If Buffalo won the draft lottery and you were the projected #1 pick in the draft, would you sign?

[Love]

Let’s say you’re in Beniers’, Hughes’, Clarke’s shoes (whoever gets drafted 1st overall) and Buffalo is the team picking you. Do you pull a Lindros? Should a player not have a say in going to work in a toxic work environment for the next 7 years? You’re essentially throwing at least half your career away.

If it were me, I honestly think I might. The only thing holding me back is I want to know what would happen if I did that. When could I sign with a different team? Would I be Sabres property for 4 years? There’s no easy way around the Sabres Problem, but if you’re a promising young prospect starting his NHL career and you see what’s going on with Eichel and Reinhart, you wouldn’t want to be there. Even look at Dahlin... he was supposed to be a generational defenceman. I guess he still could be but it looks like he too has fallen ill to the Sabres way.

Click to read more...

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Yeah I want money

 

[EXTRAS]

Lol

 

[AB13]

A good new coach changes everything and automatically makes Buffalo a playoff candidate. Bring in a good new coach with a functional system and Buffalo still have great potential, their roster isn't bad on paper. Their drafting, trades and roster building have not even been that bad. They just consistently hire horrendous coaches (especially Krueger who halted the development of the very talented generation they have coming through).

 

[Peasy]

A good new coach changes anything and automatically makes Buffalo a playoff candidate. Bring in a good new coach with a functional system and Buffalo still have great potential, their roster isn't bad on paper. Their drafting, trades and roster building have not even been that bad. They just consistently hire horrendous coaches (especially Krueger who halted the development of the very talented generation they have coming through).

I'll believe it when I see it. Do you know how long people have been saying this for?

 

[Sweetpotato]

If it were me I'd quietly with my agent have a conversation with the GM that I don't want to be drafted by Buffalo. Honestly nothing against the city/fans I just wouldn't want to get into that team.

Now if they've obviously replaced the front office ala Edmonton with Holland or Toronto with Lou etc I wouldn't have a problem if I felt things were headed in the right direction.

Hypothetically if I was a prospect in this draft and Buffalo hired Gorton, Richardson and someone like Boudreau or Gallant tomorrow id be fine.

 

[Thorton02]

No draft pick can comprehend how horrible Buffalo is right now. It has to be experienced for multiple years for the level of ineptitude to really sink in. I don't think we have to worry about signing our prospects. It's resigning them and getting free agents that will be the problem.

 

[sufferer]

I'll believe it when I see it. Do you know how long people have been saying this for?

Keyword: good.

 

[EichHart]

 

[Gabrielor]

If we get this far, signing players at all no longer matters.

Best case is the Pegulas have to sell the team.

Worst case is Bettman has to get involved and then who knows.

Not signing one top pick will pale in comparison to Buffalo going the way of Quebec.

I can't imagine any other fanbases are so petty that they'd want Buffalo to lose their hockey team.

 

[lawrence]

Of course. What's the issue? it's a struggling team chances are I was going to go a struggling team anyways unless the 14th seeded team won the 1st pick, which would be stupid, but I would sign with whoever drafts me.

 

[Bevans]

Let’s say you’re in Beniers’, Hughes’, Clarke’s shoes (whoever gets drafted 1st overall) and Buffalo is the team picking you. Do you pull a Lindros? Should a player not have a say in going to work in a toxic work environment for the next 7 years? You’re essentially throwing at least half your career away.

If it were me, I honestly think I might. The only thing holding me back is I want to know what would happen if I did that. When could I sign with a different team? Would I be Sabres property for 4 years? There’s no easy way around the Sabres Problem, but if you’re a promising young prospect starting his NHL career and you see what’s going on with Eichel and Reinhart, you wouldn’t want to be there. Even look at Dahlin... he was supposed to be a generational defenceman. I guess he still could be but it looks like he too has fallen ill to the Sabres way.

This is a silly premise in a normal draft. In a draft with no clear consensus this is even worse. You need enormous leverage to pull this off and benefit from it (Lindros).

Every team knows their run could end at any time: see San Jose.

Why risk drafting a guy that says he's a fair weather teammate and doesn't want to be "the guy" who saves a franchise?

In this years draft that kind of stunt could drop you 5 spots no problem.

NHL is cyclic. 10-15 years ago Buffalo, Ottawa and SJ were powerhouses. A few years ago Colorado was absolute rock bottom. This too shall pass.

 

[Peasy]

Keyword: good.

And?

People perceived Krueger to be a "good" coach when he was hired...

 

[nbwingsfan]

Yes.

Wasn't long ago this exact same question was asked about Edmonton and a little further back Pittsburgh.

Yes it may have taken a generational player to get them on track, but they still figured it out.

