Is There a Path Forward for Eichel and the Sabres?

[thewookie1]

1 hour ago, Crusader1969 said:

I was and am firmly against trading Eichel but there is one scenario that could change my mind.    The Sabres winning the draft lottery and selected another Dman 

you could then Trade Eichel for another (younger) elite talent; plus plus prospects and draft picks. Then you would have Dahlin, Cozens, UPL, Mitts (?) , Kakko (as an example), Quinn, plus Power #1 this year all basically go into prime at same time 

I will never trade Eichel in our conference. I hate the idea of trading him but if my hand is forced he is going to the west.

[Crusader1969]

Is it confirmed he’s been playing with broken ribs? If so, was it prior to the season ? 

[DarthEbriate]

I'm at the point where I'm ready to admit that the tank's results (Reinhart, Eichel) need to be moved for the good of the franchise -- get a bunch of picks, prospects, and remake the roster entirely with NHL-capable players with souls. And, for the good of their hockey souls: liberate the players themselves from this mess. Risto, Eichel, Reino, Girgs. They're good to really good players, but they've suffered enough. Trade 'em all. Send Okposo to ROC at the start of next season, and then buy him out after next season. Remake the roster with an entirely new core and new captain and new vision.

Going way off the deep end -- somehow convince Skinner to waive his clause (you know, so he doesn't have to suffer further indignation at never playing in the playoffs), and then telling Seattle -- you can pick Eichel, but you have to take Skinner, no retention. And in exchange we ask for 3 firsts (including their 2021 top 5), 2 seconds, and 4-5 players we select from other rosters in the expansion draft of which one is a starting caliber goalie -- the types of players GM Kheevyn and whoever his new AGM and consultant end up wanting to build around. Seattle gets 2/3 of a top line and an oft-injured Hart-caliber 1C in his prime to "grow the sport" and "get people on their feet" and whatnot.

[SwampD]

Just now, DarthEbriate said:

I'm at the point where I'm ready to admit that the tank's results (Reinhart, Eichel) need to be moved for the good of the franchise -- get a bunch of picks, prospects, and remake the roster entirely with NHL-capable players with souls. And, for the good of their hockey souls: liberate the players themselves from this mess. Risto, Eichel, Reino, Girgs. They're good to really good players, but they've suffered enough. Trade 'em all. Send Okposo to ROC at the start of next season, and then buy him out after next season. Remake the roster with an entirely new core and new captain and new vision.

Going way off the deep end -- somehow convince Skinner to waive his clause (you know, so he doesn't have to suffer further indignation at never playing in the playoffs), and then telling Seattle -- you can pick Eichel, but you have to take Skinner, no retention. And in exchange we ask for 3 firsts (including their 2021 top 5), 2 seconds, and 4-5 players we select from other rosters in the expansion draft of which one is a starting caliber goalie -- the types of players GM Kheevyn and whoever his new AGM and consultant end up wanting to build around. Seattle gets 2/3 of a top line and an oft-injured Hart-caliber 1C in his prime to "grow the sport" and "get people on their feet" and whatnot.

I'd rather trade Dahlin.

[Randall Flagg]

Seattle would not do that

[DarthEbriate]

4 minutes ago, SwampD said:

I'd rather trade Dahlin.

But he doesn't have nearly the value Eichel does and he's so young he could still grow. At this rate, Sergachev's contract is going to be more than Dahlin's next, which I never thought I'd see. But Dahlin at 3 years at about $4M is a realistic possibility after watching him fall apart this year.

3 minutes ago, Randall Flagg said:

Seattle would not do that

That's what I'm afraid of.

[SwampD]

26 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

But he doesn't have nearly the value Eichel does and he's so young he could still grow. At this rate, Sergachev's contract is going to be more than Dahlin's next, which I never thought I'd see. But Dahlin at 3 years at about $4M is a realistic possibility after watching him fall apart this year.

I see no fire in Dahlin. All I see is "I skate pretty."

The reason the Sabres suck is that they continue to trade the "players who have value" and keep the ones who don't.

Edited March 30, 2021 by SwampD

[PerreaultForever]

Eichel and the Sabres at this point is like a bad marriage. Maybe even an abusive one. You can keep hoping he will change (or she if you prefer) but it won't happen. Won't help to stay together for the sake of the kids either. They will pick up on the hostility and the depression. 

You can choose which (Sabres or Eichel) is the he or she. It really doesn't matter. 

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, SwampD said:

I see no fire in Dahlin. All I see is "I skate pretty."

