News Article: AP: Pegula focused on efficiency; staying on as Sabres President

[PegulasSportsEmpire]

If Eichel leaving forces the Pegulas to cave then that would be the next best scenario. Best case scenario is obviously the Sabres making a fluke Playoff run and us eating crow.

It would suck losing Eichel but it wouldn't be the death of the Franchise. The Oilers recovered from losing Taylor Hall. The Islanders recovered from losing John Tavares.

 

[Bendium]

I really have to laugh at the fear of Eichel forcing a trade. He has more power to force management changes than he does a trade. He is a proven face of the franchise number one center. You will never come even close to breaking even trading such an asset under duress. ROR **cough**cough**. No owner in his right mind would trade him. Especially on a team who's only hope of getting another one is through the draft.

 

[Myllz]

I really have to laugh at the fear of Eichel forcing a trade. He has more power to force management changes than he does a trade. He is a proven face of the franchise number one center. You will never come even close to breaking even trading such an asset under duress. ROR **cough**cough**. No owner in his right mind would trade him. Especially on a team who's only hope of getting another one is through the draft.

True, but does Terry apply? You can make a pretty good argument he's not in his right mind just letting his wife continue on as president when she has no business being in the role.

 

[Chainshot]

I know you're joking but I've been trying to find another team to really root for like I do Buffalo, but those west coast playing times are brutal for us out east.

The teams I've always hated most are Boston and Leafs, but Tamps has taken that spot for me these past few years with how dirty they've been. I live in NY but can't get myself to root for the Rangers with Anthony Deangelo on the team. I've tried rooting for the Islanders, but I'm not sure how well run of an organization they are. Seems like another Sabres-like team who may make the playoffs once in a while but will never be a serious threat.

So I guess I have to try to be a Hurricanes fan? I do like the team but the owner seems insane and won't pay anyone -- that must be extremely frustrating as a fan. And will be even more so every time he dismantles a successful team every few years to get cheaper talent.

Hurricanes in the East due to ties to Greensboro and I think Seattle and Vegas in the West for now for me. It is so hard to like this franchise right now.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Hurricanes in the East due to ties to Greensboro and I think Seattle and Vegas in the West for now for me. It is so hard to like this franchise right now.

BURN IN HELL

 

[Fjordy]

Can Pegula tell Botterill to trade for Gaudreau?

 

[Chainshot]

BURN IN HELL

Only team to give me comp tickets (thanks Kevin Dineen!) and they used to come into my workplace often in the late ‘90’s.

 

[PegulasSportsEmpire]

Yeesh. This message board has jumped the shark.

I could never root for Carolina because I'm still bitter about 2006.

Should Hockey return this year the team I will root for is Edmonton. The team that was lost in the wilderness for over a decade just like the Sabres. The team that was wasting their generational talent (Hall, McDavid) like how the Sabres are wasting Eichel.

 

[hizzoner]

If Sabres continue to suck I will just concentrate on college and junior hockey and lurk until my psyche can handle watching them again.

 

[Ehran]

Living in Texas the closest NHL team is Dallas....

... so I'll be rooting for Vegas in this years klustermess.

 

[brian_griffin]

At this point I think Eichel knows who he is dealing with. If Jack wanted to force his way out he could quite easily. He already has ROR as an example to follow.

An accidental leak from his agent that Jack is fed up with busting his ass for incompetent management would do the trick.

Or a 12-pack and an early AM ride with a buddy in a late model pickup truck to a donut shop.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

The people scoffing at Eichel forcing a trade out of town ....... i can't even.

When your top player, the leader of your team, is so unhappy that he demands a trade he has to be traded, the 'we have you under contract for 6 more years, you will not be traded' stance makes the situation even worse for player and the team as a whole. And the 'hang in here with us Jack we're going to get better soon, look, it's a situation where Tage Thompson was having a great season in Rochester and Casey Mittelstadt is playing in all situations down there and Dylan Cozens led the WHL in PPG ...' after 6 years of utter futility that sh*t would just make him more determined to get the hell out, Eichel is an eyeball roller, I can only imagine what he looked like listening to Botterill's end of season presser a few weeks ago. And the same when he read Kim Pegula's bullsh*t. He's not wrong to want out. He's put his best foot forward, done everything he can - it's the team that's failed him.

I want him traded if they don't make the playoffs next season because I want out of this sports fan's nightmare - I will take my allegiance to whatever team Jack goes to. The Pegulas have used up every bit of goodwill this team had for me. It's over.

 

[sabremike]

Only team to give me comp tickets (thanks Kevin Dineen!) and they used to come into my workplace often in the late ‘90’s.

Please tell me more (Dineen is one of my all time hockey heroes).

 

[Zman5778]

It would suck losing Eichel but it wouldn't be the death of the Franchise. The Oilers recovered from losing Taylor Hall. The Islanders recovered from losing John Tavares.

......the Oilers didn't lose Hall. They traded him because they had some guy named Connor McDavid. They didn't even have to recover from "losing" Hall. At all.

