jad1

Well, it was a choice...

Adams must not have weeded out all of the guys who don't want to be here yet.

This season was supposed to be about the young guys. It's turning out to be more about the 41 year old and 32 year old goalies.

I don't think the Sabres would call out the teams if they leaked the info. I would expect them to say something like 'multiple teams.' Adams would want them to focus on what he's asking for, and not on what they think the other team is offering. Also, leaking that the Flames and Knights will let Eichel get his preferred surgery definitely is coming from Eichel's agent. Adams has no reason to leak this info. Adams has said that the Sabres are in charge of this situation and he's under no pressure to make a deal. Leaking that the deal is on the one yard line doesn't fit his stated approach. Based on what he's stated publicly, there is no one yard line. You either meet his price, or you don't. It's been said in multiple reports that Adams has his price and he's has consistently stuck to it. And finally, I just don't think Adams leaks. It hasn't been his m.o. I don't think the info is coming from the Knights or Flames, because why would they leak that both of them are on the one yard line. So that leaves Eichel's agent who is the most motivated party to get a deal done ASAP. To that end, he's motivated to narrow the candidates. Eichel's agent also is happy to leak that the Flames and Knights are willing to let Eichel get ADR surgery, which normalizes the procedure and makes the Sabres seem unreasonable and stubborn when it comes to Echel's health. And calling out Adams as holding up a deal that is on the one yard line puts the pressure on the Sabres to make a deal. That's why I think it's coming from Eichel's agent.

Maybe Skinner is heating up.

Sabres have shown no interest in playing defense tonight.

If it's coming from Eichel's agent (and it probably is), this is pressure on Adams to lower his asking price.

Casey's back?!?!

Feels like it's time for Dahlin to score his first goal of the season.

Sabres might want to show up in the defensive zone tonight.

That's why I feel these rumors are just bogus. What team is going to give up the quality of prospects and players that Adams is asking for, and take on Eichel's salary without any proof that Eichel is still the player he was before the surgery? Unless Adams tosses Eichel into the bargain bin, this doesn't get resolved until Eichel goes under the knife.

Where are the stories about insurance underwriters not covering ADR, because I haven't seen any. And if the Pegulas can get a policy written on Kyle Okposo, who has had multiple concussions, I'm sure they can figure out one for Eichel. And also consider that a spinal fusion in the NHL is NOT 100% effective, how does that change the insurance policy that the Pegulas have on Eichel? Spinal fusions are not common in the NHL. It's not like there are are dozens of spinal fusions performed in the NHL every season, so that fact that "None. Zilch, Zero. Nada" ADRs have been performed in the NHL isn't the obstacle you are making it out to be. If the spinal fusion:ADR ratio is 50:0, sure that's an issue. If it more like 5:0, not as big a deal. The Sabres want to trade Eichel. The front office believes it would be easier to trade Eichel if he isn't the guinea pig for ADR in the NHL. So they want the spinal fusion. Eichel wants a surgery that, over 20 years since its introduction, has has shown better results for his short and long term health. So who's interests are the Sabres docs representing? If Adams wants a top return for Eichel, regardless of the surgery decided on, teams are going to want to see Eichel on the ice. That means that the Sabres take on the risk of the surgery. And, based on the time line, letting Eichel get ADR will solve this sooner than later. If Adams just wants to move on from all this, he can trade Eichel now, but the return will be more O'Reilly-like. But the team moves the risk and contract to a bargain-hunting trading partner.

