Oh Samson My Samson!

[Derrico]

Not on the current roster.

 

KO seems like a good person and wish him all the best. If, big if, this head injury (combined with last year) forces him to retire do we know the cap implications. Not trying to be insensitive but you have to worry about this guys long term health if the head injury is serious.

[Samson's Flow]

Not on the current roster. KO seems like a good person and wish him all the best. If, big if, this head injury (combined with last year) forces him to retire do we know the cap implications. Not trying to be insensitive but you have to worry about this guys long term health if the head injury is serious.

Does he go on LTIR and not count against the cap? I know some teams have used LTIR as a way to escape bad contracts in the past, but this one would be more legit. I think official retirement is more punitive cap wise.

[inkman]

Who would Jack's RW now if KO is Ko'd for this season and maybe for his career if the concussion is severe enough?

Erod with O'Regan on the left. The old BU line.

[erickompositör72]

Erod with O'Regan on the left. The old BU line.

 

I almost feel the line JAG-Eichel-JAG will produce a lot of points

Maybe even JAG-O'Reilly-Reinhart

 

Could be a formula for at least 3 lines with serious scoring threat

[sweetlou]

It is being talked about more and more as the season winds down.  How much has his second half scoring pace helped him with his next contract?  I have said since last summer the Sabres should extend him for another three years at a bridge deal of about $4 miilion per year.  This would still make him an RFA and at 25 years old could sign his big contract if he earns it in the next three years.

 

But recently I have considered some questions about the length.

 

 

If the Sabres sign Mittelstat this off season to his entry level deal, do you go shorter term or longer term with Reinhart?

How much will Seattle getting expansion team affect the length of his contract?

 

Pommer and Moulson big contracts come off books after next season.

Bogo and Scandella have large contracts that expire in 2020. 

 

 

[Drunkard]

I'd lean towards any bridge contract that leaves him as an RFA at the end of it. If you don't do that, I'd go the full 8 years. The stupidest thing this franchise can do is split the difference and give him a 5 or 6 year contract that ends with him being a UFA while he's still in his prime. I sometimes see people recommend that and I just scratch my head.

[erickompositör72]

Consider Botterill signed Eichel before he had "proven" 10mil/year worth, and that he is a cap-management guy, and that a max term Reinhart contract has the upside of best cap-management strategy (albeit with some inherent risk that he doesn't live up to it).

 

It also might come down to how Housley and GMBot perceive his character/work ethic. If they perceive it very positively, it could encourage them to pull the trigger on a contract with term

[dudacek]

A 1, 2 or 3 year deal @ under 5 would be my preference.

But if he wants long-term, there’s an 8-year $50 million deal on the table.

Partly because I believe that we will be calling it this best deal in the league if this team gets good, and partly because of Freeman’s reaction.

[BuffaloBorn]

Lock him up while he's cheap with the bad start. then watch him flourish on the best contract in the league in the near future saving significant cap space

[nfreeman]

I have to run to the bathroom and vomit for a while, but will post when I return.

[Samson's Flow]

As I said in the equally good Sam Reinhart thread I started earlier this week (:nana:)

 

 

He is still only 22 years old, so I would assert that what you see could be actual development. In no way do I think he is a "what you see is what you get" type of player yet. 

 

I think there are only two logical thought processes:

1) You think he will only get better and want to lock in his cap hit at lower than his future market value by signing a long term extension. Something like $5-5.5MM over 6-7 years. Risky in that he could become Stafford, but could payoff and have a cheap 1st liner for years to come.

 

2) You aren't sure his recent strong play is real, or you believe he is too inconsistent and needs to prove it before the Sabres invest in a long term deal. You sign a bridge deal for $3.5MM for 2 years and revisit his progress in 2020. Risk is he becomes a star and commands $8MM+ on the market, but this insulates the Sabres from potential regression.

[Taro T]

A 1, 2 or 3 year deal @ under 5 would be my preference.

But if he wants long-term, there’s an 8-year $50 million deal on the table.

Partly because I believe that we will be calling it this best deal in the league if this team gets good, and partly because of Freeman’s reaction.

Really expecting a 3 year deal. Though, as stated elsewhere my preference would be a LT deal.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Erod with O'Regan on the left. The old BU line.

Jack and JAGs went up the ice to bag of bunch of goals....

[mjd1001]

Erod with O'Regan on the left. The old BU line.

 

I'm not sure if O'Regan is even an NHL player so I don't know if I'd go that far. But, I have seen enough from Rodriguez to think he is a pretty good NHL player...if not a big scorer at least someone who CAN create offense occasionally. If you get another very good player on Jacks line, then Erod doesn't have to be the star..and it can be a very, VERY good line.

[SwampD]

A 1, 2 or 3 year deal @ under 5 would be my preference.

But if he wants long-term, there’s an 8-year $50 million deal on the table.

Partly because I believe that we will be calling it this best deal in the league if this team gets good, and partly because of Freeman’s reaction.

This.

