the Sabres inch closer to their Global Series back-to-back series in O2 arena on Friday and Saturday.

Said center Noah Ostlund of Leone: Hes been very good.

I think he has came up with great ideas on how to play, and I think we have handled it well, too.

So its been great.

As previously announced by the NCAA, the 2025 Frozen Four will be held in St.

Louis Enterprise Center, and the 2026 event should be quite a time at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

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