Erik Portillo traded to the Kings for a 2023 3rd Round Pick

[Georgia Blizzard]

Levi > Portillo and Portillo knew that.  He saw the writing on the wall with the goalie depth chart in Buffalo, so, he made the smart decision.  Based on his decision, he probably was never going to be more than an AHLer or part time backup in the NHL.

I do not understand why the NHL doesn't close the NCAA loop hole ?

It's crazy that they can reach FA that quickly vs. the WHL players.  Does anyone know how it works for the European/Russian players ?

[MBD]

1 hour ago, Weave said:

So there you go.  His agent recommended he not sign with Buffalo.

I hope Michigan falls on their ***** in the NCAA tourney.

No surprise.  He knew he was second fiddle to Levi.  Good riddance.

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

Why do I get the impression that hockey just isn’t Portillo’s passion? It’s great that he has other interests and goals and I wish him luck in his pursuits, but hockey should burn in his soul and I just don’t think it does for some reason. Especially when I compare him to Levi in that regard because Devon Levi seems downright obsessed with becoming a great NHL goalie. 

You could be right.  Probably are.  Am glad the Sabres got bland and flavorless chicken salad out of this situation.

Hockey wasn't Dryden's passion either.  He still ended up in the HoF.  (Probably not Portillo's trajectory.)

[Cheektorado]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

 

He just told the world that his agent told him not to sign in Buffalo.  So that is what he did.  

We spent a 3rd on him and we got a 3rd back - but he wasted our time and left a hole in the pipeline.   I wish the NHL would put a stop to this loop hole with the NCAA kids.  

There should be a compromise on this.  It should at least give the drafting team a guaranteed 1-year exclusive rights deal.  It gives more control over trades and gives a year to convince the kid to stay with the team that brought him up through the draft.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 hour ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

Levi > Portillo and Portillo knew that.  He saw the writing on the wall with the goalie depth chart in Buffalo, so, he made the smart decision.  Based on his decision, he probably was never going to be more than an AHLer or part time backup in the NHL.

I do not understand why the NHL doesn't close the NCAA loop hole ?

It's crazy that they can reach FA that quickly vs. the WHL players.  Does anyone know how it works for the European/Russian players ?

I agree, except you actually have in theory a longer runway with college players vs CHL players who need to be signed within 2 years of being drafted. College kids have up to 4 years generally speaking.  Think Johnson for example when he signs.

Portillo is really Petersen 2.0.  He’s a good kid and I wish him well.  

[Georgia Blizzard]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I agree, except you actually have in theory a longer runway with college players vs CHL players who need to be signed within 2 years of being drafted. College kids have up to 4 years generally speaking.  Think Johnson for example when he signs.

Portillo is really Petersen 2.0.  He’s a good kid and I wish him well.  

Thanks for info.

I also don't wish any ill will toward Portillo, but, I gotta believe he and his agent assessed Levi and decided he was an obstacle.  If you look at goaltender situations around NHL, the Sabres net is wide open except for Levi.

[shrader]

3 hours ago, Cheektorado said:

There should be a compromise on this.  It should at least give the drafting team a guaranteed 1-year exclusive rights deal.  It gives more control over trades and gives a year to convince the kid to stay with the team that brought him up through the draft.

When you draft a player out of major junior, you have 2 years to sign him.  When you draft a player out of college, you have 4 years to sign him.  Those lousy no good cheating college kids... make it 5 years.

 

edit: It's already been addressed.  But this topic comes up over and over again.  Someone spurned my team, so we need to change the rules so I can't ever be hurt again.  What, the rules already favor my team in that situation?  I don't care, rejection sucks.

Edited March 2, 2023 by shrader

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 minutes ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

Thanks for info.

I also don't wish any ill will toward Portillo, but, I gotta believe he and his agent assessed Levi and decided he was an obstacle.  If you look at goaltender situations around NHL, the Sabres net is wide open except for Levi.

No question he didn't want to play second fiddle to Levi.  

[Cheektorado]

33 minutes ago, shrader said:

When you draft a player out of major junior, you have 2 years to sign him.  When you draft a player out of college, you have 4 years to sign him.  Those lousy no good cheating college kids... make it 5 years.

