dudacek

To the macro, one of the reasons I wanted to do this was to give Sabrespace an opportunity to look more closely at each team and debate whether or not an opportunity exists for a deal. Thus "Will they be interested, do they have the pieces?" I'm hoping you guys make each other (and me) think of things we hadn't previously considered. To the micro, Jack Eichel has five years left in his contract and no trade protection. Cap and injury risk may or may not have a role in who bids and will certainly have a role in how much they pay. But he will go wherever there is a willing buyer and a willing seller. That's how the NHL works.

I think you are missing my point. It seems like every time someone mentions a player's size as plus, you launch into your spiel about how size doesn't matter. We know that size on its own doesn't matter. We also know that all else being equal it helps.

If use down the stretch means anything (not to mention performance) Cody Eakin will not be centering the Sabres third line next year. Really, it's a nice litmus test for baseline GM competence if Eakin enters camp any higher than the 5th centre and 13th forward on the depth chart. You can make an argument for them defaulting to that spot because of his contract/cap. But the correct move is to keep Sam/Jack/new guy to buttress Casey and Dylan, buy Cody out or bury him in Rochester, and give his spot to Sheahan or another UFA like him. Pencilling him into the lineup shows you learned nothing.

You guys have pushed your "size doesn't matter" thing too far. It's like a player's shot: it's not a make or break element, it's a useful tool to have in the toolbox. It absolutely helps Matty the Mule defend players one on one, it helps Tom Wilson scare the ***** out of the other team and it helped Dave Andreychuk score 500 goals. Pronger's size helped make him special. He would not have been Pronger at 5'10".

Where does this come from? We've never heard any suggestions that Jack hates the city of Buffalo. Why would he hate Winnipeg? We've heard that Jack hates the incompetence of the Sabres organization. The Jets aren't incompetent. Finally, Jack Eichel is under contract for five more years. Why do people pretend otherwise?

In no world does Kaliyev and Turcotte get you the 1st overall pick, even in this draft. In no universe does Byfield equal Eichel.

Will they be interested? They could be, although the recent addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois to go with the very good Mark Scheifele means probably not. Plus their needs seem to be more centred around the blueline. That said, the free agent status of Paul Stastny and Matthieu Perreault does open $10 million under the cap up front. Do they have the pieces? If you think the return is all about lottery tickets, then probably not. Their top prospect is Cole Perfetti, a projected top six forward with very good skill, but maybe lacking in the other attributes you'd like in a first-liner. He might be a centre, he might not. He's supported by a pretty typical assortment of picks and prospects that might have interest as a throw-in. But if you wanted to make a hockey trade, Winnipeg has some interesting NHL pieces, particularly Connor, Ehlers, Scheifele and Dubois. Would this work? Scheifele, Ehlers and a 1st for Eichel, Olofsson, Ristolainen and a 3rd. Adding Ristolainen — who fills a need and has apparently been a target — opens up some interesting possibilities. Scheifele has a great contract, produces and is exactly the sort of leader this young Sabres group needs. Ehlers is dynamic and also on a good deal. The Sabres get cap space and a lottery ticket. Olofsson is cheaper than Ehlers and a viable roster replacement. The win-now Jets get the best player, create a scary 1-2 young punch in Eichel and Dubois and fill a gaping hole on their blueline at the cost of downgrading on the wing, their strongest position. Is there a deal to be made with the Jets? PREVIOUS:

In B.C. we Los Vaygus

Yes. He wants you to add more.

I like Krebs game much more than Glass. Two years younger, already the better hockey player. Competitive, versatile, responsible, good vision. I’d say his floor is Jochen Hecht and his ceiling Patrick Sharp.

This is like saying the Rangers didn’t want Byfield. It’s possible to like someone, yet still like someone else better.

It's also a system in need of a refresh given the apparent graduation: Cozens, Thompson, Mittelstadt, Asplund, Borgen and Bryson are no longer prospects, probably not R2, and maybe not Samuelsson either. Quinn, Peterka, UPL, and Johnson are still good prospects, but who else? Portillo, Laaksonen, Huglen, Pekar...we're pretty thin. But adding a top 3 pick, 2 2nds and 2 thirds, and not having anyone graduate should change the way it looks in a hurry.

