Confirmed Signing with Link: [BUF] Taylor Hall signs with the Sabres (1 year, $8M) Part 2

[Treb]

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Part 1 - Confirmed Signing with Link: - [BUF] Taylor Hall signs with the Sabres (1 year, $8M)

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[CapSpace]

What a clown.

This guy doesn't care about winning but cares about more money.

Enjoy sucking... again!

 

[sabres_phan]

Eat it haters! lol

 

[East Coast Icestyle]

I wonder if pressure from NHLPA for contract $ is still an issue. I remember reading lots and lots of articles about that over the years and that could've also helped influence his decision. If a... well, let's face it, he's a star with a superstar season under his belt... signs for the 6.5m (a 500k raise 6 years later when he's outperformed his contract and cap has risen) then what sort of implications do the NHLPA tell him and his agent it'd have?

I still think this move isn't as dumb as people think but I wonder if that was a factor at all.

 

[DropTheGloves]

Have you talked to him? I seriously doubt he's already planning a TDL move in his head.

Let me paint you a picture: TDL time, Sabres out of the playoffs by 5 points and things aren't looking all that great. But Eichel and Hall have been on fire and Hall is on a pace for a 100 point season.

1) Hall can ride the season out with his buddy Jack and keep things going offensively, down the stretch is some of the best time to play loose offensive hockey if you're out of it. You could still also make the playoffs with a strong finish with a team you've been invested in for months to justify your decision even if its not looking likely. Move to Boston or something could be on the table, but on the other hand you don't know how the fit is going to be over there and on a personal level you risk a disappointing finish to a season that could've otherwise been a monster year with that next contract in mind.

2) Adams could shop Hall, but at the same time he loses his leverage of trying to keep him long-term. And even if he does decide to put him out there, does Hall accept a trade to the team that gives the Sabres the type of return Adams feels is enough to justify losing that leverage i mentioned?

The way i see it, this is way more complicated than just saying "oh, he's just gonna get traded". It's always an option as a last resort if things don't work out at all of course, but you get the point.

I brought this very possibility up on the Oilers board. Hall might control his destination if traded, but that assumes Buffalo will want to. If they're anywhere close to the playoffs I think they go for it- what message does it send to the fans otherwise?- and there goes Hall's 5D chess move of money + move to a contender.

If the Sabres then go on to miss, Hall is in the same boat as he was coming to into this off-season: a regular season performer on mediocre teams with 14 total career playoff games to his name. The cap situation won't automatically improve for any of the teams who he might've wanted to play for this year, so that's out. What's he managed to accomplish, then, outside of padding his bank account?

Hall's thinking here is just baffling. To choose $1.5 million more in salary over playing for a legitimate contender really brings into focus what his priorities are. I have to think GMs around the league will take notice and act accordingly next summer when looking to spend what money they do have.

 

[heilongjetsfan]

tldr:
Evil villian driven by greed latches his tentacles onto the poor Pegulas' credit line.

AKA

The story of a city slicker willing to take a chance on a small town with a big dream.

 

[kerrabria]

anybody else think it's unwise for a player with his injury history to bank on one season of racking up enough points to earn a fat retirement contract?

 

[ICanMotteBelieveIt]

Didn't he want to sign for a contending team?

 

[Prettyisland]

It’s the place he can get the most amount of points with the least amount of playoff accountability. Halls a good player but man does this scream dweeb.

should have took 6 mill from the aves won a cup and got paid. Instead he will feed off JE and get paid no matter the result. no drive

 

[CutOnDime97]

Guys gambling on himself. Love it.

Think the TDL thing is real. Makes sense for Hall and Buffalo as a plan B. Or he just goes off playing with Eichel and they have a decent year.

 

[ICanMotteBelieveIt]

I wonder how many teams he will help get #1 pick in the draft before he retires.

He has made countless millions, if he's going to sign for 1 year he might as well take less and try to win the cup.v

He's barely been in the playoffs during his tenure in the NHL. You play to win, so where's the hunger?

I'd be vary to sign him for more than 4 years. His body is weak and his mentality is a huge questionmark and the rumours has it that he's an asshole.

What a disappointing career so far.

 

[Paxon]

I don't know why so many need to provide convoluted or maximal motivations to his choice. Maybe it is as simple as he found a place where he is is comfortable while getting good money in a crazy off-season. It isn't as if the Sabres, despite their well-earned laughingstock status, are a legit bottom feeder with no playoff hopes. He either plays with one of the best players in the game or a still very good Staal. He clearly has a legitimate fondness for his former coach Krueger for one thing. Then he gets to reevaluate everything next off-season. To make it that he simply rejected winning and is only motivated by money is assuming a lot, even if it could be true.

