dudacek

LOL. The return is going to be that bad, eh?

That’s a pretty bold post for Valiquette to make considering his position and his market. Assuming Miller and Lafreniere are off the table: Georgiev is meh, but he would almost certainly have to be part of the deal, considering he wants out and we are desperate for a goalie. Chytil, Lundqvist,Schneider, 1st and Kakko are pieces I am interested in. Kravtsov and Jones are sweeteners at best, despite what fans might tell you. Lesser futures or contract veterans who can contribute this year are fine, but don’t add much value. The Rangers have potential to be a decent overall value/disappointing centrepiece partner, or a terrible partner, depending on the pieces we accept.

Anderson played 4 games last year, 34 two years ago. He’s 40 years old and people thought he was retired. Dell played 7 games last year and 33 is his career high. He’s 32 and had some of the worst numbers in the NHL last year. It’s a bit of a stretch to count on either to be a competent backup this year. No one in the industry expects either to be a starter. UPL has shown nothing to indicate he will be ready next year; ideally he plays 55 games in Rochester and maybe gets a look late in Buffalo. One of these three will be counted on to be the backbone of a young, mistake-prone team - a safety net to help them learn and develop. It makes no sense at all. They have to get another goalie.

If the current group is what we start the season with, UPL will be given every opportunity to be the starter. Still think there will be another NHL body brought in before then.

I remember when I was the only Samuelsson fan on here. Glad to see he made a good impression

It’s the right identity for this market. And as much as the goalie and centre situations are troubling, this aspect of Adams rebuild seems both necessary and more than just lip service. I can’t see the fan base getting more alienated. Going from passive, entitled losers, to high-energy lovable losers is a step in the right direction.

The Sabres legally have the final say on Jack's course of medical treatment according to the CBA

The game of refusing to address Jack's need for surgery prior to a trade. I think @nfreeman raises a good point though: it's likely not a game, it's a standoff, with each side refusing the other's desired path.

You may be right. If you are, and Adams has yet to get even a Seth Jones level offer, then why are we still playing this game? Adams has had more than enough time to determine that no one is going to pay his price given Jack’s health status, switch gears and get Jack healthy in order to get better offers. Why hasn’t that happened? Id suggest one of two reasons: Either: he is determined to trade Jack by a certain date, prior to surgery, for the best available offer and that date has yet to arrive. Or: There is enough interest, and give and take, and circling back and counter-offers that he believes teams have yet to make their final offers and there is a worthwhile return still to be had.

I have already addressed the bold; I agree there is a non-negligible chance Jack’s injury and/or it’s fix hampers his career. That is not the same as ending his career - meaning that it stops him from playing more than a handful of games moving forward. Like @nfreeman’s earlier post, I think we are talking about different things. I am talking about the injury. You are talking about the disc replacement surgery. The course of treatment, and their comfort level with the risk of that treatment, will be between Jack and the acquiring team to decide.

Mitts has always had the mitts.

I think that when push comes to shove, Adam Henrique becomes a Buffalo Sabre - whether it’s part of the Eichel trade or in another deal.

Does anyone think any of these players are currently on the table: Krebs, Zegras, Drysdale, McTavish, Rossi, Boldy, Kakko, Eklund, Kotkaniemi? Do you think the Sabres are at a point where they should accept the 1st offer that includes one of these prospects, regardless of the adds?

I don't believe for a second that after wasting away another year in Buffalo, Jack is going quash any trade that will finally move him out of town. The guy has the patience of a three-year-old in a candy store and will be on a plane before he even hears the desitination.

I would be very surprised at this point if Eakin starts in Buffalo ahead of Hayden. I would not be surprised if one of Caggiula, Hinostroza or Girgensons is playing centre ahead of Eakin. And I expect at least one more cetre added to the roster before the start of the season. I think Donnie is pretty much done with Cody. He needs a miracle off-season turnaround, copious injuries to other forwards and/or a spectacular camp to be in Buffalo this year.

The fact that no one credible has ever reported the issue could be career-threatening, the fact that Jack is currently actively playing pick-up hockey, and the fact that numerous teams have apparently been interested and continue to be interested and have apparently offered packages in excess of what we got in exchange for Ristolainen and Reinhart.

I may be mis-speaking for @LGR4GM, but I don't think either of us said the injury is non-factor. We said Jack's injury is not being talked about as career-threatening. Fine distinction perhaps, but a real one in my mind. There is definitely a chance the injury may inhibit Jack's career going forward, but the chances it ends it are small. And, in my view, that is closer to McCabe's knee and Ullmark's hip than you guys seem to think. This is not a Pat Lafontaine concussion situation.

The only difference is that the surgery Jack wants has not been tried on an NHL player. Jack wants that surgery, primarily, because he wants to accelerate his recovery time; it is a known factor Everything else in your post is based on the twin suppositions that Jack is getting the surgery he wants and the acquiring team is not comfortable with the risk - an extremely unlikely combination. No team would be willing to trade for Jack Eichel and his $50 million contract under those circumstances, no matter the price, and they wouldn’t be making offers.

So much this. Jack Eichel is playing pickup hockey right now, before his surgery. Both surgeries being contemplated have a 90 per cent success rate. Is it possible this could affect his play moving forward? Sure, just like Jake McCabe's knee could affect him in the future, and Marco Rossi's COVID bout and Alex Tuch's shoulder and Linus Ullmark's injury-of-the-month. Didn't stop McCabe and Ullmark from getting long-term contracts, or Rossi and Tuch from being trade targets. Absolutely no one in the NHL is saying Jack's is a career-threatening injury, only panicky internet posters and wannabe message board GMs.

So, reasonably speaking, if Eichel has the value of Jones (he should have more) we should expect a minimum fair market return of: Jack Eichel for Othmann, Schneider, 2022 1st Jack Eichel for Wallstedt, Boldy, 2022 1st Jack Eichel for Perreault, Comtois, 2022 1st I wonder if these are the kinds of offers currently on the table

Underplayed rumour from Friedman: Reilly Smith to the Rangers to play for his old coach. Fun theory from me: the return is a prospect Adams likes, who will be flipped to the Sabres along with Krebs and pieces for Eichel.

He's in Cincinnati at #5 on the depth chart right now, and hopefully #6 before the summer is over. Ideally: Buffalo: New guy Anderson Rochester UPL Tokarski/Dell Cincinnati: Houser Some guy we never hear of

I find it really hard to believe that a team would be reluctant to offer a player like Krebs in a trade for Jack Eichel. There is no chance Krebs will ever be as good as Eichel. My memory tells me he said exactly what you said, "reluctant" The part he disputed was that Krebs, Hague Smith and 1st was the Sabres ask.

Just for the record, Friedman disputed that Kennedy's report that was actually the Sabres ask.

No. There is no such thing as an old boys system in the NHL. Every franchise except Buffalo makes sure they only hire people from outside the area. They know how unlikely it is to find people in their own community who are actually qualified, and how silly it is to put any stock into relationships you already have with people whose skills and fit are already known.