Sure, but with enough corresponding infrastructure and vaccine supply that it should scale. The point is more is more about willingness to vaccinate, or lack thereof.

The Sabres will minimize the return by doing that. Very few teams can add a $10 million contract in season. The time to make a move like this is in the summer when lots of teams still have uncommitted space.

Let’s face it, this is all we’re going to talk about over the next few months, so let’s just embrace it. Every couple of days I’m going to open a thread looking at a different NHL team and how they might work as a trading partner for Eichel and let you guys chew on the possibilities. We start with the Golden Knights: Will they be interested? Of course, Vegas is a win-now Stanley Cup contender interested in every big piece that comes on the market. They think big and one of the few things they lack is that star centre element. Do they have the pieces? Probably not. Peyton Krebs is a very good prospect and would have to be involved and Sabres fans love Alex Tuch, but is that enough? They have no cap room, but they have never been scared of moving cap. Would guys like Martinez, Karlsson, Smith and Marchesseault be on the table? Would the Sabres be interested? Can they be flipped for things the Sabres are more interested in? Would this work? Fleury, Tuch, Krebs, VGK 1st, NJD 2nd for Eichel and Bjork. Fleury clears cap and gives the Sabres a good goalie for at least one year, Tuch is a needed power forward who can play top 6 now and for a long time, Krebs projects as a versatile, responsible potential 2-way top-sixer. The Sabres also get two lottery tickets. The Knights would have to find a new backup, but add Bjork for depth and basically add an offensive centrepiece at the price of Tuch from their current roster. Eichel actually makes their core a lot younger and extends their window. Is there a deal to be made with the Knights?

I find this shocking. In British Columbia, we didn’t start vaccinating the general population (under 70 and not high-risk, or working in front-line care) until April. We have now vaccinated 55 percent of our eligible population with a first dose, although only about 5% have 2 doses (because we have priorized 1st doses and stretched the time between shots to the limit.) People have been lining up to get them as fast as they are being made available. That 60 per cent of your population has yet to get a first shot despite little to no waiting times disturbs my faith in humanity.

Pretty ***** bad team.

The question was who got a better return for O’Reilly? And, for the record, O’Reilly was coming off 61 and 55 point seasons when we traded him, 55 and 64 when Colorado did. He was the same player.

You think it’s that clear? Grigorenko is trash and Jeremy Roy, the guy picked with our pick looks like he is too. Zadorov and Compher are NHL regulars. Those two are somewhat better than Colin Miller and Tage Thompson, although Tage has a chance to even that up. I think that if Ryan Johnson busts they did better, but if he develops into a player, we did better. Why do you disagree?

This on the other hand... And this. We have a weird relationship with him.

I just don't see them having a piece close enough to Eichel to balance the difference between Risto and Jones, even if they threw in a goalie.

Ryan O'Reilly was in the exact same position as Samson when he was traded to Buffalo for 2 recent first rounders and 2 high 2nds. Signed a 7-year extension a week later. I'm not worried about Samson's contract status affecting his return at all. Semi-related, is what we got for ROR that much worse than what the Avs did?

This is probably more accurate. I haven't watched Jones this year, but the player I remember watching beat the Leafs in the bubble was pretty damned good. I wonder if any analytical decline is partially a product of being on the ice half the game in all the tough situations for a bad team, like Risto or Drew Doughty? The flip side of that is how I've been saying the best Eichel comparable is Jeff Carter. Carter was also traded for a highly-touted 25-year-old horse of an American defenceman drafted in the top 4, and 1st-rounder. And we all know what became of Jack Johnson.

I don't think you've been paying attention to Minnesota. Erikson Ek put up 30 points in 56 games this year and is matching up against top lines. Kevin Fiala has 43 goals and 94 points in his past 114 games. Each is 24 and is much better than OK.

If Samson is traded, it will be to a team that believes they will be able to sign him long-term.