How are the Pegulas legally on the hook for Eichel's health the rest of his life if he gets ADR? ADR isn't some back alley operation. There are plenty of medical professionals out there who certify that ADR is a safe alternative to spinal fusion. The Pegulas could easily defer to those medical professionals and be off the hook for any of Eichel's career medical issues. Conversely, since there are medical opinions out there supporting ADR as the better procedure for long-term health than a spinal fusion, the Pegulas could be in jeopardy of being sued if they force Eichel to get a spinal fusion and Eichel has to get additional surgeries post retirement. The Sabres are pushing spinal fusion because they don't want to be the first to sign off on ADR for an NHL player. Not wanting to be the test case in the league isn't the same as saying that ADR is not a legimate medical procedure. And let's not act like spinal fusions are a common thing in the NHL. It's not like there are dozens of players in the NHL who have undergone spinal fusions and now are producing at pre-injury levels. The injury is career threatening, and spinal fusion isn't a silver-bullet cure. If the Sabres want the best return for Eichel, I think teams are going to have to see Eichel back on the ice. That means that Eichel gets either of the surgeries and proves he still can play at his previous level. There's huge risk in that for the Sabres, regardless of the surgery. On the other hand, Adams can let the other team take the risk, if he accepts something like a 7th round prospect and a late 1st round pick for Eichel.

Friedman is the jackass who has done the most to drive the narrative on this idiocy, and I wouldn't be surprised that 90% of what he writes is total BS.

Well, bounce back and win tomorrow. Win streak is over, don't start a losing one.

It's hypothetical. Stating the obvious that terrible coaching and GMing have ruined this franchise.

So you're saying that Granato couldn't convince a player like Eichel to buy in? I guess I have a higher opinion of Granato as a coach and leader than most. If Granato was hired six years ago, the Sabres would be a top 5 organization right now.

That's funny, because I think that under Granato, Okposo had flipped a switch to become Okposo. If Granato can transform tank commanders like Okposo and Girgensons into world beaters, he would have no problem bringing a healthy Eichel into the fold.

Another case of Pegula being "efficient" and "economical."

So that's Mittlestadt (22p in 41g) and Olofsson (32p in 53g). They are the only remaining forwards still on the roster from last season who were on a 40 point pace for an 82 game season. (Reinhart, Hall, and Eichel were the only other fowards on pace for 40 points). Mittlestadt will be moving into the 1C role, which means he'll be facing opponents best shutdown players. That could easily knock him off pace for 40 points this season. Oloffson's point total was driven off the power play and 1st line minutes, meaning he played with Eichel and Reinhart. If the poweplay struggles and the play from the top two centers falls off from last season, Olofsson could struggle to hit 40 points. Dhalin scored 23p in 56 games, so he wasn't on a 40p pace last season. So the post wasn't so strange. Outside of Mittlestadt and Olofsson, the Sabres aren't returning any forwards who were on a 40 point pace last season.

No GM should be okay with an exodus like that.

This is what I mean about accountability. Who give a F about what I thought about those signings? I'm a fan with my own day job, not the GM of the Sabres. Joe Blow thinks that signing Staal and Hall we good moves, so the professional GM who signed them gets a pass. And blame it on Krueger? Adams could have and should have fired Krueger day one. Again, as A professional GM, Adams should have recognized that Krueger was not a quality coach and moved on from him day one. Here's a good one, Botterill finished in last place, so why expect more from Adams? Why hold him accountable to finish anywhere above last place? The only thing I have against Adams is that he is an inexperienced and bad GM who has more excuses than results. I'm a long time Sabre fan, and will be one as long as they are around. When the puck drops, I'll be on board with the magical thinking and be rooting for the team to win every game. And there's a part of me that wants to be dead wrong about Adams and this team. But there is also a part of me that that is tired of the endless regression, the continual shedding of talent that's been going on for decades, the total lack of urgency not just to win, but to even compete. I'm just over rooting for players one season, then sh###ing all over them the next. Maybe Adams is will be the answer to all of this, but so far, to this lone fan, his results have been more of the same.

Nice try, but two of those flops were Staal and Hall, who Adams recruited himself. If you want to give kudos to Adams, then recognize him for backstabbing and sweet talking his way into a GM job that has no accountability. Nice to see him take advantage of that opportunity and drive his team to DFL in his first season. Yes, the Pegulas are 100x better at firing people than hiring them.

Sweet talking the Pegulas isn't anything to be impressed by. Buffoons like Rex Ryan were able to do it. He seems less effective in selling his vision to the team, considering the exodus of players, and that falls in line with the front office since the Pegulas took over.

All right, close the thread until 2028.