nfreeman

He's not wrong, but Brisson is also trying to achieve the outcome his client wants (which is of course what he should do), i.e. a trade that allows Eichel to get the ADR -- and to avoid the outcome Jack doesn't want, which is that the Sabres make him sit until he caves and gets the fusion.

...unless the surgery failed, ending Jack's career and (presumably) voiding the insurance. Respectfully, I will repeat that the risk on the ADR is the whole issue from the Sabres' perspective. Yes, it might've worked, but there is a significant chance that the doomsday scenario would've resulted. I think the Sabres think there is no reason for them to take that risk. They have the right to make Jack sit until he caves and has fusion surgery, at which point, there is a better chance, relative to ADR, that he'll be back on the ice with his trade value restored. With Anaheim losing whatever it gave up in trade and the Sabres eating the $50MM? I don't think either team would be interested in those risks.

Well, unused cap space -- which the Ducks have historically maintained -- is a much different kettle of fish from $50MM in actual cash going out the door to a player who can't play because his newfangled surgery didn't work. I'll be very surprised if it ends up being Anaheim. I agree that the Rangers are a much more likely candidate. I think Eichel would cave and have fusion surgery before he chose this option. The Sabres aren't interested in taking the risk on the ADR. That's the whole issue from their perspective.

Also from LeBrun's article: - Eichel is "adamant" about getting ADR surgery, which provides "no guarantee he'll be fully fixed up." - Teams have hung around the periphery of the trade talks in case the price drops to a point where they can sell their owners on the $50MM risk. - He thinks Minnesota, Philly, the Rangers and the Kings are probably out, and Calgary and Anaheim are still interested, along with other teams who are quietly investigating. FWIW, I continue to think that Anaheim, a historically limited-budget team, wants no part of a $50MM risk on Eichel. I also continue to think that all of the above leaves us with just 2 possible outcomes: either KA waits for Eichel to cave and have fusion surgery, or KA accepts a crappy offer.

This is a good idea, and I can definitely see this kind of piece being part of a deal, but I don't think the Sabres are getting Krebs or Zegras or Byfield or Kakko or any other elite prospect unless and until the other GM sees Eichel playing NHL games, looking awesome and not breaking.

Wow. Just read LeBrun’s article and I must agree — that was a highly misleading tweet by Vogl and indicative, IMHO, of having an axe to grind with the organization. Not impressed with Vogl’s recent work at all on this. It’s OK and natural to have an opinion. It’s not OK to be dishonest or to pretend or be ignorant of the key factors in a situation because you’re taking sides.

The question of whether KA will accept a lousy offer IMHO really comes down to whether he is willing to make Jack sit until Jack caves and has fusion surgery. No one is going to give the Sabres a top-end prospect for Eichel without seeing him play NHL games at a high level. The Sabres aren't going to let Jack have ADR surgery -- so the only way they are going to get a good return in trade for him is if he caves, has fusion surgery and looks good in NHL games after the surgery. Alternatively, if KA is willing to take a conditional 1st and a team's 4th-best prospect, which is probably about what he can get for Eichel as is, he can move Jack's $50MM contract off of the Sabres' balance sheet, let someone else take the risk on the ADR surgery and move on. I don't see any other possible outcomes.

I agree that suspending him without pay would set off a poopstorm, and I think the Sabres will probably choose not to do so. I also agree that anyone trading for Jack will let him get ADR. I also think though that the acquiror will not expect him back until 75% into the season, if at all this season, and that the risk of him never being right again will result in heavy discounts on the trade offers -- which will prevent a trade from happening.

It's extremely important to bring in a real NHL goalie, but it doesn't matter whether it's part of an Eichel trade or some other transaction.

Maybe, but given surgery/rehab time, it's at least 50/50 that Jack provides zero help to anyone on the ice this season. However, I can certainly see a GM thinking that a Jack trade will buy him time, since the team probably won't see the fruits of the trade until next season. I think they'll probably put him on IR, but I don't think in any case that the cap floor will drive their decisions. They can always trade for someone else's bad contract if needed to reach the floor.

I don't think any of the key facts has changed, and I don't expect a trade anytime soon.

Not sure what happened, but I assume it was some kinda ghost in the machine. We now resume regularly scheduled programming.

Well, I did say it was unlikely. I'm just hoping that the unlikely happens, primarily for his kids' sake. As for whether another team would give him a chance -- there's always someone.

You're probably right. OTOH, he's 30 and has young kids. If he gets his act together he can be a good father to them and have a huge positive influence on their lives. As for his hockey career, if SJ voids his contract, he can catch on with another team, and if he becomes a good teammate there and doesn't alienate his teammates he can still probably play 3-4 more years at decent money. Not bloody likely, but possible.

As always, you're a kind soul. I agree that he's squandered his gifts, and it's a shame. And he probably didn't get what he needed from his parents in terms of morals, judgment, etc. Still, at some point he's accountable for his actions. Hopefully he'll realize what he needs to do before it's too late.

He’s being investigated by the NHL for allegedly using a fake vaccine card, per the Athletic. Unbelievable. Great job, GMTM!

Bump.

I don’t think much of Dreger and do not expect a speedy resolution.

I think the broader point is that attendance will be lousy until the team shows signs of life, at which point it will rebound pretty strongly. In the meantime the low attendance will cost TP quite a bit of cash, but not enough to cause him a problem.

And both passes too!

OK, but that is a common occurrence with that type of company. If it happens, the investors lose their transaction costs, but not the bulk of their investments -- that money has been sitting in a trust account and is returned to the investors. His losses would be minimal and a million miles away from a level where he'd need to sell the Sabres.

Someone kneecapped him at the meetup? @Eleven is volatile, but still. I thought Skinner created a lot of chances last year, but simply couldn't finish. I think he's lost his confidence. Granato might be the guy who can help Skinner get his mojo back, or Skinner might be too far gone, or he might be an odd enough bird as to be unreachable. I give it about a 25% chance.

I can't remember a game in which the Bills had this many interceptions.

dudacek beat me to it (assuming he was referring to the bolded). I haven't heard anyone from the Sabres referring to the insurance. And while the insurance is surely a significant factor, I think the biggest factor is the medical advice the Sabres have been getting -- i.e. that fusion surgery is more likely to get Jack playing again, and thus restore value to the asset, than ADR surgery is. In other words, even if the insurance policy would pay in the event of a failed ADR that left Jack unable to play, the Sabres would probably still not approve the ADR.

Dude!