Zero chance of Kreider waiving his NMC for Buffalo.

Don’t care Reaves 1st line

Jack Eichel with or without the neck brace?
Seriously, The CBA explains the violations if Eichel gets the surgery he wants.
The Sabers can terminate him but wont. (He would become a free agent)
They won't go the route, instead suspend him without pay and fine him until he is cleared to play.
If he never gets clearance (due to surgical complications) Eichel loses over 50 million. Do you take that risk.
He could hold out of camp until a trade is done.
If he were to sit out the entire season he’d have more control next summer when his no-trade clause kicks in.
Summary of a Daily Goal Horn article.

Until this is all over, its just a waste of time with these Eichel trade scenarios (Rangers are not "that" stupid to do the trade)

He’s worth that terrible package even if he played the next 5 years wearing a neck brace

The Rangers are stupid to trade a 3rd for Ryan Reaves and trade Buch for sammy Blias.

They wanted a goon and got the best (Reavo). Buch was a just another cap causality (Hegelian, Zuccarello, Stepan, JT Miller and so on).
I don't see the Rangers jumping into uncertainty with Eichel at the moment. Sorry the Sabers are stuck with him.

that’s unfortunate the sabres have a top 10 center under contract for 5 more seasons on their team. So disappointing.

It's a shame. I feel bad for Eichel, the kids injury could be career ending. It's a tangled web with the CBA, surgery choices, Sabers medical staff and so on.
As a Rangers fan we could use a great young center who is under a decent contract. Eichel issue is something that needs time to work out right now.
I wish him (and the team) well.

You mean Kreider wouldn't want to go play for such an outstanding organization and team as Buffalo? Get out. Tell him to call Jack so he can hear about all the perks of playing for the Sabers.

So Buchnevich was a cap casualty. At least get decent value for him. Not tendering him a rfa contract is almost a better solution...

I wouldn't worry Eichel will make it back to the NHL.

It's a safe bet he makes it back to the NHL...the real question is whether he will be the same player- warranting the assets sent to get him, and the 10M salary and cap hit for 5 years.

If you don't tender him, you lose him as UFA....for sure I was disappointed with the return for Buch- but we'll never know what other offers were for him...unfortunately due to the contracts Trouba and Kreider have, there was no cap space for him (beyond next year)...and every team out there knew that. And the trade was NOT Buch for Blais...there was a 2nd attached- in a deep 2022 draft.

It must have been a bad year to trade RW, Reinhart's return was rather weak as well. I can hear the Sabre fans crying when this is just about the return Buffalo will get for Jack.
Two players who cap is about the same as Jack's: Strome, and Kreider.
Young prospect: Robertson
A couple of picks: 2022 1st round pick (NYR) and 2022 2nd round pick (NYR)
Unfortunately Strome, Kreider and Robertson do not fill in the missing pieces in the lineup unless one were to put Strome on RW.
The value of that package is about 4 first round picks.
Kreider and the 2nd together have a value of about 2 firsts.
Robertson and Strome have a value of at least a first.
Then the first.
Do the math, four first round picks.
Maybe Buffalo includes Olofsson (he is two years older than Jack and the same age as Ristolainen) and the Rangers add more.
So the Rangers trade a LW and C and get back a LW and C.
Just spitballin' here.

I understand the hesitation to trade for him but surgery to fix a cervical herniated disc is fairly common.

That's a argument I want no part of, I was just saying the surgery isn't as bad as CapFriendly users are making it out to be.

I agree with you that this certainly not the trade that I would do Unfortunately Strome, Kreider and Robertson do not fill in the missing pieces
I was just pointing out that it does meet the requirement of four first round picks (and maybe a bit more)


I completely agree.
IMO jack wants out and is using the neck as a MacGuffin.
I have no idea why surgery is still being discussed.
https://buffalospinalcare.com/bulgingdiscgoogle/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpf2IBhDkARIsAGVo0D1G7y6GeFzPmMIUSr4MITQoA8A_3cF_Xmmj1YKK_apDrfzLxF0jMw4aAlzDEALw_wcB I presume this is just for Buffalo.
https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/herniated-disc/cervical-herniated-disc-symptoms-and-treatment-options#:~:text=Most%20cases%20of%20cervical%20herniated,until%20the%20pain%20has%20subsided.
Most cases of cervical herniated disc pain can be successfully managed with nonsurgical treatments, such as over-the-counter pain medications, physical therapy to strengthen and stretch the neck, ice or heat packs, and/or activity modifications to avoid painful movements until the pain has subsided. Occasionally, oral steroids or an epidural or selective nerve root injection using x-ray guidance and contrast may be needed to help calm pain and advance rehabilitation.

There are many other articles that cite therapy and rest as the recommended treatment.
If someone owned a house that needed repairs would any one trust a contractor who recommends a repair that has never been performed on a house?

I believe the traditional surgery is fairly common...the surgery he wants is virgin territory for a hockey player. In any case- whatever procedure he gets- it's one thing for most to get the procedure then after rehab go about their normal life....but another thing to go about the brutal contact involved in NHL hockey. And if Eichel does resume play but with hesitation for certain physical play (digging puck out of corner, getting to front of net, etc)- he's already conceding- which will probably put a limit on his effectiveness. The question becomes- what is that limit? And still worth all those assets and the big salary?

So traded or not Eichel won't need surgery to repair the herniated disc in his neck? Is that what you are saying? There is no way a pro athlete chooses surgery over non surgical treatment as long as the end result is the same. IMO If he is really using the surgery as a MacGuffin and it heals without surgery then he’s an idiot. Lying about needing the surgery is going to do more damage than just saying I want the hell out of Buffalo. Demanding a trade is going to make some players think you’re an asshole, lying is a different story.

The first cervical disc replacement in the US was done in 2008. Surgeons in the US have been performing spinal disc replacement surgeries since 2000 but they have been common in Europe for around 30 years. The 2 surgeries are very similar in fact they are the same until the damaged disc is removed. With disc replacement the artificial disc is inserted and the space between the vertebrae is restored to its normal height. With spinal fusion after the damaged disc is removed, then bone graft is inserted to restore the space between the vertebrae and a metal plate is installed to keep the vertebrae together until the bone is fused together which could take up to 18 months. Then there is a second surgery to remove the plate.

The links below give a step by step overview of both procedures both are about 2 minutes long.

replacement

Fusion

Well thank you my friend.
It seldom that someone actually uses facts.
Great videos.

Good info...since it seems other things haven't worked (i.e. PT) I really gotta wonder why is BUF so resistant to letting him get the disk replacement. From what those videos show- it almost seems as if the traditional neck fusion would be the riskier procedure!

Thank you.



I honestly think Bertuzzi had replacement surgery but it was his back and not his neck. With the way injuries are handled in the NHL and doctor patient privacy laws in the US the only way we'd find out is Bertuzzi or the Wings would have to say he had it. I've tried to find more but all any press reports is that he had successful back surgery. The reason I think he had replacement surgery is his surgeon Dr. Frank Cammisa he is a consultant for the NHLPA and is pretty much at the cutting edge of the field.

Dr. Frank Cammisa

We know so little, we can only speculate.
But you said it best Jimbo1119, why will the Sabres not let him have the surgery?
The recovery is short and would be over now if he had the disk replacement.
If that is the best path, why not increase the value of one of their assets?
Since nearly all neck herniated disks respond to therapy, pain medicine and excercise why is this injury not responding to that treatment?
I have my thoughts but since they are unsubstantiated, I will not share or discuss them.

But thank you both for great conversations.