HoosierDaddy

I'm probably wrong here. I mean, just three years ago the Bills had a guy retire at halftime and now guys are lining up to play there.

I think a key part of the culture change of the Bills is Sean McDermott's relentless drive and enthusiasm. Everybody laughs at him about the clapping, but he's all-in all the time. I seem to remember that he took the pool table out of the Bills locker room. That pool table was a symptom that the Bills were a place that players came to go though the motions and collect a pay check. Now the Bills are a place where players come to win football games. The Sabres need that same type of change.

That's a fact, but perception matters here too. If the Sabres become known as a franchise that won't allow players their desired medical treatment, no one will sign here unless they have no other choice. And when we want to start winning again in a year or two, we'll need some high-profile veteran free agents to fill out the roster. The leverage that Jack and his team have is that they, and only they, can go to the media and talk about his need for surgery. GMKA can's talk about it because of HIPPA.

I’ve got a ticket to see Larry Carlton at the Ludlow Garage in 8/13. I’m a guitar player so I expect to have my jaw on the floor for the entire evening. It’s also cool to see a show at the Ludlow Garage because there is an excellent Allman Bros live album that was recorded there in 1970.

In the one from today he takes a full windup slapper and makes a head fake deke in a shoot out attempt.

I know that, but I thought that after Friday's shenanigans that he would keep a low profile or show up at a Dunkin Donuts in Brookline in a neck brace.

I know it doesn't mean anything, but Eichel was skating again today at the Bruins' facility where he knew he would be spotted and filmed.

Maybe there is a maximum value that any single player can have, regardless of talent. No mater how talented a player is, a smart GM is not going to gut their prospect pool to acquire a single guy in a sport where the top Center in TOI (Draisaitl) only played a smidge over 1/3 of the game.

Wasn't Patches Nathan Paetsch?

I guess Eichel is the Aaron Rodgers of the NHL off-season.

The Sabres should stay the course, but Adams has to do a better job controlling the narrative because we are getting blasted by the (inter)national hockey writers. But it's difficult because the Sabres can't defend themselves on the medical issues without violating HIPPA while Jack can have his preferred surgeon go on podcasts to present his side of the issue. All of this could become an issue when we want to start signing higher-profile free agents in a few years.

Today I learned, thanks to your user name, that Nova Scotia is Latin for New Scotland. Everybody probably knew this, but I think the pronunciation threw me for 47 years.

I think it’s more just me coming to grips with the fact that Jacks value is probably lower than I thought. I thought the surgery demands were posturing.

People with gambling problems bet on spring training baseball games and preseason NFL games where you don’t even know who is actually going to play.

That’s exactly it, and Marge Schott and Mike Brown of all people used the threat of a franchise move to coerce the citizens of Hamilton County into the worst stadium financing deal in the history of North American professional sports. And we only have ourselves to blame, because that tax hike was passed by a public referendum.

I agree that the psychological blow to WNY of losing the Bills and Sabres would be catastrophic. But the county and state have to get a better deal than Hamilton county got in 1996. And this might be tough because I would imagine that the Pegulas are better negotiators than Mike Brown and Marge Schott.

That passive threat was related to the Bills. I don’t think threatening to move the Sabres would move the needle too much right now.

I’ve always wondered why they don’t. I mean, Cincinnati is a small market but we have two major corporations headquartered here in Kroger and P&G that could be interested.

We’re still paying .5% more in sales tax 21 years later for Paul Brown Stadium. And the proposed property tax rebates never happened because of decreases in sales tax revenue due to recessions and online shopping. Also, because the county owns and operates the stadium maintenance and any needed upgrades come from the general fund. Same goes for Great American Ballpark. I just hope that Erie County makes a better deal than Hamilton county did in 1996.

Yes. I was just thinking that if I was in Bill Guerin’s shoes that I’m not sure that I would trade Rossi for Eichel straight up. Rossi, AFAIK, doesn’t need back surgery. That PR blitz from team Eichel on Friday that made it clear that surgery is necessary really screwed the Sabres over.

I agree. I immediately regretted posting it, especially as the bad back and bad attitude is enough to make my point.

There have been rumours of that on other boards. I mean, it would be understandable if he had a problem with pain killers given his back/neck issues. But it has been rumoured that he picked up other bad habits from Kane and Bogo. It’s all just rumours, but if I’m hearing it in message boards then other GMs are hearing it too.

I would have agreed with you last week, but this became impossible when Jack’s agent went in that PR blitz on Friday. In order for Jack to play for the Buffalo Sabres, after all that has been said in the past few days, either TP has to fire GMKA in the middle of a rebuild or Jack has to fire his agent. Neither of those things are going to happen. I really don’t see any other outcome than trading him for a pick, a b prospect and a bad contract.

What team is going to trade a roster player, it’s top prospect(s), and multiple first-round picks for a guy who needs back surgery, is rumoured to be kind of a d-bag and may have a drug problem?

Skinner would demand a trade if he thought there was a team willing to take on that contract. Instead, he sits back counting his fat stacks of cash.