 

edit: It's already been addressed.  But this topic comes up over and over again.  Someone spurned my team, so we need to change the rules so I can't ever be hurt again.  What, the rules already favor my team in that situation?  I don't care, rejection sucks.

All true, but the guys in Junior want to play hockey in the NHL and not go to school.  

[shrader]

1 minute ago, Cheektorado said:

All true, but the guys in Junior want to play hockey in the NHL and not go to school.  

And what does that have to do with needing to change the rules?

[Cheektorado]

2 minutes ago, shrader said:

And what does that have to do with needing to change the rules?

I gave you my opinion.  You don't have to agree.

[klos1963]

10 hours ago, Stormcloudmember66 said:

I have always hated the college draft rules. Especially now with the Entitled generation. Ok, so i am older and believe that you should play with whomever drafted you, but there are other entitled folks too throughout the NHL times that would not play with whomever drafted them. Either way, this rule should be changed.

I'm pretty sure that exercising one's rights according to rules that apply to all drafted, college players is kinda the opposite of an entitled person, someone who thinks they deserve special treatment.  Maybe you should just try calling him woke, I think that's taking the place of entitled as the new made up outrage of the day.

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

No question he didn't want to play second fiddle to Levi.  

I don't believe this narrative for a second. You look at a tandem like Swayman and Ullmark. It takes 2 not 1 in this NHL. There's no reason to think he wouldn't have been fine in a Levi Portello duo.   I think he just didn't want to be in Buffalo and would rather be somewhere else. We will find out soon if that somewhere else included L.A.

[Andrew Amerk]

13 hours ago, Stormcloudmember66 said:

I have always hated the college draft rules. Especially now with the Entitled generation. Ok, so i am older and believe that you should play with whomever drafted you, but there are other entitled folks too throughout the NHL times that would not play with whomever drafted them. Either way, this rule should be changed.

Eric Lindros. 

[In The Buff]

2 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't believe this narrative for a second. You look at a tandem like Swayman and Ullmark. It takes 2 not 1 in this NHL. There's no reason to think he wouldn't have been fine in a Levi Portello duo.   I think he just didn't want to be in Buffalo and would rather be somewhere else. We will find out soon if that somewhere else included L.A.

I think anythings a possibility until you can rule it out. Given the question marks we have at goal, with Levi being no sure thing himself, if Portillo believes in himself there's no reason to think he cant see an opportunity here. But in the Buffalo News he was quoted saying: he was recommended to go this route, as a business decision. So perhaps Levi is part of it?

I'd imagine with a decision like this, its a combination of factors, pros & cons & the cons here were too much, for whatever reason

Edited March 3, 2023 by In The Buff

[JKB1646]

14 hours ago, Pimlach said:

He chose not to sign before he got into this business school and decided to get an MBA or whatever degree he is after.   Although I am sure he is bright young man, getting a business degree does not constitute extreme intelligence by any stretch.  

He just told the world that his agent told him not to sign in Buffalo.  So that is what he did.  

We spent a 3rd on him and we got a 3rd back - but he wasted our time and left a hole in the pipeline.   I wish the NHL would put a stop to this loop hole with the NCAA kids.  

Unlike most highly coveted college players who take basket weaving at Michigan, McGroarty, West and  Brindley! I would be shocked if McGroarty could spell his own last name . That is not Portillo. I think you would have to go a long way back in the archives to find a NHL prospect in the Ross program at U of M. So yeah highly intelligent is appropriate. He was never signing in Buffalo once the Reinhardt trade happened. Move on.

[shrader]

This is not a loop hole.  It's by design and explicitly written into the CBA.

[nfreeman]

10 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

I don't believe this narrative for a second. You look at a tandem like Swayman and Ullmark. It takes 2 not 1 in this NHL. There's no reason to think he wouldn't have been fine in a Levi Portello duo.   I think he just didn't want to be in Buffalo and would rather be somewhere else. We will find out soon if that somewhere else included L.A.

Exactly.  This doesn't mean he's afraid of Levi, or knows Levi is better, or doesn't want to compete with Levi (or that he's spoiled, or ungrateful, or a bad guy).  It means that the Kings situation -- up and coming, already in the playoffs, lots of young prospects, Southern California, weaker conference, Quick gone, Peterson washing out, etc. -- is more attractive to him than the Sabres situation. 

