Should we go after Eichel? Do we have a chance?

[JPeeper]

Betting odds have us 6/1 on Eichel. There was another one that had us 4th most likely.

xxx-Bedard-xxx
xxx-Wright-xxx
xxx-Eichel-xxx

is indeed sick center depth.

 

[CraigsList]

Ik this is a bit contrarian rn, but I don’t see why Tanev necessarily is a good idea to protect. Sure he had a good year, but he has 3 more yrs on his contract and likely isn’t going to be getting any better. It’s all downhill from here regardless, and losing gio only degrades our offensive ability on the backend. If the goal is retool, I don’t see why Gio goes.

Id rather just lose Tanev than give up even more assets so we lose neither, but I’d expect the flames to just shoot themselves in the foot further.

Wtf? Seattle has a party if we expose Tanev. He made Quinn Hughes look like a top 10 D in the league last year. And, you’re not going to find very many hard-nosed D like Tanev that can log minutes.

Don’t expose him. If you want to trade Tanev, then that’s a different story. You can get a pretty great package for him, especially if you retained. Retention is unnecessary, unless you’re grabbing another blue chip prospect/1st rounder.

I am ready to move on from Gio though. Great guy, but we haven’t been able to get over the hump with him as captain. We won our only playoff round in the last decade when he was injured.

We need a change everywhere, starting with the core.

 

[herashak]

Tanev is like a Backlund equivalent on D with a 1m less cap hit, if we want to tank next year expose him

 

[2023FriendshipTour]

What's the point in gutting the team for Eichel? He'll go from Buffalo to a similar situation in Calgary. We need to suck for the next few years... the drafts are just too good after this one.

 

[CraigsList]

What's the point in gutting the team for Eichel? He'll go from Buffalo to a similar situation in Calgary. We need to suck for the next few years... the drafts are just too good after this one.

I would agree if Ward was still coach.

 

[viper0220]

What's the point in gutting the team for Eichel? He'll go from Buffalo to a similar situation in Calgary. We need to suck for the next few years... the drafts are just too good after this one.

I totally agree with this but we signed Markstrom, Tanev and bought in Sutter as a coach. Unfortunately I don't think we are going suck enough to have a chance at the top pick in the next 3 drafts or so.

Eichel has poisoned his relationship with the Sabres to the point of no return, I think if we offer them a package with Tkachuk in it, they will take it. Trading Tkachuk does make sense, to sign him is $9 million and after he is a UFA.

This team is in a very bad shape, no elite #1 center, no elite #1 Defense men, no good forward depth and no prospects that maybe difference makers.

The smart logic would be to rebuild but with the situation we are in that is not going to happen unfortunately, a retool is more likely but if it is a half assed retool(like our rebuild was), than in 4-5 years, we are going into a full rebuild, which sucks because it will take a decade to get competitive again(5 years that we wasted and another 5 years for drafting and developing.)

I have no faith in this Ownership, Management and GM, so I think we are likely headed for the long decade route, where we spin our wheels for 5 years and waste those 5 years and after another 5 years spent on drafting and developing.

Centers of Eichel's caliber are very rarely available(we can see what a elite center can do up North and in Colorado) but I don't have any faith in this ownership, Management and GM to do the right thing. I don't think we have the horses in the front office to land Eichel.

 

[Volica]

What's the point in gutting the team for Eichel? He'll go from Buffalo to a similar situation in Calgary. We need to suck for the next few years... the drafts are just too good after this one.

Gut team, Eichel recovers from his neck issue for most of 2021 (let's say).
We start the team with the following roster in 2021.

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Mangiapane
Dube - Backlund - Lucic
UFA shite - UFA Shite - UFA Shite
UFA Shite - UFA Shite - UFA Shite

Hanifin - Tanev
Valimaki - Andersson
Kylington - UFA Shite

Markstrom

2022-2023 Roster:

Gaudreau (Re-signed) - Eichel - Lindholm
Mangiapane - Wright - Dube
Pelletier - Backlund - Zary
Lucic - UFA - UFA

Hanifin - Power
Valimaki - Tanev
Kylington - UFA

Markstrom

 

[2023FriendshipTour]

Gut team, Eichel recovers from his neck issue for most of 2021 (let's say).
We start the team with the following roster in 2021.

