Sabres & NHL 2016-17 - Victor Antipin Signs One Year Deal

[thebug]

 

Except that it is essentially impossible for that to happen. He has to flee to the KHL in order for that to happen. But by all means, continue with the woe is me mentality that has completely overrun everything Buffalo sports fan.

Are you saying he must re-sign with the Sabres after his contract is up?

[plenzmd1]

Are you saying he must re-sign with the Sabres after his contract is up?

well, as an RFA someone is going to have to give up 4 firsts no? So forget that NHL GMs collude and don't make offers to other teams RFA as a matter of course...and Vanek was the last significant RFA that received an offer s0 yes, he is tied to the Sabres for a long while

Edited April 10, 2017 by plenzmd1

[thebug]

well, as an RFA someone is going to have to give up 4 firsts no? So forget that NHL GMs collude and don't make offers to other teams RFA as a matter of course...and Vanek was the last significant RFA that received an offer s0 yes, he is tied to the Sabres for a long while

4 1st round picks doesn't seem like a lot. Plenty of 1st round picks never amount to anything.

Edmonton gave a 1st, 2nd, and a 3rd for Penner. Been a few since Vanek. Penner, Backes, Hjalmarsson, Shea Weber and even Ryan O'Reilly. It happens!

 

I am in no way saying I think Jack won't want to be there, but if he doesn't there are outs.......

[Alaska Darin]

4 1st round picks doesn't seem like a lot. Plenty of 1st round picks never amount to anything.

Edmonton gave a 1st, 2nd, and a 3rd for Penner. Been a few since Vanek. Penner, Backes, Hjalmarsson, Shea Weber and even Ryan O'Reilly. It happens!

 

I am in no way saying I think Jack won't want to be there, but if he doesn't there are outs.......

Until Jack turns 27 or has 7 years in the NHL, Buffalo essentially controls him. Even if he signed a RFA offer sheet somewhere, the Sabres will match it. The only way that doesn't happen is if the team is so loaded that they'd rather have the 4 firsts (which is what we should have done when Vanek signed in Edmonton).

[4merper4mer]

Anyone who listened to Eichel's interview HAS to know he's gone after this contract. Why can't our franchises pull their heads out of their asses?

 

 

The rules are different as several has stated. The Sabres can control Eichel. That said, he sure did not look happy in that video. The GM did a complete crap job and it has created the mood you see in the video. There is no way a human can take years of that. Even if this disaster of a year was part of a legitimate building plan, Murray should have taken Eichel aside and explained it in detail. He is that kind of star. Clearly that hasn't been done and it comes screaming through in that interview.

 

If he remains unhappy having his destiny determined by a cocky douche bag incompetent, does anyone think he will really last 7 years? As a good player? It would wear anyone down. People will start calling him names, he'll ask to be traded to the Bruins and we'll probably get a couple prospects and picks for him.

 

I think it is more likely that we endure another year of Murray's schitshow and he gets bounced. By the time the 7 years rolls around maybe we're on the upswing and Eichel wants to stay. That is the best case scenario. If we keep Murray more than one additional year, Eichel is a certain goner at the moment of his freedom or traded even before that.

 

I get that Pegula may be trigger shy after Rex, I really do, but Murray is as incompetent as Rex albeit with a different personality. It's weird that Rex asks for 400 1st rounders on defense and still can't get it done while Murray gets 400 year old guys for his blue line and thinks it will work. The end result was strikingly similar even if the route to it was different.

[BillsFan4]

I know they control his rights for quite a while but when your GM screws up everything that surrounds your superstar, it is tough to expect your superstar to want to stay. Eichel sounds like he realizes things aren't going anywhere the way they are being run. They would get a lot lot lot for him but don't be surprised if he asks to be dealt. Still, Murray can't do that.

And before you get all uppity about what I wrote ask yourself a couple of things. Clearly the season didn't go well. Does Eichel's action here display confidence in his future? Concern for it? Does it display trust in management to turns things around?

Murray had a superstar fall into his lap and in two years time the whole thing is screwed up. If the Coyotes had beaten us to the bottom, Murray's other crap would have done him in by now.

I didn't take him sitting in his equipment anything like that. I took it as him being ultra competitive.

 

I don't at all think the whole thing is screwed up. I think you are expecting way too much, too fast. Most rebuilds seem to take an average of 5 years before they start seeing results. Some even longer. Buffalo is one of the youngest teams in the NHL. There's a long ways to get yet...

 

This season was absolutely a disappointment. But I don't think it's impossible for things to improve next season. The Sabres were near the top of the NHL in man games lost to injury. Thats a lot for a young team to overcome.

 

As far as Eichel being unhappy with losing - GOOD! I want him to hate losing. A lot can change in the time we still have him under team control though. If we start winning he won't care about losing in his first couple/few years in the league. It's WAY too early to start worrying about losing Eichel yet.

maybe we finally win the lottery this yr, we are do.

 

Who's the top kid this yr?

Nolan Patrick

What was so obnoxious about the manner in which the GM announced his selection? He went up to the podium and simply stated the name of the player that everyone knew he was going to select. There was no phony drama or silly chatter before the announcement. What do you want: A Rex Ryan clown act of going to the podium with his helmet on? There are many things you can validly criticize the GM for but this is not one of them.

 

Personally, I loved the way he announced the selection. I hate all the drama building BS that some GMs do... That's much more annoying to me than the way Murray announced his pick.

