Robviously

And he also knows that 29 teams would be thrilled to have him. Except Buffalo has the one GM that made last night about himself and his frustration, and not about the player we're going to land and the team's future. If you're Jack Eichel, and you've been hyped for years, that would be a bizarre change of pace.

Because it doesnt' matter what he wanted. He got #2 and should have expressed his excitement that we're in a good position for the future, both for the sake of the player and the sake of the city and organization. His comments last night were stupid and added zero value. Instead of today being all about Buffalo getting ready to welcome Jack Eichel, there's now a subplot about Murray's unhappiness. How stupid is that? But we're going to and everyone knows that, including Eichel. So don't act like your wife just left you because you lost the lottery. Of course he does. Every time he plays the Bills, he goes all the way down the Bills' roster and praises every player. It's all BS, but he knows not to say anything that will cause trouble leading up to the game. He's the master of saying a bunch of nonsense and keeping his thoughts to himself. I'd prefer that in a coach/GM.

Last night should have been about Eichel coming to Buffalo. Murray's comments were all about his disappointment. Tell me how that isn't a slight.

Yes. It speaks to his judgment and professionalism, and how he handles it when things don't go his way.

BTW, a teenager hypothetically saying he'd love to play for his hometown team -- if that's the way it works out -- isn't the same thing as an adult commenting about his disappointment about the teenager he's almost certainly going to draft.

Seeing as how the league doesn't even care about its star players suffering brain injuries from cheap shots, I really don't think they're going to spring into action and change how they award draft picks due to Tim Murray's whining last night. Which is another reason his performance last night was completely idiotic. "We're really excited that we're going to have the opportunity to draft a special player to add to all the young talent we already have. The future is really bright for our team." Milbury was interesting. I want someone competent. Last night was a red flag.

Yes, we should. I assume almost everyone has a job where they get frustrated from time to time. And part of doing that job is not mouthing off all the time or being insanely negative when things don't go your way. And, yes, that includes the "emotionally charged" moments. And as far as it being an emotionally charged moment: There was an 80% chance of last night's outcome happening! How was he not better prepared to handle that? So, no, whatever comments he makes leading up to the draft in the next two months as he gets his story straight won't make up for it. He crumpled under pressure and made last night about himself, rather than about how excited we are to welcome Eichel to Buffalo. It's definitely a red flag for the guy.

Oh, he was mad at the league? Who. The ####. Cares? He's supposed to be an adult and a professional. Last night wasn't the right time or place for his airing of grievances. It was the night Jack Eichel found out he's 99% going to be headed to Buffalo. And our GM looked like a guy going through a messy divorce. Is it too much to ask that he acts excited that we're going to draft a generational prospect -- even if only for that prospect's sake? Or the sake of the fans? He's representing the team and the city. Literally nothing he said helped, but he did manage to say a few incredibly thoughtless things. Instead of saying the right things, he decided his feelings were the most important thing about last night. It was stupid and unprofessional. It's in the Sportsnet video link I posted at 10:21am above. It honestly might be the most damning thing he said last night. The analogy fails on every level and there's no way you can put a positive spin on it for Eichel.

Yes, this is just the media tricking people. :rolleyes: It's certainly not like you can just watch the presser video and see a wildly disappointed man giving bizarre answers to questions and making horrible WJC analogies.

"I swear at this point the Sabres could go 16-0 in the playoffs and win the Stanley Cup and people here would be complaining." Incredible burn.

Because "we'll make the best of it" isn't the same as "we're excited about who we're going to draft and about this team's future." Or the bizarre WJC comment. Or "I feel for the fans..." (the fans already buying Eichel t-shirts, BTW).

This never gets old.

Christopher Parker @Bulldogwgr · 31m31 minutes ago I'm having a tough time convincing people it's ok Sabres didn't win lottery. One reason for that. Murray's comments. Thanks for that. It's almost like people listen when the GM speaks. But hopefully Murray feels better after using last night to run his mouth. His feelings are really the most important thing in this situation.

