Dreger: Things heating up with jack eichel

[CREW99AW]

Never but teams are willfully not in on it already, that should be a sign. Not only that, but you're suggesting Buffalo does this to try and get teams to cave, which doesn't really jive, considering they'd have to maintain a huge level of restraint to keep that level of flexibility.

But this is all kind of meaningless as it isn't really a realistic hypothetical scenario. He isn't healthy and if the Sabres get their way he probably doesn't play next season, so there's no way of alleviating that concern. I suppose they could cave to him but it seems they'd rather just trade him now.

If the only way to reassure teams that Eichel is recovered from the injury,is to have them see him play, then that is what Buffalo should be aiming for.

Although, I have to point out Eichel takes up $10m of an $81m cap. Teams who put offers on the table for Eichel are expecting him to fully recover.GMs don't try to tie up that much cap space for players they think won't play at a high level.

 

[Team Cozens]

How many teams in a position to acquire Eichel will have that much cap space at the deadline? No chance Buffalo is retaining anything.

How do you know Sabres don’t retain anything with a couple of months to go???

 

[BowieSabresFan]

Lol. Is this the only response Sabres fans have to criticisms of Jack? He's well below 15th in center scoring and doesn't do anything else well. He's ok at best of the forecheck, bad in his own end, brutal in the dot and not super physical. How in the world could an objective person think he's an elite #1 center? What is the thing Eichel is really good at? He's 33rd in scoring over the last 3 years and I'd say that's what he does best.

Would you say he's better than any of these 10 centers?

McDavid, Matthews, Mackinnon, Barkov, Aho, Point, Draisaitl, Crosby, Scheifele, Bergeron?

If not, he's an average #1 center. That's without even getting into 2 way guys like Couturier, ROR, Kopitar ect.

It's been the response of more than one Sabres fan, because it's such a bad take that the only 2 options are you've never watched him play, or you know nothing about hockey. Your hot take doesn't warrant more of a response than that.

 

[Dr Quincy]

How do you know Sabres don’t retain anything with a couple of months to go???

I'm not sure what you mean, but they wouldn't be retaining for a couple months... they'd be retaining for a couple months and 4 years after that.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

If the only way to reassure teams that Eichel is recovered from the injury,is to have them see him play, then that is what Buffalo should be aiming for.

Although, I have to point out Eichel takes up $10m of an $81m cap. Teams who put offers on the table for Eichel are expecting him to fully recover.GMs don't try to tie up that much cap space for players they think won't play at a high level.

Again, it's not binary, there's risk tolerance for everything. Let's be real, whoever trades for him is gonna let him get his surgery and they're probably going to feel somewhat good about it, but no teams going to act like there isn't a giant risk involved in doing so. That's why the Sabres probably won't get what they want.

In a perfect world, you're right, but time is working against them and proving his health is probably impossible in that timeframe. It's unfortunate but it is what it is.

 

[Flash20]

It's good to see jack walking you think he's about to retire with how people talk here

 

[Double Dion]

It's been the response of more than one Sabres fan, because it's such a bad take that the only 2 options are you've never watched him play, or you know nothing about hockey. Your hot take doesn't warrant more of a response than that.

Still haven't heard a single justification of having Eichel as an elite #1 center because there is literally nothing to justify it. He's the 33rd best scorer in the league and that's all he does for a team. He's somewhere between #11 and #20 in terms of center ranking depending on how much you value things like faceoffs and defensive play. That means he's an average #1 center like I said. Add in the 10M cap hit and the injury concerns and I think those people expecting Zegras + 3rd OA type return will be very disappointed.

The return will be something more like a good player in his 20s making a lot of money, a mid 1st and a B prospect. Even that is probably an overpay based on hoping he can be better than he has shown so far.

 

[KingsOfThe805]

It's good to see jack walking you think he's about to retire with how people talk here

Clearly hurt .. cant even stand upright.

 

[sasha barkov]

It's good to see jack walking you think he's about to retire with how people talk here

Ouch injury must be bad if he can’t even stand straight and has to slouch

 

[CREW99AW]

Again, it's not binary, there's risk tolerance for everything. Let's be real, whoever trades for him is gonna let him get his surgery and they're probably going to feel somewhat good about it, but no teams going to act like there isn't a giant risk involved in doing so. That's why the Sabres probably won't get what they want.

In a perfect world, you're right, but time is working against them and proving his health is probably impossible in that timeframe. It's unfortunate but it is what it is.

the giant risk argument would carry more weight, if teams in a cap league were not rushing to tie up $10m out of $81m on Eichel. Clearly, GMs don't view it as such a giant risk.

Eichel has 6 yrs left on his contract.So, we will again have to disagree about Buffalo being under pressure because of time. Sabres and Eichel may want a quick resolution,but this may not be possible.

 

[Team Cozens]

I'm not sure what you mean, but they wouldn't be retaining for a couple months... they'd be retaining for a couple months and 4 years after that.

I’m referring to the Sabres taking some salary back so that Eichel fits under the cap of a new team. Especially on an expiring contract or short term.

