Eichel to Meet with Sabres to Discuss Options regarding Neck Injury Next Week

[PromoTheRobot]

8 minutes ago, Thwomp! said:

I mean, the Sabres have been spectacular under your pal Terry's ownership.  Why would we ever have any doubts about Terry's spectacular franchise and ownership record?

Because it's lazy, stupid and wrong to kneejerk everything as Terry's fault. Are you going to tell me a player who going against the advice of his own doctors is right here?

But I get I'm being a killjoy. Have you been able to find enough tar and feathers?

Edited June 1, 2021 by PromoTheRobot

[Brawndo]

19 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

Why? It's been the most likely outcome on this forum for months.

Because Friedman  is an Insider with direct access to NHL Front Offices. When His Stance changes from its possible Eichel is traded to Jack being traded is the most likely outcome it’s means it’s happening.

The forum can speculate as much as its wants about what it think will happen, but Friedman Opinion carries a hell of a lot more weight. 

[Marvin]

16 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

They should call his bluff then. “OK Jack, everything is setup, you go under the knife on Friday.  Here are 300 waivers you have to sign that absolve us of any responsibility for your decision.”

The NHLPA would never stand for that.

If Eichel signs a waiver and the surgery goes awry or he is hurt, the Sabres would have no liability, a voided contract, no cap hit, etc.  The NHLPA would probably have to cover much of his health bills.

If the Sabres OK it, then they are on the hook for the contract and potentially much more.  If the surgery goes awry, the Sabres have a $10M cap hit each season he contracted for until they could LTIR him.  If he is permanently hurt while an employee, they are responsible for his health for the rest of his life.  The NHLPA would be absolved of the responsibility.  Can you imagine the potential liability lawsuit?  "Of course you are responsible.  You could have told me, 'no.'"

That is what this is really about: who is financially responsible if something goes wrong?

IMHO, the Sabres don't advise the surgery, so they should stand firm, regardless of what the players and talking heads say.

Edit: Yes, I understand that this would make Buffalo an even lesser market for the players than it is already.  Life sucks, then you die.  Assuming he is being honest in this, which I see no reason not to, how is is passing a physical after a trade?  Even if it is waived for the moment, it is a non-zero possibility that other teams' doctors would tell the lawyers that it is a bad risk and then nix the trade.

This is much, much harder than anyone in the hockey world seems to think.  The fact that the only people who don't seem to be cavalier about Eichel's health are viewed as the bad guys makes me despair at human nature.

Edited June 1, 2021 by Marvin, Sabres Fan

[Thwomp!]

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

Because it's lazy, stupid and wrong to kneejerk everything as Terry's fault. Are you going to tell me a player who going against the advice of his own doctors is right here?

But I get I'm being a killjoy. Have you been able to find enough tar and feathers?

Just reality.   281-354-94, 6 coaches, 3 GMs, all kinds of bad trades, bad drafting, and cluelessness and ineptitude on a historical scale for a sports owner.

I wouldn't trust Terry to get my order right at Wendy's.

 

[Radar]

14 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

Is it possible that Eichel doesn’t want this crazy surgery at all, but is taking the public stance just to create a rift between him and the team, in hopes that the relationship goes south to the point where they trade him?

Possible of course.

[Crusader1969]

16 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

Because Friedman  is an Insider with direct access to NHL Front Offices. When His Stance changes from its possible Eichel is traded to Jack being traded is the most likely outcome it’s means it’s happening.

The forum can speculate as much as its wants about what it think will happen, but Friedman Opinion carries a hell of a lot more weight. 

Do we know for sure that the rest that all the doctors agreed upon wasn’t successful? 

[Radar]

31 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

They should call his bluff then. “OK Jack, everything is setup, you go under the knife on Friday.  Here are 300 waivers you have to sign that absolve us of any responsibility for your decision.”

Don't think it's that simple. The league and the players Association are all involved. 

[Crusader1969]

I wonder if the continual imploding of McDavid and Matthews makes it easier for him to swallow being a Sabre? 
 

[Rasmus_]

1 minute ago, Crusader1969 said:

I wonder if the continual imploding of McDavid and Matthews makes it easier for him to swallow being a Sabre? 
 

I doubt it, if he was making the playoffs, then his main concern of "winning" would at least be pacified with the notion that we were a "semi contending team".  Where his main issue, is that we haven't even scratched a "play in". 

 

[Brawndo]

Paul Hamilton in an article mentioned that if the Sabres and Eichel cannot come to an agreement that the next step could be arbitration where His Case will be heard by a panel of three doctors all with Sports Medicine Backgrounds. One selected by the Sabres, one by the NHLPA and third mutually agreed on by both parties 

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, Thorny said:

This is why I wouldn't choose trade him. Although you are correct it seemed likely, speaking for at least myself I unashamedly have a fair portion of my brain committed to denial still - if you think Friedman is trustworthy it certainly makes it feel more real, at least to me. 

My gut feel is they won't trade him.  They're losing control of Reinhart after this year.  Unless the return undoubtedly makes the team better I don't see the Sabres moving both.  So unless Reino signs a multiyear deal this offseason, I think he goes and Eich stays.

[Doohickie]

55 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

IMHO, the Sabres don't advise the surgery, so they should stand firm, regardless of what the players and talking heads say.

There's a third course that everyone seems to have forgotten.

So far they've tried rest.  Jack wants the disc replacement.  The other option is vertebrae fusion.  That course of treatment has been done by professional athletes.  If the herniation has not healed I think that's what the Sabres medical staff will authorize.

If you're Jack, what do you do in that case?

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

Because Friedman  is an Insider with direct access to NHL Front Offices. When His Stance changes from its possible Eichel is traded to Jack being traded is the most likely outcome it’s means it’s happening.