Here's the clip of Murray making the (insane) WJC roster comparison and the "I feel for the fans..." quote that is Buccigross was probably misquoting on Twitter last night. http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/murray-compares-draft-lottery-to-not-making-team-canada/ I didn't catch the WJC last night but that's also in the running for dumbest thing he's ever said. Adding Eichel shouldn't be compared to how devastated a teenager would feel if he found out he wasn't going to play for his country in an international tournament. I sort of understand why he went there though, because his whole demeanor in interviewers last night was high school kid whose girlfriend just dumped him. "I feel for the fans..." was moronic as well. The fans celebrated the night we clinched 30th because it meant Jack Eichel. He's either completely out of touch with the fans or just using them as an excuse for his own moping. And either way, just keep it to yourself. This is the best player you're ever going to draft!

If he wins a Cup here, I won't care what he says either. But since he's been a GM for just over a year and hasn't actually accomplished anything yet, he should probably go ahead and not say stupid things. And, actually, yes it was an ad hominem attack because he made a point about me and not the point I was making. That's literally the definition of ad hominem. And the whole "are you just going to complain now?" point doesn't make sense either since, unlike our GM, I'm thrilled we're getting Jack Eichel and didn't mind losing the lottery this year. So if your argument is that I just complain about everything, maybe you need to try a little harder.

Ad hominem attacks aren't going to win the debate. I listened to his press conference live after the lottery. Was the press distorting his words in real time? He said a bunch of dumb things. You're offended people noticed?

There's no context to make "The fans should be disappointed" a smart thing to say. The Sabres did everything they could to suck this year so that they could finish 30th and be in this exact position -- even if it meant making their fans completely miserable a second year in a row. Putting a cherry on that with "The fans should be disappointed" is just a wildly idiotic thing to say. And, BTW, there was an 80% chance he was going to have to give remarks on this outcome. And this is what he came up with??? All he had to do was spend 10 minutes this afternoon thinking of a good way to express that the fans and Eichel should all be excited about the future regardless of the Sabres not winning the lottery today.

This isn't Day 1 of the media making too much out of things. That's basically been their MO forever. This is why most pro athletes, coaches, and GMs are savvy enough to not say anything they can do too much with. *Most* Here's the cover of the Buffalo News Draft Lottery edition tomorrow. https://twitter.com/JasonBaumBN/status/589624681059192832 Nice headline: "Murray disappointed..." The fact that the word "disappointed" is appearing anywhere near the news about Jack Eichel coming to Buffalo is insanely embarrassing for the Buffalo Sabres. I'm already weary of Murray's "I'm a straight-shooter" schtick; he's put his foot in his mouth a few times now and I don't see how it helps us in any way. He can keep his mouth shut or just stick to the same vague statements that every other GM makes from here on out. He's been an NHL GM for just over a year and he's not nearly accomplished enough to get away with saying dopey things to the media.

That GMTM says stupid things when you put a microphone in front of him?

Cool idea: User Actions Following Jeremy White‏@JeremyWGR Jeremy White retweeted Mike DeFelice He's at @Jack_Eichel11 Jeremy White added, Mike DeFelice @Mike_DeFelice @JeremyWGR it would be really cool to get the let's go buffalo chant on Eichel's twitter feed. Make it happen.

Seriously. Or any media training at all. Just off the top of my head, here's what you say: "Of course you always want to draft first, but we're not disappointed right now and our fans shouldn't be disappointed either. We know there are two really special players coming out of this draft and we're excited to add one of them. Better days are coming for this team." Whining about how you always want to have the best and not the second best, or how the NHL should have never changed the odds in the draft last Summer sounded ****ing terrible tonight.

How many people will stay up past midnight to watch games that begin at 10pm ET? How many Winter Classics is Edmonton going to be in? Or national Sunday afternoon games on NBC? People who already like hockey will find their chances to watch him. His ability to draw new fans to the game is severely diminished by playing for Edmonton.

Already smarter in interviews than our GM.

Translation: He's been willing to overpay in the past.

So? He's allowed to. (And I did watch his interview after.) He's a teenager. GMTM is an adult and should be smart enough to want to get off on the right foot with the best player he's ever going to draft.