The reason the Sabres suck is that they continue to trade the "players who have value" and keep the ones who don't.

It's true, but there is nobody on the team leading and showing the fire for him to catch. 

Oddly the no value players generally give more than the so called star value who aren't doing much to earn their money. 

[Thorny]

Dahlin showed plenty of fire battling for that puck in OT after he lost it. Shocking, honestly, considering the example set for him by the players on his own line at the time 

Edited March 30, 2021 by Thorny

[Sabre fan]

while I do not like how the team was respomding under Ralhpie I think it is fair to say that with a healthy Jack playing at 100% the team would have won at least some of the games we have lost recently. I guess what is most disappointing and troublesome is however  how nobody else has stepped up and tried to lead the team in jack's absence. I was hoping maybe Stall would do that but he was plain awful and the other veterans have been a major disappointment too. Funny Perraultforever stated that it is the  lesser paid players whop are giving their all and that is true...can't blame the Lazar's and Reider's and even Okposo has been tearing it up (for him at least). If the team got any production whatsoever from Hall & Skinner and Sam on some nights we would have no doubt won the last 2 games at least. 

[Kong]

First, Eichel should get a haircut. Then we'll talk. His hair is worse than Larry of the Three Stooges and Art Garfunkel combined.

[matter2003]

Get real coaches that know how to utilize their players properly

[Curt]

I was just listening to the most recent episode of The Staff and Graph Podcast and they spoke of some feelings around the league that Eichel is a guy with some character concerns, in that he is kind of hard to deal with day to day and some people would say that he might not be a guy you can win with as the centerpiece of a team.  They brought this up in regards to talks about Eichel trade proposals and that he may not fetch as much around the league as you might think. 
 

Link to episode:  Go to about 43:00 mark.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-staff-graph-podcast/id1455926874?i=1000515931841

[thewookie1]

33 minutes ago, Curt said:

I was just listening to the most recent episode of The Staff and Graph Podcast and they spoke of some feelings around the league that Eichel is a guy with some character concerns, in that he is kind of hard to deal with day to day and some people would say that he might not be a guy you can win with as the centerpiece of a team.  They brought this up in regards to talks about Eichel trade proposals and that he may not fetch as much around the league as you might think. 
 

Link to episode:  Go to about 43:00 mark.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-staff-graph-podcast/id1455926874?i=1000515931841

 

lol, they just want him to go cheaply to a larger market.

[Curt]

9 minutes ago, thewookie1 said:

 

lol, they just want him to go cheaply to a larger market.

I don’t see why that would be the case.  Rachel Dorrie has worked in the the league and I don’t know why she would make things up about precipitation’s that some people have.

[LGR4GM]

49 minutes ago, Curt said:

I was just listening to the most recent episode of The Staff and Graph Podcast and they spoke of some feelings around the league that Eichel is a guy with some character concerns, in that he is kind of hard to deal with day to day and some people would say that he might not be a guy you can win with as the centerpiece of a team.  They brought this up in regards to talks about Eichel trade proposals and that he may not fetch as much around the league as you might think. 
 

Link to episode:  Go to about 43:00 mark.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-staff-graph-podcast/id1455926874?i=1000515931841

Don't, and I can't stress this enough, f%$k#ng trade him. 

[thewookie1]

37 minutes ago, Curt said:

I don’t see why that would be the case.  Rachel Dorrie has worked in the the league and I don’t know why she would make things up about precipitation’s that some people have.

Friends of friends, esc.

If the team were winning, you would never hear anything about minor character concerns.  I highly doubt Rachel Dorrie lives in a bubble and doesn't have a team she personally likes as well.

For instance, any Rangers or Kings fan would love this because they want Eichel cheap like how we sold ROR. (Who also supposedly had character problems....) 

Another angle is clicks/views for the podcast. Saying Eichel might be a problem is far more interesting to a listener than Eichel is a stand up guy who's good to a fault. 

The only way I ever trade Eichel is out of the Conference and for immense amounts of assets. I don't care if he's a plague upon the Earth; if we trade him cheaply and he takes off again in his new home; Buffalo will only continue further into the doldrums and even greater external mockery. The ROR trade haunts us like a specter and every fanbase belittles and insults us over everything we do. Trading Eichel for anything short of that Kings offer from the Athletic would be nothing short than grounds to just give up and walk away or quite literally marching on the arena French Revolution style and bringing out a guillotine. Essentially Eichel either has to succeed/fail in Buffalo for the Sabres to save even an ounce of credibility. Also I block the number of any Eastern Conference team that dares ask about acquiring him. 

