nfreeman

So that’s Colorado and Vegas out of the bidding for Eichel.

Dream scenario: assets and cap space dry up league wide after tomorrow which, combined with the injury risk, results in zero GMs willing to part with a rich enough package for KA. Separately, Eichel realizes that no GM will allow him to have the surgery and undertakes mystical yoga/acupuncture/vegan rehab, which works wonders. His agent convinces him to show up at camp so he doesn’t look like a brat. Initially, he gives everyone the silent treatment, but He looks amazing on the ice. He puts up 7 goals and 9 assists in 4 preseason games and suddenly KA’s phone is ringing off the hook.

Good for Armia. He’s made a nice career for himself. Was he the best player in the Kane-Myers trade?

At this point it’s at least 50/50 that he starts the season in Buffalo.

It will be interesting, and relevant, to see what Grubauer gets.

I agree with @GASabresIUFAN that the prospect pool is deeper and richer and will be given much more development time and opportunity than were the case with TM. His hopium is sweeeeet. But the bolded will be difficult for him to explain.

Holy mackerel @GASabresIUFAN is slingin that Hopium.

Right, but Liger hated Johnson, didn’t he?

If Reino were going to sign an extension with a trade partner, Florida checks a lot of boxes. A franchise center in Barkov plus another star forward in Hubie, a strong #1 defenseman in Ekblad, good goaltending, credible coaching in Q, playoff team that had a very good season last year and seems to be on the rise and Florida weather, low taxes and low pressure. I can see him deciding to stay if they make him a good offer.

This is a great breakdown of the trade from the Flyers’ perspective with excellent analysis of the different views of Risto: https://theathletic.com/2726069/2021/07/24/flyers-go-all-in-on-rasmus-ristolainen-is-he-worth-the-huge-price-that-gm-chuck-fletcher-paid/?source=user_shared_article It touches on the “Sabre stink” factor: “ the soul-crushing effect of Buffalo might be real, especially in recent years. Taylor Hall scored two goals in 37 games with the Sabres this season, only to pot eight in 16 after being traded. Skinner had one great season in Buffalo and then fell off a cliff. Defenseman Brandon Montour went from a break-even play-driver in his first two seasons in Anaheim to a statistical dumpster fire in Buffalo — and then graded out great by the numbers after being traded to Florida. Colin Miller went from advanced-stat favorite in Vegas to dud with the Sabres. It is possible that, just maybe, as Fletcher hinted, the Sabres are uniquely incompetent when it comes to extracting value out of players, with the exceptions of ones who are simply too talented to ruin, like Eichel.”

That’s not what happened.

I sure hope you’re right, but I don’t see why they would wait to announce a deal if they have agreed to one.

Sounds great. What could possibly go wrong?

FWIW, KA stated quite definitively in his presser yesterday that he wants Linus to be their #1 next year. I don’t think he would’ve said it that way if he were lowballing Linus, although I’d also guess KA’s offer didn’t blow Linus away. So I think Linus at this point wants to see what his options are.

There we go. Hopium!!

It’s worth noting that 6 other teams passed on Eklund too.

Forton was really glowing about Polty in his presser yesterday. Said he sees him as a legit NHL power forward with high skill.

I have no idea which if any of these 3 goalie prospects will develop into a legit NHL starter, but I sure like having another bite at the apple.

Yes. The steps they take in net will be the key factor IMHO in evaluating whether they are trying to lose. I really hope that they are not doing so and will take real action on goaltending. If they do not, I will be deeply unhappy and will feel betrayed. Now this is a perspective I can get behind, unlike my initial reaction to the OP. A tank now, like the first one, would be a stupid abomination. Fair response. Certainly KA is accountable and needs to execute the remains to be seen items.

It should also be noted that he was almost certainly on board with the Reino trade as well.

If he was willing to sign a year ago but not this summer, he shouldn’t have claimed that he was willing to sign long-term without clarifying that very important distinction.

My question is whether he was prepared to sign long term this summer? Or did he mean instead of the last couple of bridge deals? I agree -- if he signs in the next few weeks with Florida, the return we got looks much worse. Did he say that?

Yes -- as I mentioned upthread, this is a reasonable view, although I don't agree with it. But "he should've gotten more" is just irrational. He's been on the market for months. This is what the market delivered.

So you think he received a better offer before today but didn't accept it? Why would he have done so? And what do you think someone offered that is better than what KA got?

Why would KA have accepted a worse offer than the one someone else made? I get that you want more and are PO'd, and you are hardly alone in feeling that way, but it is simply irrational to think that he didn't take the best offer.