He's earned the right, entirely under the rules, to choose his preferred situation, and he prefers the Kings.  That's all it is.

[shrader]

3 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Exactly.  This doesn't mean he's afraid of Levi, or knows Levi is better, or doesn't want to compete with Levi (or that he's spoiled, or ungrateful, or a bad guy).  It means that the Kings situation -- up and coming, already in the playoffs, lots of young prospects, Southern California, weaker conference, Quick gone, Peterson washing out, etc. -- is more attractive to him than the Sabres situation. 

He's earned the right, entirely under the rules, to choose his preferred situation, and he prefers the Kings.  That's all it is.

That's assuming he signs.  I can't imagine anyone in his camp had any influence on this deal.  Has there been anything out there suggesting that?

[nfreeman]

2 minutes ago, shrader said:

That's assuming he signs.  I can't imagine anyone in his camp had any influence on this deal.  Has there been anything out there suggesting that?

I'm not aware of anything -- I was just assuming that the Kings had gotten some indication from Portillo that he would sign there.

[dudacek]

He's a dick who thinks he's too good for us and we hate him forever.

Come on guys, follow the script and just be fans.

😜

4 minutes ago, shrader said:

That's assuming he signs.  I can't imagine anyone in his camp had any influence on this deal.  Has there been anything out there suggesting that?

 

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

I'm not aware of anything -- I was just assuming that the Kings had gotten some indication from Portillo that he would sign there.

It's pretty clear from Lysowski's article in the Buffalo News that Portillo's agent helped stickhandle this deal and he is going to sign with the Kings.

[Brawndo]

LA has one of the easiest paths to a NHL Starters Net. 

[Georgia Blizzard]

17 hours ago, shrader said:

When you draft a player out of major junior, you have 2 years to sign him.  When you draft a player out of college, you have 4 years to sign him.  Those lousy no good cheating college kids... make it 5 years.

 

edit: It's already been addressed.  But this topic comes up over and over again.  Someone spurned my team, so we need to change the rules so I can't ever be hurt again.  What, the rules already favor my team in that situation?  I don't care, rejection sucks.

Do you know how often major junior draftees don't sign contract with their drafted team and if they don't sign, do they immediately become a FA ?

I didn't realize it was 4 years for college kids, seems like enough time and maybe the issue is more with goalies since their development timeline is so much longer than F's and D's.

 

[shrader]

13 minutes ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

Do you know how often major junior draftees don't sign contract with their drafted team and if they don't sign, do they immediately become a FA ?

I didn't realize it was 4 years for college kids, seems like enough time and maybe the issue is more with goalies since their development timeline is so much longer than F's and D's.

 

Sorry, I don't have the numbers.  But if a major junior player doesn't sign after 2 years, he goes back into the draft and then gets a new 2 year window.  After that it is free agency.  So if a major junior is drafted by a team he does not want to play for, he's stuck for only 2 years if there's no trade.  The college kid would be stuck for 4.

Sometimes those time windows can be a year shorter depending on their age.

 

And yeah, the goalies do tend to have a much more crazy developmental curve, but there's no fix for that.  The idea constantly thrown around is to add an extra year window on rights.  That's great and all, but where is the player playing during that time?  They want them within the AHL/NHL system as soon as possible.  They do not want them heading to europe and they're too old for juniors at that point.  Also, there's no chance the union would ever agree to adding that year for a small subset of players.  Quite honestly, the only thing that may ever going to change this is the NIL stuff going on in the NCAA right now.  If they ever loosen their rules and allow players to remain in college after signing,  problem solved.  But that's not an NHL thing.  There's nothing the league can do.

[kas23]

18 hours ago, Georgia Blizzard said:

Thanks for info.

I also don't wish any ill will toward Portillo, but, I gotta believe he and his agent assessed Levi and decided he was an obstacle.  If you look at goaltender situations around NHL, the Sabres net is wide open except for Levi.

This is right on. We all know Levi is miles better than Portillo. Levi probably knows this as well. We were never going to sign both and give them an equal chance at development. Levi was always going to deserve more playing time and opportunity. So why even have Portillo on a roster.