The forum can speculate as much as its wants about what it think will happen, but Friedman Opinion carries a hell of a lot more weight. 

I don't see it as particularly eye-opening though.  It's just a confirmation that the forum's hive mind is in sync with the Friedman's sources.  I think it might be "likely" but it's far from a done deal.  I don't see KA repeating the errors of the ROR trade.  The return from any trade will be the eye opening part, imo.

[nfreeman]

15 hours ago, LabattBlue said:

Is it possible that Eichel doesn’t want this crazy surgery at all, but is taking the public stance just to create a rift between him and the team, in hopes that the relationship goes south to the point where they trade him?

 

15 hours ago, Slack_in_MA said:

I'm not following it very closely at all, but the cynic in me feels like Jack doesn't want to be here anymore, and is trying to figure out how to shoot his way out of town without looking like the bad guy. And his obviously legit injury is his vehicle for doing so.

I've been thinking a bit about this, as it's certainly a possibility that naturally comes to mind when things are going badly.  I don't think though that this is what is going on.  Eichel would look really bad if he were to force a trade on the grounds that he wants the surgery and then didn't get the surgery.  There would be nowhere for him to hide on this.  Also, if he wants to force a trade, he can do so without relying on the surgery as a pretext.

Now, he may be determined to force a trade anyway -- I just don't think it makes sense for him to do so while dishonestly hiding behind the surgery as the reason.

 

22 hours ago, Brawndo said:

7. The 12-week rest and recovery period Buffalo asked Jack Eichel to take ended on the weekend. Everyone’s being very quiet about this, because it’s already gotten enough public attention, but there will be conversations this week on where this goes from here. I do believe both the Sabres (with the NHL) and Eichel (with the NHLPA) have discussed what their options are if there is still disagreement about the next steps. The likely outcome is a trade.

From 31 Thoughts 

This is probably wishful thinking, but I think Friedman's meaning here is "if the parties don't agree on the next steps for treating Eichel's injury, the likely outcome is a trade" -- not "at this point, the parties are sick of each other and the likely outcome is a trade."

[Brawndo]

2 minutes ago, Doohickie said:

I don't see it as particularly eye-opening though.  It's just a confirmation that the forum's hive mind is in sync with the Friedman's sources.  I think it might be "likely" but it's far from a done deal.  I don't see KA repeating the errors of the ROR trade.  The return from any trade will be the eye opening part, imo.

As someone who spends a lot of time, probably way too much time, following the Insiders I have come to the realization that they hedge their bets usually saying something is a 50/50 chance of happening, Friedman is pretty conservative when it comes to this. For Him to move Eichel into more likely than not he gets moved is a bigger deal 

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, Brawndo said:

Because Friedman  is an Insider with direct access to NHL Front Offices. When His Stance changes from its possible Eichel is traded to Jack being traded is the most likely outcome it’s means it’s happening.

The forum can speculate as much as its wants about what it think will happen, but Friedman Opinion carries a hell of a lot more weight. 

 

17 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

As someone who spends a lot of time, probably way too much time, following the Insiders I have come to the realization that they hedge their bets usually saying something is a 50/50 chance of happening, Friedman is pretty conservative when it comes to this. For Him to move Eichel into more likely than not he gets moved is a bigger deal 

I think it means he's been told actual negotiations are going on, as opposed to inquiries.

Agree it's big.

[Randall Flagg]

I read the 31 thoughts article before coming here, and when he said that, I thought he was insinuating that the likely outcome was a trade, supposing disagreement remains.

 I do believe both the Sabres (with the NHL) and Eichel (with the NHLPA) have discussed what their options are if there is still disagreement about the next steps. The likely outcome is a trade."

 

I can now see it both ways, but that was the way I originally saw it. 

I still think he will be moved and am ready for it

[gilbert11]

On 5/30/2021 at 8:13 AM, bob_sauve28 said:

Lets just hope he heals up so he can be part of the turn around to a winning team next year. Hopefully he won’t need The surgery 

What was the ballpark recovery time for this surgery Jack wants?

[TgeekB]

On 5/31/2021 at 9:19 AM, Pimlach said:

No.  The entire thing is about the Sabres team doctors recommending a low risk path involving rehab and rest.  After that, they will  re-evaluate.  That time is coming in June.  That is what Adams said and it is consistent with common practice for this injury.  
 

The controversy comes from Eichel calling it a disconnect.   The Sabres holding the contract over his head has NEVER happened because it’s way too soon in the process to have it happen.   The drama comes from Eichel and his press conference,  and then fans on the Internet reacting to it.  

This exactly.

It is the press and fans saying more. The Sabres followed their best medical advice. We will now see where he is after the medical advice. Are things improving? Worse? Then the medical experts, not th3 fans, will determine the next expert advice.

People have to stop making things up. 

[TgeekB]

So did the post 12-week rest meeting occur?

[Brawndo]

47 minutes ago, gilbert11 said:

What was the ballpark recovery time for this surgery Jack wants?

3 months 

[inkman]

 

[Radar]

On 6/1/2021 at 11:08 AM, Flashsabre said:

They should call his bluff then. “OK Jack, everything is setup, you go under the knife on Friday.  Here are 300 waivers you have to sign that absolve us of any responsibility for your decision.”

Don't think it's that simple. The league and the players Association are all involved. 

[Radar]

Elliott Friedman thinks this ultimately will be another teams decision. Other words Jack gets traded and his new team makes decisions.

[Flashsabre]

6 minutes ago, Radar said:

Don't think it's that simple. The league and the players Association are all involved. 

Yeah I know, I was just joking around.  Hopefully a solution is found without it dragging out between lawyers from the league a PA getting involved.