The 2nd sentence is also quite dubious. It's not like the Islanders were really any good with JT. And they had a pretty solid core of talent and great coaching to offset the loss of JT.

If the Sabres lose Eichel, this franchise is toast for a minimum of 5 years. We have very little real talent behind him. We don't have a HOF coach. We have a crap GM.

 

[Zman5778]

because I want out of this sports fan's nightmare

If you want out, then leave. No one is forcing you to be a fan of the Sabres.

My interest in the team has diminished greatly right now, and I think that's natural. And if you or anyone else wants to be done with the Sabres....go for it! It's your prerogative...it's your life! Do what makes you happy! And if the Sabres are dragging you down too much, be done with them!!!

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Not that easy. The Sabres have always been an important part of my life, unfortunately I'm not a billionaire so their fate isn't in my hands. The Pegulas have DESTROYED something I love, 9 years out of the playoffs is DESTRUCTION. You can't just decide to be a fan of a new team, it has to come naturally.

I am as big a fan as there is of Jack Eichel, if he goes to another team I know I will become a fan immediately and it won't feel phony. I try to become a fan of other teams, in the playoffs I do find myself finding teams that I really get invested in like I do with the Sabres but then the next regular season comes around and I don't care about them - a few years ago it was Winnipeg for me.

 

[sabremike]

......the Oilers didn't lose Hall. They traded him because they had some guy named Connor McDavid. They didn't even have to recover from "losing" Hall. At all.

The 2nd sentence is also quite dubious. It's not like the Islanders were really any good with JT. And they had a pretty solid core of talent and great coaching to offset the loss of JT.

If the Sabres lose Eichel, this franchise is toast for a minimum of 5 years. We have very little real talent behind him. We don't have a HOF coach. We have a crap GM.

The Islanders were saved by the miracle of having the greatest coach since, well, Al Arbour fall right in their laps who was able to perform miracles with a badly flawed roster.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

[QUOTE

I want him traded if they don't make the playoffs next season because I want out of this sports fan's nightmare - I will take my allegiance to whatever team Jack goes to. The Pegulas have used up every bit of goodwill this team had for me. It's over.[/QUOTE]

He's not going anywhere unless you got another big star back. It's that simple. Has to be Turgeon/Lafontaine deal.That's it.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Eichel won’t be here a year from now.

Take that to the bank.

Maybe that will be the team I start to follow when he does go.

I'll pull this up on June 12, 2021 and start laughing. You people and Eichel leaving. Just stop.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

He doesn't want to leave but if he misses the playoffs again there is a very good chance he leaves. If you think the Pegulas can force him to stay because there's a long term contract, you are sadly mistaken.

Again I will ask the question - name me a franchise player in the NHL modern era that has missed the playoffs the first 6 years of his career?

I think Sam Reinhart plays a little bit of a factor in the situation. If Reinhart were traded or is unhappy and headed to UFA there's more reason for Eichel to throw in the towel. I don't think Reinhart is here long term. Of course turning the corner and making the playoffs next year can change that.

 

[Drunkard]

As far as Kim being being team President? I think that will be for about 3 years. I think they have identified some things Jason does well that they like in a GM, but.....organizational leadership is not one of them. That's where Ralph comes in. I believe he will continue to build the team, AND organizational culture until the talent and maturity is in place to really make a run at the cup. Then I would not be supprized to see Ralph take the team president role from Kim, and they hire in a veteran coach to make the push. There is something to be said for having deve3lopmental coaches during rebuilds and game masters for making cup runs.

Ralph Krueger isn't even good at his current job. He certainly doesn't deserve a promotion. Kim may have no business being President but neither does Krueger.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Yeesh. This message board has jumped the shark.

I could never root for Carolina because I'm still bitter about 2006.

Should Hockey return this year the team I will root for is Edmonton. The team that was lost in the wilderness for over a decade just like the Sabres. The team that was wasting their generational talent (Hall, McDavid) like how the Sabres are wasting Eichel.

He was responding to my post where I was specifically wondering who people root for in the east -- I think we all already have our favs in the western conference. But these days I can't stay up that late to watch many of the games, so I was curious who Sabres fans are rooting for in the east.

Do you have a favorite eastern team?

 

[Der Jaeger]

I love watching hockey. But I categorize teams into four bins.

Love: Sabres

Hate: Bruins, Canadiens, Canes, Senators, Philly, Pens

May a vortex of hell hounds descend upon you: Leafs

Don't care: everyone else

I root in the playoffs based on these criteria. I don't have a second team. May the odds be ever in my favor.

 

[Chainshot]

Please tell me more (Dineen is one of my all time hockey heroes).

The short version: he came in to someplace I worked and I recognized him. After saying “hey I know you, your Kevin Dineen!” I immediately asked how his father was doing because Bill had had a heart attack. He was touched so he set me up with will call and I had seats at center ice about 12 rows up for a game against the Rangers.

 

[Buffaloed]

And I also wonder what is up with Terry. He has been nowhere to be seen, and Kim more and more prominent. The more this scale gets tipped, the more I don't like what I see.

He's here somewhere. You're not looking hard enough.