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Jack Eichel Contract Extension: Talks Occuring


WildCard

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Fwiw, WIVB sports anchor just quoted his source as saying no ongoing talks, and inferred it's likely Eichel will play without an extension.

This has all the marks of a situation where Jack is being given the opportunity to play himself into a bigger contract because he thinks he can. It feels like his camp and the Sabres are probably in agreement on what his value is right now, but that both sides also think he might be able to earn himself even more with a lights-out campaign this year. 

 

The question is, what number is Jack shooting for versus what all parties would agree is the right price for him at the moment? 

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This has all the marks of a situation where Jack is being given the opportunity to play himself into a bigger contract because he thinks he can. It feels like his camp and the Sabres are probably in agreement on what his value is right now, but that both sides also think he might be able to earn himself even more with a lights-out campaign this year. 

 

The question is, what number is Jack shooting for versus what all parties would agree is the right price for him at the moment? 

 

I'm not sure where you get that feeling.

 

I'm also not sure why, on earth, the Sabres would want to give the guy a chance to earn himself a bigger deal. Far better to pay a premium now to avoid the need to pay even more in 2018.

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Per Matt Bove

 

Just spoke w/Eichel's agent. He says contract talks between the two sides have died down & that Eichel is planning on playing w/out new deal

 

Makes sense for both sides.    Eichel wants to prove his worth.   JBOT wants to see him play up to the level he's asking to get paid.

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It feels like his camp and the Sabres are probably in agreement on what his value is right now, but that both sides also think he might be able to earn himself even more with a lights-out campaign this year.

 

That's a very rainbows and unicorns way of putting it. The Sabres want him to sign for the least amount possible -- and right now -- and he wants to sign for what he believes he is: a generational talent that can take a team to the cup.

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I'm not sure where you get that feeling.

 

I'm also not sure why, on earth, the Sabres would want to give the guy a chance to earn himself a bigger deal. Far better to pay a premium now to avoid the need to pay even more in 2018.

Because the Sabres don't have the leverage right now. They can either: give him what he wants now, or give him what he wants later. Even if they're not that far apart it's going to be in Jack's interest to try to get a little more. Why wouldn't he? 

 

I just think both camps are agreed on his worth at this moment. But that he thinks he can do better. 

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That's a very rainbows and unicorns way of putting it. The Sabres want him to sign for the least amount possible -- and right now -- and he wants to sign for what he believes he is: a generational talent that can take a team to the cup.

Rainbows and unicorns? Okay buddy. 

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That's a very rainbows and unicorns way of putting it. The Sabres want him to sign for the least amount possible -- and right now -- and he wants to sign for what he believes he is: a generational talent that can take a team to the cup.

 

I think this is right. 

 

I would further guess that Jackie boy wants to be in McD's neighborhood -- and that it chafes him more than a little that the Sabres want to give him, say, 25% less than McD.

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Makes sense for both sides.    Eichel wants to prove his worth.   JBOT wants to see him play up to the level he's asking to get paid.

 

I don't think that's the angle I'd take. I'd pay somewhere between where he is now, and where he thinks he'll be, and pay that as a premium on the deal now.

 

We effing tanked for this guy. Get him signed.

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Ryan O"Reilly

Davis Backes

Ryan Kesler

Niklas Hjalmarsson

Don't know about the last 3, but O'Reilly wanted a bigger role, which Eichel already has. None of those guys are franchise players that have the keys to the city already either

At least we get another UFA year of Jack if we sign him next year

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Meh, heard the presser. Jack isn't worried so I'm not. If he drops a Mcdavid level season, pay him for it. At that point we're talking top 3 in the league money.

 

Of course Jack's not worried. He plays hockey for a living and is going to get a +$10mil check in the next 10 months.

 

We effing tanked for this guy. Get him signed.

 

100%

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I don't think that's the angle I'd take. I'd pay somewhere between where he is now, and where he thinks he'll be, and pay that as a premium on the deal now.

 

We effing tanked for this guy. Get him signed.

I really wouldn't worry about it, he's not going anywhere. Reinhart has about a 8000% more chance of leaving 

 

Not a single team is going to offer sheet Eichel

Edited by WildCard
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They Flyers had made the playoffs 3 consecutive season prior to that offer sheet, and the Stanley Cup two years before

 

Nashville also dumped that contract before it became terrible. It's a miracle they not only found a suitor for it, but got PK back.

