Prediction time: will Eichel be traded by the start of training camp, which is on Sunday, September 12?

[Marvin]

47 minutes ago, Curt said:

At this point, I have no freaking idea when a trade will happen.

I think it’s entirely possible that Adams can’t get the trade value he wants until Eichel is healthy and playing.  Eichel won’t be healthy and playing unless he gets surgery.  Adams doesn’t want to be financially on the hook for a “risky” surgery, and would rather trade him first and let another team assume that risk.  But Adams can’t get the trade value he wants until Eichel is healthy and playing.

As you can see it’s a bit of a self perpetuating, circular problem without a natural end point.  So, what can break this circle?

(1) A team could take the risk and give up enough trade assets for an injured Eichel.  They would need to have a belief that things will turn out well with disk replacement surgery and be willing to put a lot of money on that.

(2) Adams could lower his ask and/or accept the best offer he can get to put an end to this situation.  So far he has seemed to stand firm, but will there come a time where taking less is worth it to put an end to this toxic situation.

(3) Adams (Pegula?)could let Eichel have disk replacement surgery and show he is healthy to restore trade value, then trade him.  In this case the Sabres assume a lot of financial risks associated with the surgery.  They would need some level of confidence that it will work out well.  So far they haven’t been willing to do it.

(4) Eichel’s camp files for injury arbitration and a third party can determine whether or not he can have disk replacement surgery.

(A combination of #1 and #2 could occur, where a team and Adams are kind of able to compromise, and each give a little more/get a little less than they’d like.  This is probably more likely than either #1 and #2.)

One of these scenarios listed above will need to happen eventually.  If not, then Eichel will just continue to need surgery, Sabres will continue trying to trade him for high value, and other teams will continue to be unwilling to pay that price.  Stuck.

Finally, when you think about it, it definitely sucks for Eichel.  I was just able to write all that without including any choices that he can make.  He is just kind of stuck in the big sticky, circular problem.  He has no control over it, he is only an asset involved in it.

This is the trouble with a private company having control over the health decisions of an employee.  The employee ceases to become person, and instead must be looked at as a financial asset or risk.  In a sense it’s almost unavoidable because a company will look at a situation through the lens of their short term financial well being, without real regard for Eichel’s wishes or career.

However, this type of situation is all around terrible from an humanity standpoint and a PR standpoint.  It doesn’t make anyone look good.  Hopefully this is rectified by changes to the CBA as soon as possible to create more equitable outcomes where players have a little more control over their bodies.

Your explanation is why I think part of any Eichel trade will have conditional picks and a reclamation project.  These mitigate both sides' risks in a trade.

[Pimlach]

3 hours ago, Taro T said:

Still expect him traded before the season.  But am fine with him still being a Sabre.

But Adams w/ an assist from Granato has some serious fences to mend at this point if he isn't traded.  Not convinced he's both willing and able to do that.  Hoping he is.

Adams and Granato have fences to mend?   For what? 
 

It was Eichel that stayed in Florida instead of being with team his last season after Granato took over.  Even upon request to be with the team.  

It was also Eichel that abdicated his duties as captain.

Let’s not forget it was Eichel who laid a turd in the season ending press conference, making this entire situation a media spectacle.  
 

A worry that I have is if Eichel has to play some games to show he is healthy before a trade can be made.  Does he have the emotional maturity to come back?  

[Andrew Amerk]

All I can visualize is Eichel chugging a can of Bud Light and saying “Buffalo I’m coming for ya.”

[dudacek]

One of Anaheim, New York or Minnesota will have a moment sometime in August where they are looking at their roster and they say screw it, I’m going to make this happen, and up their offer.

That offer won’t match the ask, but Adams will bite anyway and they will hammer something out.

That’s if Vegas doesn’t trade a big contract for a prospect they can use to complete their offer first.

[thewookie1]

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

One of Anaheim, New York or Minnesota will have a moment sometime in August where they are looking at their roster and they say screw it, I’m going to make this happen, and up their offer.

That offer won’t match the ask, but Adams will bite anyway and they will hammer something out.

That’s if Vegas doesn’t trade a big contract for a prospect they can use to complete their offer first.

As long as its not the Rangers and we get a potential 1C I can live

[Trettioåtta]

8 hours ago, Cascade Youth said:

Distraction from what, exactly?  Winning games?  Because that isn’t what’s going to be happening with or without Eichel.  This is a bottom five team this season no matter what - we should be able to stomach the “distraction” if it means getting a higher return for the future.

Distraction from playing in a post-Eichel team. The issue with the tank was how hard we steered into losing. I don’t want that to happen again. I want the team to play to win every night. And instilling tjay culture on a poor team is a hard thing to do. Therefore, I think it will be critical Eichel is not around to disrupt that. 

[Eleven]

12 hours ago, Curt said:

No way.  How?  Wouldn’t Sabres come out and say that if it was true?

 

11 hours ago, SDS said:

 

To say he is healthy is nuts. I’m sure the MRI scans show the protrusion.

I definitely could have helped myself out with the words "plot twist" at the beginning of my post.

[JohnC]

8 hours ago, dudacek said:

One of Anaheim, New York or Minnesota will have a moment sometime in August where they are looking at their roster and they say screw it, I’m going to make this happen, and up their offer.

That offer won’t match the ask, but Adams will bite anyway and they will hammer something out.

That’s if Vegas doesn’t trade a big contract for a prospect they can use to complete their offer first.

The more I read about Jack's health status and the discussions about which surgeries are more suitable the greater the chance is that he will miss most of next season, if not all of it. With so much medical uncertainty I don't see teams willing to offer high end young players or prospects. I'm starting to believe that it might be best for the  Sabres to wait for Jack to have the surgery and do his extensive rehab. I'm not sure he will play next year. 

The ideal situation for KA is to trade Jack and let the acquiring team deal with the medical issues. But the problem with that line of reasoning is what will be the return on a player with such a medical question mark? It's a big gamble for the trading team and the acquiring team. 

[MISabresFan]

11 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

All I can visualize is Eichel chugging a can of Bud Light and saying “Buffalo I’m coming for ya.”

He probably drinks Truli (or seltzer type drinks) and likes boneless wings.

[Marvin]

33 minutes ago, MISabresFan said:

He probably drinks Truli (or seltzer type drinks) and likes boneless wings.

Boneless wings AND seltzer?  That's hitting below the belt.

[spndnchz]

16 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

All I can visualize is Eichel chugging a can of Bud Light and saying “Buffalo I’m coming for ya.”

 

5 hours ago, MISabresFan said:

He probably drinks Truli (or seltzer type drinks) and likes boneless wings.

I have the T-Shirt. If he leaves I’m burning it on the plaza