Also, Buffalo ain't gonna try to trade.him at the deadline unless they are totally buried in the playoff race. They can not afford to snow even slim playoff hopes in an effort to hold on to found money by turning it into picks.

 

[Waivers]

Whatever it takes to keep Eichel.

 

[Paxon]

anybody else think it's unwise for a player with his injury history to bank on one season of racking up enough points to earn a fat retirement contract?

What kind of money could he have gotten long-term? Probably not much or he'd have taken it. So I don't think it is so much banking on that as the situation nearly necessitating it. Almost every deal signed this off-season has not been long-term.

 

[ItWasJustified]

I wonder if pressure from NHLPA for contract $ is still an issue. I remember reading lots and lots of articles about that over the years and that could've also helped influence his decision. If a... well, let's face it, he's a star with a superstar season under his belt... signs for the 6.5m (a 500k raise 6 years later when he's outperformed his contract and cap has risen) then what sort of implications do the NHLPA tell him and his agent it'd have?

I still think this move isn't as dumb as people think but I wonder if that was a factor at all.

If the NHLPA puts pressure on players to take ''market value'' dollars, the NHLPA should be dissolved immediately.

Didn't he want to sign for a contending team?

"I think, honestly, it's probably all winning," the Arizona Coyotes forward said Friday when asked what was most important.

 

[ICanMotteBelieveIt]

Rumour has it Sakic offered him 1 year with a $6.5M AAV.

If this is true he needs to fire his agent. He'd be a great fit on Colorado, he would've been surrounded by better players and he would've had a very good chance of winning the cup.

 

[Ulysses31]

on a 1 year deal figured would be 12 mil plus

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Guys gambling on himself. Love it.

Think the TDL thing is real. Makes sense for Hall and Buffalo as a plan B. Or he just goes off playing with Eichel and they have a decent year.

Gambling on what?

 

[CutOnDime97]

Gambling on what?

A lot of points. Cap going up. Get a nice long term contract.

 

[SotasicA]

This makes sense for Hall. If no top contender has space right now, they might at the deadline.

And the best way to make sure you are available at the TDL is to sign with Buffalo.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Sabres have made some serious moves, yet people are still laughing at them....
Loads of hockey fans gonna be hugely surprised and gonna eat crow next season.

- UPL at the net as the starter, the best goalie outside NHL after Askarov
- Jack Eichel, Eric Staal, Cody Eakin as the top 9 center trio
- Rasmus Dahlin, Henri Jokiharju, Rasmus Ristolainen, Brandon Montour, Brian McCabe as the top 5 D
- Taylor Hall-Jack Eichel-Victor Olofsson is a potential top tier 1st line and ranks really high vs any NHL team
- You put Jeff Skinner with someone as super talented as like Eric Staal is, as the 2nd line duo and perhaps
add 6 foot 6 all around player Tage Thompson with them
- And you still have quality bottom 6, important PK players like Girgensons, Okposo, Rieder, Lazar,
and Asplund, who can play in the top 6 as well, if necessary

I have no idea why people are laughing at the Sabres. That 2020-21 roster looks really well built, top to bottom.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

Rumour has it Sakic offered him 1 year with a $6.5M AAV.

If this is true he needs to fire his agent. He'd be a great fit on Colorado, he would've been surrounded by better players and he would've had a very good chance of winning the cup.

You don't seem to get it. He didn't want to win. He wanted a place to prop HIS stats up for next year.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I don't know why so many need to provide convoluted or maximal motivations to his choice.

It's simply because letting people know "winning is my #1 priority" multiple times publicly doesn't match with what he ended up doing.

If he stayed diplomatic and just kept saying we'll see what happens then there would be much less confusion.

There's nothing wrong with picking a location you're comfortable with but if it's a short-term deal regardless and he's not committing to something for the long haul Colorado and Columbus fit his narrative much better. Signing a 1 year deal with a team that's missed the playoffs 9 years in a row makes people wonder about the reasons why.

Of course players change their minds but yeah, it's understandable why people would analyze this.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

This makes sense for Hall. If no top contender has space right now, they might at the deadline.

And the best way to make sure you are available at the TDL is to sign with Buffalo.

He has a NMC and a NTC.

 

[Paxon]

You don't seem to get it. He didn't want to win. He wanted a place to prop HIS stats up for next year.

Why wouldn't he have propped his stats up in Colorado? As if he wouldn't get a ton of playing time and some alchemy of elite linemates/lesser competition.