[Kruppstahl]

On 3/30/2021 at 12:25 PM, Kong said:

First, Eichel should get a haircut. Then we'll talk. His hair is worse than Larry of the Three Stooges and Art Garfunkel combined.

You know, for a modern NHL hockey hero, Eichel is a seriously unattractive person.  LOL.

And his hair is freaking horrible.  In his defense, no one can do anything with that hair type, but man, it does look ridiculous sticking out from his helmet like a pair of giant poodle ears.

If I was him, I would seriously closely cut it to a very close crew cut look, and go with that.

Problem is, these guys don't want to end up bald, and that helmet rubbing on short hair definitely makes you bald.

I think it's why they all go with the long hair now, and kind of get a protective "flop" of hair under the helmet to prevent that sandpaper effect that destroys your hair follicles.

It's a mess.

 

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

Don't, and I can't stress this enough, f%$k#ng trade him. 

There's no way in the world we win a trade involving Eichel.

Having said that, we don't know if he has already asked for one, or is going to ask for one this off-season, or if that is just around the corner or what.

Then again, he may be the sort to never ask for one.  I don't know.

You have to assume he *will* want to go at some point, if the picture doesn't start to look a lot better around here, and soon.

So that complicates things a lot.  

[lost in dc]

You cannot be serious about trading Jack

[Norcal]

Keep Eichel and get him two wingers not currently on the team

  

[inkman]

19 minutes ago, Norcal said:

Keep Eichel and get him two wingers not currently on the team

  

Like the best UFAs, like Taylor Hall, Kyle Okposo and Jeff Skinner?

[Norcal]

1 minute ago, inkman said:

Like the best UFAs, like Taylor Hall, Kyle Okposo and Jeff Skinner?

No. Hockey trades if available. 

I don't have any ready names but I don't get paid for that either.

The new guys and Adams will have to figure that out but I think he needs a couple of young fast creative kids to skate with. 

 

[Curt]

4 hours ago, thewookie1 said:

Friends of friends, esc.

If the team were winning, you would never hear anything about minor character concerns.  I highly doubt Rachel Dorrie lives in a bubble and doesn't have a team she personally likes as well.

For instance, any Rangers or Kings fan would love this because they want Eichel cheap like how we sold ROR. (Who also supposedly had character problems....) 

Another angle is clicks/views for the podcast. Saying Eichel might be a problem is far more interesting to a listener than Eichel is a stand up guy who's good to a fault. 

The only way I ever trade Eichel is out of the Conference and for immense amounts of assets. I don't care if he's a plague upon the Earth; if we trade him cheaply and he takes off again in his new home; Buffalo will only continue further into the doldrums and even greater external mockery. The ROR trade haunts us like a specter and every fanbase belittles and insults us over everything we do. Trading Eichel for anything short of that Kings offer from the Athletic would be nothing short than grounds to just give up and walk away or quite literally marching on the arena French Revolution style and bringing out a guillotine. Essentially Eichel either has to succeed/fail in Buffalo for the Sabres to save even an ounce of credibility. Also I block the number of any Eastern Conference team that dares ask about acquiring him. 

I think you are right.  If the Sabres were winning we wouldn’t hear stuff like this.

I have listened to her podcast for years and I’ve never heard her discuss being a fan of an NHL team.  Everyone says working inside the NHL kills your fandom.

If she said it for clicks/subs it was pretty poor marketing.  A 30 second comment buried 42 mins into a 1 hr podcast without any mention of it in the title or description.

Did you listen to the segment?

My point in mentioning this was not to say that Eichel is a jerk, that any of the perceptions she mentioned are true, or that the Sabres should trade Eichel.

Im just sharing it because if there is that negative perception widely held within the league, it could affect trade value.  Even if it’s not really true, the fact that many think it’s kind of true is enough.

Personally, I do not agree that the Sabres must hold Eichel at all costs.  He is a very talented player, but he does not have the type of accomplishments that make him untouchable, or give me the emotional attachment to him that would devastate me if he were to be moved.  Nothing in my heart binds Eichel and the Sabres’ fortunes together.  His value to me is purely in his on ice skills.  Those are hard to replace, so it’s very hard to trade him, but not impossible.

Edited April 6, 2021 by Curt

[Curt]

5 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

Don't, and I can't stress this enough, f%$k#ng trade him. 

Never said that they should.  For me, it depends on the specifics of the trade.

1 hour ago, lost in dc said:

You cannot be serious about trading Jack

Never said they should.  For me it depends on the specifics of the trade.