News Article: Oilers, Jets Top No-Trade Lists, Sabres Drop From Third to Only One Vote

[Dingo44]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...w-york-islanders-maple-leafs-calgary-buffalo/

"Interestingly, the New York Islanders replaced the Buffalo Sabres in third place, perhaps reflective of the decreased attendance and quiet player grumbling since the move to Brooklyn. Buffalo's appeal has risen in the Eichel-Bylsma Era, receiving just one vote."

Click to read more...

 

[Ace]

Eichel-Bylsma are a part of it sure but McDavid and a respected coach didn't move the needle over there. There's a lot of positive trends starting with players walking into a building that has some activity going on around it now to a belief in where the franchise is heading. I'd bet the top reason is the O'Reilly factor. Players watched him fight with Colorado for years over every penny. He gets traded to Buffalo and they take care of him immediately. "Nicest place to live" will always fall behind "financially taken care of" and "belief they can win" in the pecking order.

 

[Paxon]

Eichel-Bylsma are a part of it sure but McDavid and a respected coach didn't move the needle over there. There's a lot of positive trends starting with players walking into a building that has some activity going on around it now to a belief in where the franchise is heading. I'd bet the top reason is the O'Reilly factor. Players watched him fight with Colorado for years over every penny. He gets traded to Buffalo and they take care of him immediately. "Nicest place to live" will always fall behind "financially taken care of" and "belief they can win" in the pecking order.

All the things ownership has done to date are probably a big factor (from renovations to Harborcenter to the Pegulas wining and dining players), whereas Edmonton's owner basically proposed marriage to McDavid at the draft in one of the most embarrassing and awkward bits of television I've ever seen in sports.

 

[Ace]

Plus the longer they own the team the more players come through and have nice things to say about playing for them. If you ask a vet like Gorges, Gionta or guys who have been elsewhere and...had differences with the organizations like Kane and RoR...they have many more nice things to say in basically every area then they could have just a couple years ago.

Players talk. If someone asks McGinn what Buffalo is about his experience is likely to be rooted in much more positivity than players would have had in the past. Right down to being moved into a dream situation at the deadline. He's gonna have to send Murray a Christmas card every year for the extra mound of money he's making next contract as he puts in goal after goal in the best possible situation and a legit chance to make a cup run. Murray was pretty adamant about wanting to put he and Weber in those best situations. Players care about that stuff

 

[Husko]

How do they get this information? Super cool

 

[Jim Bob]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...w-york-islanders-maple-leafs-calgary-buffalo/

"Interestingly, the New York Islanders replaced the Buffalo Sabres in third place, perhaps reflective of the decreased attendance and quiet player grumbling since the move to Brooklyn. Buffalo's appeal has risen in the Eichel-Bylsma Era, receiving just one vote."

The Connor McDavid Effect has yet to fully transform Edmonton’s image in the eyes of his potential future teammates.

For the second straight season, the Edmonton Oilers have topped a poll measuring which of the NHL’s 30 franchises pop up most frequently on players’ no-trade lists.

Which is a nice way of saying, “Here are the teams we don’t want to play for.â€

He's a bust.

 

[HiddenInLight]

It's a great thing to see. We're finally an organization that players want to play for, or at the very least they don't specifically not want to play here. I'm hoping that we can continue this trend as we finish this rebuild. It was frustrating going into every free agency period looking at the scraps because no big name would bother even listening to our offer.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

This is Sweet Music to GMTM's ears.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Eichel-Bylsma are a part of it sure but McDavid and a respected coach didn't move the needle over there. There's a lot of positive trends starting with players walking into a building that has some activity going on around it now to a belief in where the franchise is heading. I'd bet the top reason is the O'Reilly factor. Players watched him fight with Colorado for years over every penny. He gets traded to Buffalo and they take care of him immediately. "Nicest place to live" will always fall behind "financially taken care of" and "belief they can win" in the pecking order.

Very true. Also agree re: the Sabres establishing a reputation for taking good care of their players. And that's not just ROR. When Moulson got traded here, traded out, and then came back in FA, he cited how he was treated by management and ownership as the #1 reason for wanting to return. Even going back before that, Regher was talked into waiving his no-trade to come here after meeting with the Pegulas.