[mjd1001]

Ok, as far as Reinhart goes....lets break down the basic numbers as of where we are now...projecting to 82 games for an equal comparison:

 

 

2015-2016:   24 goals, 20 assists, 44 pts....8 power play goals (65% at even strength, 16 even strength goals per 82 games), 16.8 minutes per game

 

2016-2017:  18 goals, 31 assists, 49 pts....9 power play goals (47% of goals at even strength, 15 even strength goals per 82 games), 17.2 minutes per game

 

2017-2018:  21 goals, 25 assists, 46 pts...8 power play goals (59% at even strength, 14.5 even strength goals per 82 games), 16.7 minutes per game

 

 

So, if you look at the season as a WHOLE, who is Sam? Pretty much the same player he has been for his career.

 

Of course, there is the side of things saying he has played great lately and a 'light has gone on' and he is a different player now...so....lets break his season down into 2 parts...2017 part of this season and the 2018 part...and project those to 82 games:

 

This season 2017:   11 goals, 13 assists, 24 pts...4 pp goals (60% at even strength, 6.5 even strength goals per 82), 15.7 minutes per game

 

This season 2018:  33 goals, 41 assists, 74 pts...14 pp goals (58% at even strength, 19 even strenght goals per 82), 18.0 minutes per game

 

 

Looks really good over the last 30 games projected out to 82.  However one thing to consider....has Reinhart 'turned the corner', or is he just having a hot stretch like he has, even in past seasons?  Last year he was pretty consistent through the entire season, but in his first full year, he had a 25 game stretch where he got 10 goals and 10 assists  (in his current 30 game stretch, he has 12 goals and 15 assists).  And as far as the 'eyeball test', I remember at the end of that season, a lot of people were looking at his play then and thinking he had 'turned the corner' into a top guy...only to have him regress later.  Just some further thoughts.

[Thorny]

A 1, 2 or 3 year deal @ under 5 would be my preference.

But if he wants long-term, there’s an 8-year $50 million deal on the table.

Partly because I believe that we will be calling it this best deal in the league if this team gets good, and partly because of Freeman’s reaction.

Ehlers got 6 Million coming off a 64 point season. There’s no reason to pay Sam 6.25 or even close to 6.

[darksabre]

Watching Reinhart last night in person was worth doing. He's better than he looks on TV. He's good and this team needs him.

[dudacek]

There’s no reason to pay Sam 6.25 or even close to 6.

I thought I made it clear: to watch Freeman’s reaction.

[GASabresIUFAN]

I thought I made it clear: to watch Freeman’s reaction.

I’ve never seen Freeman hate on one player as much as he dislikes Samson. I wonder why?

[Wyldnwoody44]

I’ve never seen Freeman hate on one player as much as he dislikes Samson. I wonder why?

Scorned lover

[erickompositör72]

Personally, I never observed Sam before 2018 and thought he had "turned a corner" - even when he had productive stretches. He looked like a fantastic complementary player who knew how to pass and knew where to be to cash in on rebounds/setups

 

Now, he looks like a player who, in addition, knows how to create space and is strong on the puck. I didn't think he'd ever be able to do this to this extent. Now, I think he realizes he can be even better at this than he has already become in 2018.

[nfreeman]

Well, I would dearly like for Reino to turn into a consistent high-end player.  I also think his play for the past couple of months has been the best I've seen from him, and will be very happy with him if that is his level of play going forward.

 

I just think it would be ill-advised, given the inconsistency in his game to date, plus reasonable cause to doubt his maturity, to give him a fat long-term contract this summer.  I also think it would probably be better for his long-term development for him to get a short-term deal now -- so he knows he has to work hard and stay consistent for the next 1-2 seasons in order to cash in -- and hopefully at that point the good habits will have taken permanent hold.

 

And GA -- you weren't here when Derek Roy was in my doghouse.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Well, I would dearly like for Reino to turn into a consistent high-end player. I also think his play for the past couple of months has been the best I've seen from him, and will be very happy with him if that is his level of play going forward.

 

I just think it would be ill-advised, given the inconsistency in his game to date, plus reasonable cause to doubt his maturity, to give him a fat long-term contract this summer. I also think it would probably be better for his long-term development for him to get a short-term deal now -- so he knows he has to work hard and stay consistent for the next 1-2 seasons in order to cash in -- and hopefully at that point the good habits will have taken permanent hold.

 

And GA -- you weren't here when Derek Roy was in my doghouse.

I agree on the bridge deal by the way, but with another 40 pt season under his belt, no way we get a huge bargain on the re-sign.

 

Roy was in a lot of people’s doghouse in the end. He was a 2nd center playing top lines minutes. That is on DR who failed to draft and develop or acquire adequate replacements for Drury and Briere.

[Thorny]

I thought I made it clear: to watch Freeman’s reaction.

:lol:

 

Well, I would dearly like for Reino to turn into a consistent high-end player. I also think his play for the past couple of months has been the best I've seen from him, and will be very happy with him if that is his level of play going forward.

 

I just think it would be ill-advised, given the inconsistency in his game to date, plus reasonable cause to doubt his maturity, to give him a fat long-term contract this summer. I also think it would probably be better for his long-term development for him to get a short-term deal now -- so he knows he has to work hard and stay consistent for the next 1-2 seasons in order to cash in -- and hopefully at that point the good habits will have taken permanent hold.

 

And GA -- you weren't here when Derek Roy was in my doghouse.

I like a bridge for the same reasons, particularly the bolded.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Thorny