Eichel Deal Done: 8 years 80 Million

[Eleven]

Not going to happen.  I don't even think Drew coasted. He just was what he was but happen to have one great year in 1 particular contract year (he had other contract years).

 

I know we're all butthurt because some of the other stars had these crazy multi goal games to start the season, but Jack is already more than a point per game player so far this season. I think h(w)e'll be fine.

 

Drew Stafford definitely coasted.  Guy wouldn't reach his stick out for a pass 1.5 feet away from his skates.

[Pokey Jones]

nah, Stafford definitely played before contracts and coasted after. Winnipeg fell into the same mistake we did and signed him after he tore it up for a bit after the trade. Boston was smarter, they got a little out of him for the playoffs but then said no thanks. 

[PromoTheRobot]

Any signers remorse from Eich?

[North Buffalo]

Jack again needs to grow a set..

[SwampD]

I will say that every time we've all dumped on Jack, he's responded in full. This season is not lost after only 3 games.

[Radar]

Is no one else concerned that the new head coach doesn't think the guy is good at the goal-scoring thing?

How many years of watching hockey on your resume?

I will say that every time we've all dumped on Jack, he's responded in full. This season is not lost after only 3 games.

I hope he responds in full this time. Also hope we don't need repeated dumps to get a response.

[LTS]

Drew Stafford definitely coasted.  Guy wouldn't reach his stick out for a pass 1.5 feet away from his skates.

 

Well Jack uses a long stick so....

[3putt]

Well played.

[Drunkard]

I don't think Eichel is pulling a Stafford, but he will coast when he feels its a lost cause. The quitting/excuse attitude runs deep on this team and needs to be purged. 

 

This just can't be true. I have it on good authority that Eichel hates to lose and something something carry the team on his back with his undeniable will or some such.

 

I guess we'll have to wait for the real savior, Casey Mittelstadt, to come and save this team.

Well Jack uses a long stick so....

 

Just another example of his laziness I'd venture.

[Stoner]

How many years of watching hockey on your resume?

Does Sabres hockey count?

 

So I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough to realize that a 10 million a year hockey player who can't beat the goalie one on one is no big deal. Are you saying this guy's a one-trick pony or somethin'? (It's fun to hear "one-trick pony or somethin'" in Matt Damon's voice from Good Will Hunting.)

[LGR4GM]

This just can't be true. I have it on good authority that Eichel hates to lose and something something carry the team on his back with his undeniable will or some such.

 

I guess we'll have to wait for the real savior, Casey Mittelstadt, to come and save this team.

 

Just another example of his laziness I'd venture.

He does hate to lose. Doesn't mean he knows how to win apparently. 

[Drunkard]

He does hate to lose. Doesn't mean he knows how to win apparently. 

 

No worries. Mittelstadt will show him how. Unfortunately we have to wait at least a year for him to grace us with his presence. Until then, I'll have to cuddle up next to my Casey Mittelstadt night light and dry my tears after every loss on my Casey Mittelstadt jammies.

[StuckinFL]

He does hate to lose. Doesn't mean he knows how to win apparently.

Quote for truth

[LTS]

He does hate to lose. Doesn't mean he knows how to win apparently. 

 

This is just so well put.  He's going to have to learn it.  He's had success everywhere because of his skill, not because of his perseverance.  There's another level he has to get to and someone needs to get him to believe it.

[darksabre]

This is just so well put.  He's going to have to learn it.  He's had success everywhere because of his skill, not because of his perseverance.  There's another level he has to get to and someone needs to get him to believe it.

This gets back to my previous comments about Jack needing someone to actually coach him. Bylsma wasn't that guy. I hope Housley is. 

[Pokey Jones]

I didn't realize ROR is making $9 million this season. That is ridiculous, even if he was playing decently. Murray really screwed up this team. And now Jack will have $10 million a year. Coaching isn't going to help, if these guys don't play to earn that money this team has zero chance of improving at all, and you wont' even be able to trade them if you wanted to. 

[GASabresIUFAN]

I didn't realize ROR is making $9 million this season. That is ridiculous, even if he was playing decently. Murray really screwed up this team. And now Jack will have $10 million a year. Coaching isn't going to help, if these guys don't play to earn that money this team has zero chance of improving at all, and you wont' even be able to trade them if you wanted to. 

 I said that last season when we spent 80 mill in real $.  We received no value (I term value at $1 to $100,000 per point for forwards; the lower the better) on any contracts last season except Jack and Sam.  Now Jack is going to make $10 mill.  He needs to put up 100 pionts to come close to justifying his cost.  While Jack and Co may not have liked DD's system, TP looked at the return on his investment in salary $ and saw the albatros contracts of KO, ROR, BOGO, and MOULSON and fired TM also. 