Refusing to sign before you even play an NHL game just screams entitlement to me.

 

[StreetHawk]

Let’s say you’re in Beniers’, Hughes’, Clarke’s shoes (whoever gets drafted 1st overall) and Buffalo is the team picking you. Do you pull a Lindros? Should a player not have a say in going to work in a toxic work environment for the next 7 years? You’re essentially throwing at least half your career away.

If it were me, I honestly think I might. The only thing holding me back is I want to know what would happen if I did that. When could I sign with a different team? Would I be Sabres property for 4 years? There’s no easy way around the Sabres Problem, but if you’re a promising young prospect starting his NHL career and you see what’s going on with Eichel and Reinhart, you wouldn’t want to be there. Even look at Dahlin... he was supposed to be a generational defenceman. I guess he still could be but it looks like he too has fallen ill to the Sabres way.

drafted players have next to little power unless they are a Lindros/McDavid level talent.

None of that applies to the 2021 draft class.

But, when talking about Buffalo, I would recommend to all young players, like Dahlin, to not do term with the Sabres coming off your ELC. Be like Reinhart and put yourself in a position where the club needs to move you after 6 seasons since you are prepared to go to arbitration and get a 1 year deal and leave as a UFA if things don't turn around.

 

[sufferer]

And?

People perceived Krueger to be a "good" coach when he was hired...

He wasn't good, though. Good coaches make a difference.

 

[AB13]

He wasn't good, though. Good coaches make a difference.

More of a difference than people like to think. Buffalo absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, have a better roster than lets say, the Islanders.

 

[2 others]

Pegula still with Buffalo? - f*** no, i sit out.
Pegula gone? - Alrighty, let's win championships.

 

[Peasy]

More of a difference than people like to think. Buffalo absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, have a better roster than lets say, the Islanders.

But that doesnt mean Barry Trotz would turn them into a team better than the Islanders.

The teams are made up of completely different types of players.

 

[AB13]

But that doesnt mean Barry Trotz would turn them into a team better than the Islanders.

The teams are made up of completely different types of players.

It was just an example and I am not even a huge fan of Trotz, but I definately think he would put Buffalo a level above the Islanders, without a doubt. Buffalo have more talent than half of the teams in this league and a nice balance of different skillsets on their roster.

 

[Calad]

If I'm a projected 1st OA pick and the Sabres win the lottery, at the very least I call up Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhardt and ask them their opinion about whats going on so I would know what I'm getting into.

 

[StreetHawk]

If I'm a projected 1st OA pick and the Sabres win the lottery, at the very least I call up Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhardt and ask them their opinion about whats going on so I would know what I'm getting into.

Doesn't really do you any good. If you are one of the Michigan Wolverines, are you going to play out your final 3 years in the NCAA and try to hit UFA? Giving up a couple of years of NHL salary as you still need to do 2 years of ELC after you finish your NCAA career.

Like I said, these kids are not elite prospects in the scope of McDavid/Matthews/ and future drafts of Wright/Bedard. Best they can do is not sign for Term when they finish their ELC (assuming that they don't suffer any serious injuries on their ELC). Do a bridge and evaluate whether you want to commit any UFA years to them afterwards. There is very little leverage that these kids have.

Maybe they end up forcing their way out like PLD did if they perform well on their ELC and up their trade value. But, you pretty much have to sign an ELC with Buffalo.

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

Doesn't really do you any good. If you are one of the Michigan Wolverines, are you going to play out your final 3 years in the NCAA and try to hit UFA? Giving up a couple of years of NHL salary as you still need to do 2 years of ELC after you finish your NCAA career.

Like I said, these kids are not elite prospects in the scope of McDavid/Matthews/ and future drafts of Wright/Bedard. Best they can do is not sign for Term when they finish their ELC (assuming that they don't suffer any serious injuries on their ELC). Do a bridge and evaluate whether you want to commit any UFA years to them afterwards. There is very little leverage that these kids have.

Maybe they end up forcing their way out like PLD did if they perform well on their ELC and up their trade value. But, you pretty much have to sign an ELC with Buffalo.

Sure, but if a kid makes it known that he doesn't want to be in Buffalo, are the Sabres going to draft him anyways? I doubt it.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

If I was a prospect and my draft interview was with Kim Pegula, no chance I sign with the team. Why would Pegula make his wife President? Now he can’t fire her.

 

[StreetHawk]

Sure, but if a kid makes it known that he doesn't want to be in Buffalo, are the Sabres going to draft him anyways? I doubt it.

Player has something to lose in that if they are one of the Wolverines, are they getting any better in their JR/SR years playing in the NCAA and not taking the next step up in competition.

Team will own your rights. And none of these kids in this draft have the clout to pull a demand off like Lindros.