Gaudreau - Lindholm - Mangiapane
Dube - Backlund - Lucic
UFA shite - UFA Shite - UFA Shite
UFA Shite - UFA Shite - UFA Shite

Hanifin - Tanev
Valimaki - Andersson
Kylington - UFA Shite

Markstrom

2022-2023 Roster:

Gaudreau (Re-signed) - Eichel - Lindholm
Mangiapane - Wright - Dube
Pelletier - Backlund - Zary
Lucic - UFA - UFA

Hanifin - Power
Valimaki - Tanev
Kylington - UFA

Markstrom

Well I like the looks of that lol.. One can only dream.

Viper makes good points though. This team has Sutter and he'll make sure we're not bad enough to draft high, but not good enough to be a contender. We're going to be stuck in purgatory. It's actually quite impressive how shit stuff has gone since the 2019 season.

 

[Rangediddy]

Haven’t seen it discussed yet, but if we want any chance of beating out NY or LA, we’d have to take on Skinner’s contract (1/2 retained obviously)

Eichel & Skinner (1/2 retained)
For
Tkachuk, Monahan and a 1st

Eichel’s relationship with the Sabres is trash so he won’t be valued as the superstar her is, and getting rid of Skinner’s contract is worth it’s weight in gold. Trading Eichel outside of the conference is worth something too.

Skinner would be a risk, but at $4.5m if he can get back to 15-20 goals, we win that for a couple years then buy him out.

Tkachuk and Mony probably more than replace those two’s production in the short term

 

[Lunatik]

Haven’t seen it discussed yet, but if we want any chance of beating out NY or LA, we’d have to take on Skinner’s contract (1/2 retained obviously)

Eichel & Skinner (1/2 retained)
For
Tkachuk, Monahan and a 1st

Eichel’s relationship with the Sabres is trash so he won’t be valued as the superstar her is, and getting rid of Skinner’s contract is worth it’s weight in gold. Trading Eichel outside of the conference is worth something too.

Skinner would be a risk, but at $4.5m if he can get back to 15-20 goals, we win that for a couple years then buy him out.

Tkachuk and Mony probably more than replace those two’s production in the short term

The moment we offer Tkachuk it's better than anything LA or the Rangers can do because they can only offer unproven talent. Taking on Skinner is just nonsense.

 

[Rangediddy]

The moment we offer Tkachuk it's better than anything LA or the Rangers can do because they can only offer unproven talent. Taking on Skinner is just nonsense.

Not a bad point. Tkachuk might not be as enticing as LA’s prospects if they’re going rebuild though. If that’s the case, we might not have a chance regardless of taking Skinner (short of sending Vali and Zary/Pelletier)

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

We would have to trade everyone to tank under Sutter. It’s just not going to happen. Not in the joke that is the Pacific. Plus, It’s going to be even weaker, in theory, with Seattle.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Haven’t seen it discussed yet, but if we want any chance of beating out NY or LA, we’d have to take on Skinner’s contract (1/2 retained obviously)

Eichel & Skinner (1/2 retained)
For
Tkachuk, Monahan and a 1st

Eichel’s relationship with the Sabres is trash so he won’t be valued as the superstar her is, and getting rid of Skinner’s contract is worth it’s weight in gold. Trading Eichel outside of the conference is worth something too.

Skinner would be a risk, but at $4.5m if he can get back to 15-20 goals, we win that for a couple years then buy him out.

Tkachuk and Mony probably more than replace those two’s production in the short term

I don't like it but I also don't hate it. If that makes sense.

It will probably take something ridiculous like that to make a deal happen.

 

[Mobiandi]

I'd take Skinner if that becomes the deciding factor. Also brings down the acquisition cost by a lot

 

[Volica]

I'd take Skinner if that becomes the deciding factor. Also brings down the acquisition cost by a lot

I sincerely doubt that Buffalo would strap Skinner to Eichel to get out of that contract.
It'd really bring down Eichel's maximum value. Especially at 50%, where there's a chance Skinner easily turns it around again (the guy's under 30). Imagine being Buffalo, giving Eichel for a lesser return to get out Skinner at 50%... and having him return to 20 goal form with Eichel living up to potential.

 

[Mobiandi]

I sincerely doubt that Buffalo would strap Skinner to Eichel to get out of that contract.
It'd really bring down Eichel's maximum value. Especially at 50%, where there's a chance Skinner easily turns it around again (the guy's under 30). Imagine being Buffalo, giving Eichel for a lesser return to get out Skinner at 50%... and having him return to 20 goal form with Eichel living up to potential.