I imagine the other factor separating Buffalo from Edmonton is that our team is improving. While we're certainly not where we want to be yet, I think players can see that we've gotten much better compared to the last 2 seasons, while Edmonton is still in contention for 30th.

 

[Ace]

And it's not just hockey now either. The Incognito story of going from out of the league to the pro bowl and how he speaks on how much the Pegulas believing in him means to him...that certainly matters to players. The Pegulas draw very positive responses from the most important group when trying to change perception of coming to their teams...the players.

 

[old kummelweck]

Eichel-Bylsma are a part of it sure but McDavid and a respected coach didn't move the needle over there. There's a lot of positive trends starting with players walking into a building that has some activity going on around it now to a belief in where the franchise is heading. I'd bet the top reason is the O'Reilly factor. Players watched him fight with Colorado for years over every penny. He gets traded to Buffalo and they take care of him immediately. "Nicest place to live" will always fall behind "financially taken care of" and "belief they can win" in the pecking order.

All the things ownership has done to date are probably a big factor (from renovations to Harborcenter to the Pegulas wining and dining players), whereas Edmonton's owner basically proposed marriage to McDavid at the draft in one of the most embarrassing and awkward bits of television I've ever seen in sports.

Murray shed some light on the team's philosophy regarding player treatment at the deadline. He had some deals on the table that he didn't do for some vets to teams that would have put them in the press box for their playoff run. He said that it was better for everyone if they just let them stay here. He said that this type of player treatment gets around the league and buys you good will down the road.

 

[Dingo44]

Murray shed some light on the team's philosophy regarding player treatment at the deadline. He had some deals on the table that he didn't do for some vets to teams that would have put them in the press box for their playoff run. He said that it was better for everyone if they just let them stay here. He said that this type of player treatment gets around the league and buys you good will down the road.

That's definitely worth a lot more than a 7th round pick two years from now when you're trying to attract top free agents.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Even going back before that, Regher was talked into waiving his no-trade to come here after meeting with the Pegulas.

And finally got to raise the Cup because Darcy* moved him to a contender.

 

[Jacob582]

I think the biggest difference is that we are now on the other side of a rebuild after adding some great assets.

 

[Not Sure]

Plus the longer they own the team the more players come through and have nice things to say about playing for them. If you ask a vet like Gorges, Gionta or guys who have been elsewhere and...had differences with the organizations like Kane and RoR...they have many more nice things to say in basically every area then they could have just a couple years ago.

Players talk. If someone asks McGinn what Buffalo is about his experience is likely to be rooted in much more positivity than players would have had in the past. Right down to being moved into a dream situation at the deadline. He's gonna have to send Murray a Christmas card every year for the extra mound of money he's making next contract as he puts in goal after goal in the best possible situation and a legit chance to make a cup run. Murray was pretty adamant about wanting to put he and Weber in those best situations. Players care about that stuff

That's my first thought in why things seem to be changing. I doubt guys care much about being wined and dined, they can get that anywhere, but talk to a guy who got moved from a bad team to a contender for a 3rd instead of going to another bad situation for a 2nd and that seems like it really makes a ton of difference. Knowing a team will have your back even when trading you, even if it means taking a little less seems like a huge incentive. Even with the Regier and Moulson trades and the Ehroff buyout it seemed like the team did what was best for the players and that goes a long way in gaining respectability around the league. Now if a player is considering a move to Buffalo they at least know they won't be sent to Edmonton if it comes time to move them.

 

[JThorne]

Also the hop, skip, and a jump to many players' hometowns certainly helps.

 

[jamers]

Also the hop, skip, and a jump to many players' hometowns certainly helps.

While simultaneously not being in the Toronto media glare. We have a lot to leverage, and it looks like it's being done properly now.

 

[Not Sure]

While simultaneously not being in the Toronto media glare. We have a lot to leverage, and it looks like it's being done properly now.

Now if we can just get the wives to see what a great city it is. Maybe the Pegulas need to offer weekly flights for the family to Toronto and NYC in the private jet.