Second Line Center

What did I miss? Jack skate with the Maple Leafs today?

The fact this hasn't happened yet is really bad. A supposed top 5 center in the league is available. And their appears to be no takers - stop with the asking price. These things just get done when a player like this becomes available. So what's up? 1. The injury. He's going to miss over half the season. 2. Jack's resume - often injured. Point per game player. On a perennial loser. Went thru GMs and Coaches like it was nothing. Despite his presence, ROR and he along with a fairly talented roster....absolutely stunk. And ROR forced a trade....essentially. ROR was not upset over the handling of an injury. When you read the beat guys from other teams they allude to "attitude." I have no reason to question this. I think there is something there about him. But he shouldn't be seen as a C. When you stop doing that and figure he needs to be surrounded by people that win and expect his best everyday. 3. The players we want will not want or do not want to be here. Long term extensions or maybe they have flat out said "no way I'm not going to be happy leaving Vegas or the Wild to come here. 4. Experienced GMs are trying to get KA to drop his price. He cannot do so.

We keep Eichel he gets the surgery misses all of 2021. Ultimate Stealth tank league knows its so bad we'll need Wright to save this franchise. Core for 2022-23: Eichel Wright Casey Cozens Quinn Olof Artuu Skinner Dahlin Power Joki Johnson Bryson UPL Playoffs in 2022. Ultimate fast track plan. I'm bored.

No one especially the teams that didn't make the playoffs this year are trading us an unprotected 1st round pick in 2022. There is ZERO chance. The first reason is if Jack needs surgery he is out half the season. Maybe more. Good luck making the playoffs so you're a Lotto team. If he is ready to go from the start that still won't mean that team is playoff bound. This injury situation is just a complete disaster I think not enough people are acknowledging because of the implications. And I have no reason to think it might actually be worse then we're bring told - KA keeps referring (God please stop talking about it) to the surgery as "never been done." And the news that has me just completely dejected is the report yesterday Jack still wants the surgery and that there are different kinds he can opt for. Peak trade value is completely sunk. Teams know we need to trade him this year or the no movement kicks in - meaning that if the surgery doesn't get him to the player he was, they are "stuck." How this team has handled this behind the scenes and in public in the last year is mind boggling (reports we explored a deal last year - how can we let that news slip out). This is going to be bad unless we add something to the deal. Probably 50 cents on the dollar.

"They wouldn’t comment further about Eichel’s status. He’s skating, but it’s believed he will still need surgery — although the Sabres haven’t approved his preferred choice, a disc replacement." What team is trading us legit value with this situation? You've got to be kidding me

Very true. He should have been a Sabre. East Coast team and exposure. Best fan base in the league. 15K go see him play in Juniors. It was supposed to be - I think the FO and Terry got sucked in to that without understanding its very likely to NOT happen.

I wonder how much they convinced themselves they were going to get McDavid, and the sting of that kind of lurking around. Maybe it bristled Jack and thus always doomed from the start. TM's reaction on Lotto night always irked me still does to this day. They just seemed so convinced - like you have to be saying going into the season and then the Lotto - look, we're going to get a great player. We have stock piled picks and assets to start a new era. Eichel or McDavid, it doesn't matter he's just one piece albeit an important one. I'm just mussing out loud here trying to figure out how it all went wrong. In reality it was a bunch of things stacked up on each other.

No doubt and a handful of other guys Scandella, Skinner I didn't think needed mentioning I was just referencing the ones we are trading. Collectively just wasn't right and they did themselves no favors.

Sam's character on full display today. "I don't know why I didn't get a long term deal." But if we trust Adams isn't lying....Sam was never staying beyond this season. This organization is a disaster. But let's stop avoiding calling out some of these players for what they are and what they failed to do here. As I said before, for having ROR Jack Sam and Risto.....and not sniff the playoffs, it's got to get blown up, the culture you can't measure with a computer in that room was atrocious. Sam and to a much larger extent Jack failed the team and the city. They should grow the heck up and own it on their way out of town. The organization may deserve their scorn if it makes them feel better but the fans don't deserve to hear anything other then "yea we failed 3 GMs and 4 coaches....we needed to do more and we let them down." Bye. So looking forward to this reset.

If the AAV is over 9 million that's why he didn't get a long term deal. I like Sam. But he's not worth that. He's a great 3rd line player on a Stanley Cup team. He will not be a top 6 player on a Cup team Zero chance. He was a top 6 player here and we didn't even sniff the playoffs with him and Jack and ROR. The end. Time to move on.

Yep same here.

Yea I'm not getting the hate over what was clearly a guy they targeted. Size? That's it? I'm intrigued for sure but I'm a build from the net out guy first.

. The first rounder would still be in the 20s and what if he gets hurt? And I'm sure he'd just be a happy warrior all season.

Adams has 5 years job security. This is a full tear down rebuild. It's not tanking. They're doing what needs to be done to build a team of players that A. Want to be here and B. Aren't tainted with 6 plus years of being the worst franchise in professional sports. Now get 2 elite prospects for Jack and it's a great start. Getting 1st overall next year fast tracks it. But we'll worry about that next April.

He has clearly told everyone he's going to market. The bridge deals hurt us here but whatever.

Wonder if this leak came from Florida prematurely. We didn't have any reason to excite our fans at midnight last night.

He isn't planning on being last. They want to win. That message will be clear. It just isn't going to happen. This will take years.

Chad makes the point I'm making about RFA status

No UFA worth a dam is coming here. We're already a lock to be a bottom 5 team.

This is all I'm trying to figure out. Because as soon as an RFA is traded it usually comes with a new contract....I think. How much is his RFA status an issue? Would we give up elite or high end prospects for an RFA that won't sign long term here? How much leverage does Sam have?

Because teams that sense they can win it tend to spend more at the trade deadline for valuable (possible rentals) then teams over the summer who hope to keep said potential rental long term but he isn't sure he wants to stay there. Yes I do think you'd get more in a deadline deal in this situation. Florida isn't parting with anything significant if they don't think they can lock him up - can someone offer sheet Sam, etc. We'll see what the return is but if it's what's reported what other reason you got besides Adams sucks.

How is Sam's contract situation not impacting this? If so he should have been dealt at the deadline, no?

He'll be 6'0 and 185 - 190 by the time he's 21 and in the NHL. Patrick Kane was also 5'10 and 162 when drafted. Relax folks.

I'm feeling confident the return on Eichel and Sam will include several C prospects.

7G and 2 assists at the U18s Never has had more assists then Goals in a season. Pure goal scorer.