I agree it's unlikely but it's also the Sabres we're talking about. They're giving the Oilers a run for their money with their front office stupidity - see Ryan O'Reilly for belly button lint and couch change

 

[Villella McMeans]

The moment we offer Tkachuk it's better than anything LA or the Rangers can do because they can only offer unproven talent. Taking on Skinner is just nonsense.

I agree Tkachuk worth more than anything those other teams can offer, so as much as getting Eichel at any cost is tempting, trading away Tkachuk worries me just as much.

I don't want Skinner either.

 

[Volica]

I agree it's unlikely but it's also the Sabres we're talking about. They're giving the Oilers a run for their money with their front office stupidity - see Ryan O'Reilly for belly button lint and couch change

It’d be the most Sabre thing ever, right?

K, we’ll do Eichel, Skinner 50% for Monahan, 2021 first, Rasmus Andersson and Connor Zary.

2021-2022:

Gaudreau - Eichel - Tkachuk
All have 95+ point seasons.
Mangi - Lindholm - Skinner
PPG for Lindy, Mangi and Skinner both 20 goals.
Lucic - Backlund - Dubé

Meanwhile in Buffalo:
Monahan scores like 12 goals
Andersson and Dahlin don’t mesh one bit, Ras essentially gets turned into Rasmus Ristoleinen
Whiff on the 12th overall.

 

[CraigsList]

Skinner at 50% is just wishful thinking. Who would retain that much for that many years? If it takes Skinner to get Eichel, it's not worth getting Eichel.

 

[Fig]

It’d be the most Sabre thing ever, right?

K, we’ll do Eichel, Skinner 50% for Monahan, 2021 first, Rasmus Andersson and Connor Zary.

2021-2022:

Gaudreau - Eichel - Tkachuk
All have 95+ point seasons.
Mangi - Lindholm - Skinner
PPG for Lindy, Mangi and Skinner both 20 goals.
Lucic - Backlund - Dubé

Meanwhile in Buffalo:
Monahan scores like 12 goals
Andersson and Dahlin don’t mesh one bit, Ras essentially gets turned into Rasmus Ristoleinen
Whiff on the 12th overall.

Kinda proves your point, but all RD are Rasmuses? Isn't Dahlin a LHS RD?

Eichel be the new ROR trade.

 

[Volica]

Kinda proves your point, but all RD are Rasmuses? Isn't Dahlin a LHS RD?

Eichel be the new ROR trade.

Yeah, I was more or less making something up.
I really doubt Buffalo would package Eichel with Skinner, especially at that much retained. It just won't happen.

But also the Sabres, and just about anything under the sun is possible.

 

[Rangediddy]

Remember in a flat cap world, $4.5m a year in free cap space is a lot. 100% I bet we see Skinner traded at 50% eaten. If not done in an Eichel deal, it’d probably be with Seattle.

why wouldn’t Seattle take a chance on a 28 year old, previous 30 goal scorer at $4.5m? Not like they’re going to be up against the cap

 

[Lunatik]

Remember in a flat cap world, $4.5m a year in free cap space is a lot. 100% I bet we see Skinner traded at 50% eaten. If not done in an Eichel deal, it’d probably be with Seattle.

why wouldn’t Seattle take a chance on a 28 year old, previous 30 goal scorer at $4.5m? Not like they’re going to be up against the cap

No one is taking even half of that contract. The guy isn't even worth 25% of his contract any more, Buffalo would have to not only eat half but give up a first round pick (at least)

 

[JPeeper]

We would have to trade everyone to tank under Sutter. It’s just not going to happen. Not in the joke that is the Pacific. Plus, It’s going to be even weaker, in theory, with Seattle.

Who knows, if we play Sutter low scoring hockey and our team doesn't have Gaudreau, I like our chances at a top 3 pick.

And if getting Eichel means we take on Skinner at even 50% retained, no deal. $4.5 mil of dead cap space for 6 years, 6 f***ING YEARS.

Lucic sucks, but at least can provide something in the bottom 6 (hopefully top 6 next year LOL), Skinner is a dumpster fire.

Only way I take Skinner's contract is if it comes with Buffalo's 1st rounders in both '22 and '23. People don't realize how awful that contract is.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Is Skinner dead in the water? If he could hit 20 goals, $4.5M is managable.