K-9

A world in which Jack has a potentially career threatening injury, is getting a first if it’s kind procedure in hockey to correct it, and won’t be available for several months as a result. That kind of world.

For people who think KA and the rest of the front office are a bunch of inept clowns yeah, they will dig deep into the total conjecture well for a long, long time. For people who understand the importance of maintaining optimal cap flexibility for critical decisions that will need to need to be made in the near future, not so much.

Per the bold, do you feel this was for lack of trying? Because three coaches, three GMs, and a boatload of additions and subtractions to the roster while he was here certainly suggests they tried like hell to get him the tools. They turned out to be the wrong tools, but nobody could know that except with the luxury of retrospect.

That’s why you have to let it go, look forward, and try to find the good things this new group is trying to show us. All while knowing that your patience will be tested to the max at times.

Can you point me to any of those posts saying Eichel wasn’t gonna say ****? Earlier, I wondered where his reciprocal tweet to the Sabres good luck tweet was and I’m glad he got around to sending this message.

Well done, Jack. Much appreciated.

I’ll take it. Playmaker is always a position of need.

This is a refreshingly healthy take. Much appreciated.

My guess is no F ing way. He asked to be traded long before he was injured.

Technically, that’s 100% true. The Sabres always had the option of not acceding to his desire to be moved. But I view it as they traded him because they had to. It is simply an untenable situation when the team captain and face of the franchise demands to be traded. Especially after the five years of futility that was the previous rebuild. Time to move on.

Can you imagine the outrage in a couple years when, in a playoff spot and approaching the trade deadline or needing that piece in free agency that we think might put us over the top to contend or having to extend several young players who have panned out and KA can’t pull the trigger on a deal because he is hamstrung by cap retention dollars for a player no longer in the organization? Given the commitment to the rebuild and the willingness to commit to the futures already here, it makes perfect sense why salary retention was a non starter.

Sure, after Jack made it clear he no longer wanted to play in Buffalo. But as @LGR4GMpointed out, KA first tried to accommodate Jack by adding pieces before last season. It was only after the season went south that KA pulled the trigger on the rebuild, imo.

I never thought it was KA vs. Eichel or vice versa as that’s a very narrow view, but I recall some fans suggesting KA stabbed Jack in the back by looking to get rid of him. KA has taken flack for the “players who want to be here” theme he’s been pushing. I think Jack’s admission kind of vindicates KA’s position on that. There’s also the question of, since Jack wanted out before last season started, how did that manifest in the locker room; what impact did that have on his captaincy and position as team leader?

Yeah, I remember Fish’s antics immediately afterwards. Other than flat out refusing to play, a player with five years left on a deal just isn’t in position to pull the strings.

So, it wasn’t KA looking to move him, it was Eichel not wanting to be here.

Their next HOF goalie has already been added. I’m looking at you, Devon Levi!

Not sure how that was ever in question given the amount of time left in Eichel’s deal.

I saw the tweet the Sabres put out thanking Eichel and wishing him luck. Has anyone seen a reciprocal tweet from Eichel thanking Buffalo and likewise wishing the Sabres luck?

MODO!

Timeline seems to work if all goes well with his surgery and rehab.

Make waves

And he’s rumored to be able to drive a line from the wing.

Vogl has been hearing voices in his head for a while now.

First taste of a little adversity for them. Looking forward to seeing how they respond to that Thursday night.