I don’t think he wants to stay for 8 more years….

Ooof… Eichel is worth way more than that without retention.

There is nothing anyone would ever offer to convince Buffalo to retain anything on a five-year contract. And if you’re going to pass on Owen Power you trade down and make sure you still get your guy.

Samson would not want to stay 8 more years unless the organization elevates him to the Captain of the ship...... I think if they make a concerted effort to demonstrate how important he is and yes I think he is more important to the organization than Eichel he would stay. He is a gamer and loves the game of hockey. He would love the opportunity for him to be the top dog on a team.

I’m pretty sure having a C on his jersey isn’t gonna wanna make him suffer through a rebuild that will see it over by the time he is past his prime…

Julien Briesbois says call me back when you are serious click

One of the last people i would name captain, horrible locker room guy, its not even a secret. He doesnt want to be in buffalo

Also, retaining on Eichel for someone who in your own opinion is a 4th liner, what am i looking at... holy Tampa has 0 interest in that trade, Borgen > Ceci

I really appreciate your comments and I have no issue with you taking the other side on any of my positions.

Let me give you the reasons why I think GM Adams will most certainly retain when he deal Jack.

1. Adams needs to be able to draw in more teams to drive up the price. The way he does this is to retain so that teams who had no shot of a 10 million contract but can do 7.5 or 8 Million. The more teams interested the higher the return;

2. Adams has cap space this year and next year with Miller falling off the roster so that is 2 years down of the 5 years.... Year 3 Okposo falls off.....

3. Adams is not going to be signing any expensive FA over the next 2 years. This time period is similar to Brandon Beane and what he had to do his 2nd year in & working with a roster that has a plethora of dead cap space.

4. I hope you are right that Eichel is worth more than that in a trade I would rather low ball than over shoot. I beg to differ as I would really like the players that Adams would be getting.

5. The Eichel deal probably does not get made until November/December as I think that Adams will wait until Jack is back on the ice and performing then he will look to maximizes his value

I am not sure who your source is for that information about Samson being a horrible locker room guy..... we just agree to disagree on this one. The problem in the locker room has been and will always be a pouting Jack Eichel...... goes back to the ROR debacle.

Rather than retain, take a bad contract. That would put even more value than retaining.

You are getting two duds (so far) tomasino who has potential and a late first. Think we can both agree that buffalos player development has been, well… garbage. Consider glass and tolvanen (you didn’t even sign him) cannon fodder.

If I’m the flames (my 2nd team) I have Monahan zary valimaki and at least 2021 first on the table.

The entire Buffalo media, who says hes awful to work with, and the last time i remember an interview of his he blamed Ullmark for not making enough saves.

I do not think that Julian will be hanging up on any GM's no matter what they are calling to talk about....

Fact: Tampa Bay is 3.5 million over the cap now with only 17 players signed

Fact: No 1st, 2nd or 4th Round picks in 2021 draft

Fact: No draft capital only makes it harder to convince Ron Francis to take on a salary dump

Fact: Even if you get a team that is willing to take on Johnson that only saves you 5,000,000 and there are not that many teams that are going to waste $5,000,0000 of cap space for the next 3 years

I appreciate that you do not like my suggested trade with Tampa Bay. I wish you a great balance of your day and a much better tomrrow.

Sergechev isn't cap fodder and that offer gets you hung up on have an awesome day.

You are correct the Sabres are in the position they are in due to horrendous drafting and development of their talent. This does not help when you are changing GM's & HC's as often as they have which means change in systems.

What I am saying is I am open to a bad contract but I also think you will see retention with Eichel as it is critical that Adams get as many teams interested in dealing for the player. I would rather eat $2,500,000 than have another bad contract enter the locker room and that guy not wanting to be in Buffalo. GM has to change the culture and fill his system with players that want to be in Buffalo. You need to teach the young pups the right way and a crusty vet that does not want to be here is problematic.

I would be very interested in a Calgary deal for Eichel throw one at me.

I appreciate your response. I never said Sergachev was cap fodder. Clearly I stated Sergachev was the critical piece in the deal as it would allow Adams to not draft Power #1. The cap fodder (even though I never used Fodder but a solid word choice) would be Johnson at $5,000,0000 for the next 3 years.

Tampa GM will have to do something he does not want to do as he will not have the LTIR trick to play next year unless a major player goes down again.

Using Sergechev to dump Johnson makes him cap Fodder. Not happening

2.5m retained?

Monahan, zary, valimaki, heiniman 2021 1st 2022 1st

What would you think of the following (I am not sure who the player 'Heiniman' is from above I an assuming you mean Hanifin but not sure that makes sense). If I am GM Adams and was looking at trading Eichel to Calgary I would start with the following:

1. Monihan if he is willing to waive the M-NTC... his cap hit of $6.375 for 2 years can be absorbed and he is the type of player I would want the young core to be mentored

2. Zary is a nice piece

3. 21 & 22 1st Round Picks perfect

4. I would need to say swap out Valimaki and add Pelletier (Sabres will be looking for scorers in dealing Eichel and they are set at LHD)

Buffalo sends to Calgary:

1. Eichel with $2,000,0000 retained (if you are sending Hanifin) I would need to see how that additional salary effects the Cap;

2. Montreal's 5th Round Pick 2021

It was heineman:
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/381844/emil-heineman

Last I heard they were looking for a puck mover to play behind dahlin

Hanafin is a no go.

Hanafin, Tkachuk, mangiapane Gaudreau and lindholm would be off the table. Can’t really pull an all in move and move pieces that effect the team now. Eichel replaces and substantially upgrades Monahan and valimaki can be moved.

Zary and Pelletier could be done but since there is no Hanafin I think valimaki might be the piece to go. Monahan and zary would help replace the scoring now and the future. Monahan could also be flipped for a package including a younger centre.

I have a hard time seeing Eichel fetch a better return than 3 potential top 6 forwards 22 years old or younger and a first round pick. I don’t think he gets traded, but if the ask is more than that, he definitely doesn’t get traded.

Oh boy… can I sell you some Jeremy Bracco? 1 decent prospect, 2 young project players and a late 1st doesn’t get it done. Teams will blow that out of the water for an elite 1C like Eichel.

Ahh yes because the three players offered in this trade are the equivalent of Jeremy Bracco. This trade offers a middle first round pick, a very good forward prospect, a former sixth overall pick, just four years ago, and a guy who was in the calder conversation before getting hurt. Eichel isn't going to fetch Kakko, Lafreniere, Chytil, and three first round picks. If teams are willing to do that, more power to them. I would gladly pass on mortgaging the future for a guy coming off of a neck injury, regardless of how close I was to competing for the cup.

2 project players, one good respect and a late first. Again… that does not get you an elite 1c like Eichel. Yes every team that wants Eichel will pay more.

Are you referring to Tomasino or Tolvanen as a project? Tomasino is still a prospect and Tolvanen made it pretty clear that he's ready to play in the NHL. Also, the 18th overall pick isn't necessarily late lol. I mean it's two picks from being the middle pick of the first round. I'm not arguing that the offer can't be beat by other teams. If teams were willing to pay the asking price of the equivalent of four first round picks, don't you think we'd already have seen him moved?