 

Last season of the non-elc players Big Z (and his 16 pts) was best at $71k per point.  Foligno was next at $97K per point.  No other regular (non-ELC) Sabres forward was under $100K per point.  None.  Kane was 3rd a 122K per point.  Okposo was $133k,  ROR $136, and Moulson $156k.  

[LGR4GM]

I think 125k is a better valuation at today's nhl scoring rate

[Pokey Jones]

Yup, unlike the old days, they spend money now, but they don't spend it wisely. 

[Thorner]

Yup, unlike the old days, they spend money now, but they don't spend it wisely.

 

 

[LTS]

I didn't realize ROR is making $9 million this season. That is ridiculous, even if he was playing decently. Murray really screwed up this team. And now Jack will have $10 million a year. Coaching isn't going to help, if these guys don't play to earn that money this team has zero chance of improving at all, and you wont' even be able to trade them if you wanted to. 

 

From bumbling last place team to a bumbling last place team?  Sounds like maintaining status quo at worst..

 

How much chance does the team have of improving if ROR and Jack play to their salaries?  Is it greater than 50%?  How much more can they improve?

 

If it's less than 50% or they can't become a playoff team then they won't be tradeable so you should probably nestle yourself in for a long winter's nap.. say October to March each year for the next 6.

 

If it's greater than 50% and you believe they can become a playoff team then Murray really didn't screw up the team... did he?

 

I don't know.. you sound like you need a break for your own sanity.  

[Pokey Jones]

I took a break today. Watched the Hawks beat the Habs in Montreal's home opener. Decent hockey with good efforts. Saw the end of the Flyers playing the Preds. Flyers got screwed at the end by the refs but that was a high energy game in the 3rd. Flyers seem to be vastly improved from last year. Their draft picks looked good. Patrick (2nd overall) looks much better than Reinhart did at this stage of his career. The luck of placing well in the lottery, but also better drafting.

 

Decent hockey, it was refreshing. 

[carpandean]

 I said that last season when we spent 80 mill in real $.  We received no value (I term value at $1 to $100,000 per point for forwards; the lower the better) on any contracts last season except Jack and Sam.  Now Jack is going to make $10 mill.  He needs to put up 100 pionts to come close to justifying his cost.  While Jack and Co may not have liked DD's system, TP looked at the return on his investment in salary $ and saw the albatros contracts of KO, ROR, BOGO, and MOULSON and fired TM also. 

 

Last season of the non-elc players Big Z (and his 16 pts) was best at $71k per point.  Foligno was next at $97K per point.  No other regular (non-ELC) Sabres forward was under $100K per point.  None.  Kane was 3rd a 122K per point.  Okposo was $133k,  ROR $136, and Moulson $156k.  

 

Real $'s are irrelevant.  We have an owner who will write the checks, no matter what.  The Sabres are cap-strapped, not $-strapped.  O'Reilly is using $7.5M of the $75M that we are able to "spend" on players.  The best measure of value would be points/%cap.

[Stoner]

I took a break today. Watched the Hawks beat the Habs in Montreal's home opener. Decent hockey with good efforts. Saw the end of the Flyers playing the Preds. Flyers got screwed at the end by the refs but that was a high energy game in the 3rd. Flyers seem to be vastly improved from last year. Their draft picks looked good. Patrick (2nd overall) looks much better than Reinhart did at this stage of his career. The luck of placing well in the lottery, but also better drafting.

 

Decent hockey, it was refreshing. 

I have to admit to not watching other teams. But I do see a fair share of game highlights. I also hear numerous posters on here talk about how NHL hockey looks compared to Sabres hockey. There's the eye test of the last two games, as fellow conference mediocrities Islanders and Devils skated circles around us.

 

You are right. The fans do deserve better, except they put their stamp of approval on it year after year. "Hard working" and "blue collar" and "hard hat" and "tough D" have played well for years in Buffalo. Owners have loved it, because it's a cheaper product to put on the ice. Do we hate offensive talent or something? Mogilny? Satan? Vanek? Or just xenophobic? How many fans had no problem with Housley benching our 10-million-dollar man for the shootout? Phil, who certainly knows how the game is played in Buffalo.

[Doohicksie]

I watched the Red Wings - Stars game yesterday.  The Wings look to be a shell of their former dynastic selves, but even they put up a good fight against the Stars.  But the game had flow and was okay to watch.  The Sabres looked like that against the Habs, but not since.

 

I still tend to think it's a question of adapting to the new system.  The Sabres are still thinking too much and the hesitation is costing them.  Hopefully when they finally get it they will be able to get into the playoff race.  I'm not overly optimistic.