 

[Hasekperreault23]

It's been the response of more than one Sabres fan, because it's such a bad take that the only 2 options are you've never watched him play, or you know nothing about hockey. Your hot take doesn't warrant more of a response than that.

The guy is a clueless troll who just argues for the sake of it.Wouldnt even bother with a response been there done that

 

[tsujimoto74]

It's good to see jack walking you think he's about to retire with how people talk here

Yikes, see how he needs to keep a kid around to pick up the dog poops for him since his back is obviously too broken to bend down and do it himself?

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

the giant risk argument would carry more weight, if teams in a cap league were not rushing to tie up $10m out of $81m on Eichel. Clearly, GMs don't view it as such a giant risk.

Eichel has 6 yrs left on his contract.So, we will again have to disagree about Buffalo being under pressure because of time. Sabres and Eichel may want a quick resolution,but this may not be possible.

I mean....they're not. The most consistently mentioned team by actual people and the know is the Ducks, where the last two reports have said they're not as interested as people think and aren't willing to do what Buffalo wants. The team everyone thought made the most sense two months ago doesn't appear to be in it at all. Kind of a strange market for a 24 year old franchise center, no?

 

[Jagemon]

Lol. Is this the only response Sabres fans have to criticisms of Jack?

Nope but full Pejorative Slur comments require full Pejorative Slur responses.

Edit: Oh thats a nice edit by this page... lets ban a word from dictionary just because.

 

[Double Dion]

Nope but full Pejorative Slur comments require full Pejorative Slur responses.

Edit: Oh thats a nice edit by this page... lets ban a word from dictionary just because.

Perjury is saying something that isn't true. Not something that is true like everything I've said. All Sabres fans have are excuses and "muh you must not watch him."

 

[bsu]

Aw how cute flash got a picture with his favorite player.

 

[SwedishFire]

It's good to see jack walking you think he's about to retire with how people talk here

I bet he stays in Buf.

 

[CREW99AW]

I mean....they're not. The most consistently mentioned team by actual people and the know is the Ducks, where the last two reports have said they're not as interested as people think and aren't willing to do what Buffalo wants. The team everyone thought made the most sense two months ago doesn't appear to be in it at all. Kind of a strange market for a 24 year old franchise center, no?

LeBrun and Elliot Friedman list LA, Minn,NYR,Columbus and Anaheim among the bidders.

Spending $10m on 1 player limits the number of teams in the mix.

And is anyone surprised by GMs posturing? "No, we aren't interested. Yeah,we made an offer,but we are glad Buffalo said no."

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

It's good to see jack walking you think he's about to retire with how people talk here

Damn well if he’s walking then I guess that means he’s 100%… casual walking and hockey are basically the same thing

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

LeBrun and Elliot Friedman list LA, Minn,NYR,Columbus and Anaheim among the bidders.

Spending $10m on 1 player limits the number of teams in the mix.

Hasn’t it been said that most of those teams won’t pay the cost Buffalo is asking.


Which I assume means no zegras, no Rossi, no byfield and no laf ?

 

[Jagemon]

Perjury is saying something that isn't true. Not something that is true like everything I've said. All Sabres fans have are excuses and "muh you must not watch him."

I put a quote from Tropic Thunder that this page edited to its own liking.

Anyway from the centers you listed I'd possibly take healthy Eichel over Scheif, Matthews and Aho but to each of their own I guess. Barkov is close, but for different reasons as he is a completely different player type than Eichel.

 

[CREW99AW]

Hasn’t it been said that most of those teams won’t pay the cost Buffalo is asking.


Which I assume means no zegras, no Rossi, no byfield and no laf ?

How many teams said Snow's asking price for Hamonic was too high and they were out?
How many teams scoffed at Sakic's ask for Duchene?

All it takes is one GM, afraid another team is landing him. Or maybe it will be the GM of a team that stumbles out the gate and is under pressure.

 

[Double Dion]

I put a quote from Tropic Thunder that this page edited to its own liking.

Anyway from the centers you listed I'd possibly take healthy Eichel over Scheif, Matthews and Aho but to each of their own I guess. Barkov is close, but for different reasons as he is a completely different player type than Eichel.

Why would you take him ahead of those guys? Genuinely curious as they all outscore him and all except Scheifele are substantially better defensive players. Matthews was on pace for 65 goals this year and is a very dominant possession player as well. Both Aho and Matthews have outscored Eichel substantially despite being younger and Aho was a Selke candidate.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

LeBrun and Elliot Friedman list LA, Minn,NYR,Columbus and Anaheim among the bidders.

Spending $10m on 1 player limits the number of teams in the mix.

And is anyone surprised by GMs posturing? "No, we aren't interested. Yeah,we made an offer,but we are glad Buffalo said no."

First off, no they do not lol. Neither has said LA or the Rangers are actually in, I don't believe, and Friedman amplified the report that LA wasn't in. They've mostly talked about Anaheim, Columbus and somewhat less so Minnesota and we've seen two of those teams' beat writers pretty heavily downplay the interest. Call it posturing if you want, but it's probably the much simpler answer.