 

Think about this if you're Jack. You go and sign an offer sheet for another team for leverage, costing them 4 1sts. Let's just say you get called out on it and Buffalo doesn't match. Guess what? Your prime years are now spent with a team that will be virtually crippled in the draft. So, no cheap and high end talent that will be coming in unless you hit the lottery. Also, because of your enormous salary, they will be crippled in free agency and in retaining their own talent, which likely isn't high as it is considering they offer sheeted him. So sure, you get $2-3m extra per year, but you have absolutely nobody to play with for the majority, if not all, of that time. That seems like the dumbest move ever

 

You're right that Nashville has escaped the final years of the Weber deal before it (presumably) becomes onerous.  Of course, it's worth noting that last season, Weber, at 31, had 42 points and played over 25 min per game for a playoff team. 

 

As for whether it would be wise for Eichel to sign an offer sheet -- first, if he signs it, it's not going to be just for leverage -- it's going to be with the expectation that it's fairly likely he goes to the team he's signing with. 

 

Second, he's probably only going to sign one with a team that he's satisfied has a good roster in place so that he doesn't find himself in a crappy situation like the one you described (or like the Sabres have been for the last 6 years).

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You're right that Nashville has escaped the final years of the Weber deal before it (presumably) becomes onerous.  Of course, it's worth noting that last season, Weber, at 31, had 42 points and played over 25 min per game for a playoff team. 

 

As for whether it would be wise for Eichel to sign an offer sheet -- first, if he signs it, it's not going to be just for leverage -- it's going to be with the expectation that it's fairly likely he goes to the team he's signing with. 

 

Second, he's probably only going to sign one with a team that he's satisfied has a good roster in place so that he doesn't find himself in a crappy situation like the one you described (or like the Sabres have been for the last 6 years).

What team could afford to offer sheet him and be in the position to contend now and for the next 7-8 years?

Edited by WildCard
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It may be my mood, but I'm hand-wringing now.

 

What's the offer-sheet exposure if Eichel isn't signed before this season is done?

 

I too am concerned.

 

As I and others have mentioned, the biggest risk IMHO is that someone signs him to a 4-year offer sheet.  That would mean he becomes a UFA at the earliest possible time -- so even if the Sabres matched, the operating assumption would have to be that he would leave in 4 years.

What team could afford to offer sheet him and be in the position to contend now and for the next 7-8 years?

 

Any good team with $5MM-$6MM of cap space could presumably sign him to a $12MM deal, dump the other $6MM or so in salary, and then be sitting pretty with an already-good roster plus Eichel.

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It doesn't matter if the offer sheet ultimately materializes or not. That's not the point. The point is that the mere possibility should be enough to motivate GMBot to get this done ASAP.

The offer sheet cannot happen until July 1 2018

 

So no asap needed

Edited by LGR4GM
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The offer sheet cannot happen until July 1 2018

 

So no asap needed

 

That's all true. ASAP would make us all (probably including Jack) feel a little better, though. Especially if the outcome will be the same, whether it's asap or June '18.

And this is now probably over-analyzing: maybe, in the back of his mind, GMBot could think that going into the year without a contract could inspire the young Jack to play even a little bit harder?

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It doesn't matter if the offer sheet ultimately materializes or not. That's not the point. The point is that the mere possibility should be enough to motivate GMBot to get this done ASAP.

There's a mere possibility another ice age happens via asteroid too. Point is there's no point freaking out about something that's never going to happen and historically has shown to barely ever happen

I too am concerned.

 

As I and others have mentioned, the biggest risk IMHO is that someone signs him to a 4-year offer sheet.  That would mean he becomes a UFA at the earliest possible time -- so even if the Sabres matched, the operating assumption would have to be that he would leave in 4 years.

 

Any good team with $5MM-$6MM of cap space could presumably sign him to a $12MM deal, dump the other $6MM or so in salary, and then be sitting pretty with an already-good roster plus Eichel.

You think a good team would lose 4 firsts for 4 years of Jack Eichel?

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"Nasrudin was caught in the act and sentenced to die. Hauled up before the king, he was asked by the Royal Presence: "Is there any reason at all why I shouldn't have your head off right now?" To which he replied: "Oh, King, live forever! Know that I, the mullah Nasrudin, am the greatest teacher in your kingdom, and it would surely be a waste to kill such a great teacher. So skilled am I that I could even teach your favorite horse to sing, given a year to work on it." The king was amused, and said: "Very well then, you move into the stable immediately, and if the horse isn't singing a year from now, we'll think of something interesting to do with you."

 

As he was returning to his cell to pick up his spare rags, his cellmate remonstrated with him: "Now that was really stupid. You know you can't teach that horse to sing, no matter how long you try." Nasrudin's response: "Not at all. I have a year now that I didn't have before. And a lot of things can happen in a year. The king might die. The horse might die. I might die.

 

"And, who knows? Maybe the horse will sing.""

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