darksabre

What they really ought to do is just build a new arena. Everyone wants so badly for the football stadium to be some kind of downtown year round destination (it wouldn't be even if they put it there, but that's beside the point), so why not make a new arena the thing that accomplishes that goal? Build a new arena across the street where the HSBC lot is and then re-develop the land where the arena currently sits into something that is more attractive. Hell, the current arena site is where the new convention center should really go...

Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize fun was banned here

I feel like I must be the only person who has zero problem with everything that is being proposed so far.

"Identity Line" Is this some new lingo about how teams are building their rosters?

I'm glad someone understands what is going on lol

I'm pretty confident he would go through with it given the opportunity. If there's one thing John cares about it's playing NHL hockey. I really do believe he just wants to be on the ice ASAP and he was hoping everyone else wanted the same thing for him. Turns out that's probably not the case.

I don't think it was a bluff. I think he saw his preferred procedure as a legitimate option. The problem is that it appears that not only do the Sabres not agree, but none of their possible trade partners agree either.

He never really had much of a choice on the procedure thing. The contract he has pretty much takes the power out of his hands, and that's probably what the league, the PA, and the Sabres told him. His only recourse, as has been discussed at length, would be some kind of arbitration, and the consensus is that he would probably lose that.

He might not have a choice if he wants to get out of Buffalo. Giving up the Olympics may be a sacrifice he needs to make if he really truly wants out.

If I were a team trying to trade for John, I would want him to get the surgery with the longer recovery time for precisely this reason. And I would want him to wait as long as possible to get the surgery so that he would be all but guaranteed to return just in time for the playoffs. It's distinctly possible that this is what Adams was banking on happening and why he's been very resistant to moving John quickly. I bet a lot of teams wouldn't mind getting Eichel in their system for zero cap hit this season...

Hamilton very much does not like John. Just straight up does not like him. He doesn't even try to pretend otherwise.

Yup. Although maybe the issue is actually getting him the surgery. Maybe they can't schedule it sooner than October or something. (I don't know how this works)

I think it's mostly that sports fans are fickle and are always looking for the next big thing to get excited about. A lot of Sabres fans decided that turning on Eichel was fashionable and are now fully committed to justifying that turn.

The argument that I expect was put forth was that Jack might have better luck if he retained the services of an agent more widely respected by all the parties in that meeting. It's not fun for someone like Fish who is trying to run a player representation business, but I suppose no one gives too much of a damn about how he feels lol

I'm watching you run Occam's razor up and down the concrete driveway and cringing 😋

Because his agent was literally the one pushing the surgery Jack wants lol

How do you even arrive at this idea?

I don't think you understand Thorny's stance at all.

I don't think it really has to do with changing Adams' mind. I think it's about making other GMs more confident about Jack coming into their organization. If his reputation is that he's difficult, hard to work with, etc., and he's being represented by an agent who exhibits those same qualities, then maybe other GMs buy into the reputation stuff. But if you plug an agent into the process who plays the game better and helps rehab Jack's image, maybe you get somewhere...

Interesting...

For starters, we don't actually know the status of Jack's injury at all. That is likely something that is still in flux. I find it hard to believe that what GM's are willing to pay is a decided factor. If they have a reason to adjust their offers, they will do so. Adams, likewise, may find new cause to adjust his ask. I agree with you that Jack doesn't have much leverage, I have argued that many times here and been told I was wrong. But sometimes you need to get a fresh face in the room to break the log jam. It's distinctly possible that Eichel may be more flexible under a new agent. Perhaps a team that wasn't in play previously will look at the Brisson hire and say "I know I'm dealing with a professional here, let's kick the tires again." An agent who represents a lot more players in the league can represent a lot more players as trade pieces as well. Perhaps Brisson can get a wary GM to come on board with trading for one of his players that wasn't in play before? It's a good move, and it's not a panic move. A panic move would be more press conferences. Or signing with a team in Russia. This ain't that.

Panicking makes it sound like what he's doing isn't rational or deliberate. But that's exactly what this is. His goals are unchanged, he's just making an adjustment to his team. It's not unlike any number of times that generals have been recalled from their commands during a war for failing to achieve an objective. It's not panic, it's just what you do if you're still looking for a successful result.

Painting it this way is pretty disingenuous.

Simplify and add lightness: Eichel switched to an agent with more clout in order to reset the stalled trade process.

Hmmmmmmm