[4merper4mer]

I didn't take him sitting in his equipment anything like that. I took it as him being ultra competitive.

 

I don't at all think the whole thing is screwed up. I think you are expecting way too much, too fast. Most rebuilds seem to take an average of 5 years before they start seeing results. Some even longer. Buffalo is one of the youngest teams in the NHL. There's a long ways to get yet...

 

This season was absolutely a disappointment. But I don't think it's impossible for things to improve next season. The Sabres were near the top of the NHL in man games lost to injury. Thats a lot for a young team to overcome.

 

As far as Eichel being unhappy with losing - GOOD! I want him to hate losing. A lot can change in the time we still have him under team control though. If we start winning he won't care about losing in his first couple/few years in the league. It's WAY too early to start worrying about losing Eichel yet.

 

 

 

I was talking about the interview he gave from the link upthread. He was very clearly unhappy. He did not look like someone who thought the captains of the ship were steering it in the right direction. The locker room sit is another indication but not what I was talking about.

 

"Not impossible for things to improve next season". Is that really the standards we're to which Tim will be held? Good God.

 

I get that it is early to worry about losing Eichel. But with Murray at the helm and it "not being impossible to improve from 4th worst in the NHL", it won't be too early for long. Murray blows.

[snafu]

Anyone who listened to Eichel's interview HAS to know he's gone after this contract. Why can't our franchises pull their heads out of their asses?

Maybe a little perspective would help. I'm not saying Eichel is any of these guys (but he's alike in the sense that he is a franchise guy) Gretzky and Messier didn't win cups until their fifth seasons, and they had each other on the same team. Yzerman didn't win a cup until he was 30 years old.

 

They tanked to get Eichel. He's got to know that they bottomed out. If he isn't patient enough to wait until the remainder of the team's talent is put into place, then he's going to have issues anywhere he goes. I doubt he's that guy.

[GETTOTHE50]

Sabres are just as much a disaster as the Bills.

 

Maybe more.

 

Its close, but the Sabres are still better off.

 

They've got Eichel, and are still more likely to make the playoffs next year than the Bills.

 

The Bills will not make the playoffs until Brady retires.

[BillsFan4]

I was talking about the interview he gave from the link upthread. He was very clearly unhappy. He did not look like someone who thought the captains of the ship were steering it in the right direction. The locker room sit is another indication but not what I was talking about.

 

"Not impossible for things to improve next season". Is that really the standards we're to which Tim will be held? Good God.

 

I get that it is early to worry about losing Eichel. But with Murray at the helm and it "not being impossible to improve from 4th worst in the NHL", it won't be too early for long. Murray blows.

I was referring to you seeming to think its impossible that this team improves, not my point of view on the team or the standard I am holding Tim Murray to. Like I told you earlier in this thread, while not totally sold on him, I don't think Murray is nearly as bad as you make him out to be. rebuilds take time. I think there is a lot of young talent on this team that will continue to grow and improve. I think we have a good core of players, and we will add another this draft. I think the future looks bright for the Sabres, whether Murray is the GM or not.

 

As far as Eichel, I think he was pissed off that the season ended and the Sabres didn't make the playoffs, and he also just found out he missed out on a $2 million bonus by .01 points (for being in the top 10 in PPG) hours before that interview, so I am sure that was a factor in it (did you notice how he answers that "you were almost a point per game player" question? and how he said he wished he had his last 6 games back (where he only scored 2 points total)). He also sounded like he was possibly upset with some of his teammates, by the "you can't just be happy to be in the NHL" and "have to hate losing more" and "culture change" comments (among other comments).

 

I am not at all taking it as his future with the Sabres is doomed, or that he has no confidence in Tim Murray. I have in fact heard a number of Sabres players, including Eichel, say some very good things about Tim Murray and the confidence they have in him. Bylsma is a different story. Multiple different sources have said (for over a year now) how much Eichel hates playing for Bylsma and hates his system. If you want to read into anything, read into how he answered the questions about playing in Bylsma's system...

Edited April 11, 2017 by BillsFan4

[BillsFan4]

Dean Lombardi and Darryl Sutter both fired by the LA Kings.

 

Rob Blake named GM and Luke Robitaille named President.

 

Interesting...

[Buffalo Barbarian]

If I am Jack Eichel I am thinking what is best for me long term. And to be with a franchise that has Russ Brandon's paws on it is a franchise I wouldn't want anything to do with. I would go somewhere else as soon as I was able.

 

I don't think Jack is aware of Brandon's legacy around here

[4merper4mer]

I don't think Jack is aware of Brandon's legacy around here

The Brandon stuff is stupid. He has zero to do with hockey operations. The ineptitude Sabres wise is Murraty.

[GG]

Anyone who listened to Eichel's interview HAS to know he's gone after this contract. Why can't our franchises pull their heads out of their asses?

 

Or he's simply pissed that he got hosed out of a $2 million incentive bonus on the last day of the season? I'd be incensed too.

[JohnC]

I was referring to you seeming to think its impossible that this team improves, not my point of view on the team or the standard I am holding Tim Murray to. Like I told you earlier in this thread, while not totally sold on him, I don't think Murray is nearly as bad as you make him out to be. rebuilds take time. I think there is a lot of young talent on this team that will continue to grow and improve. I think we have a good core of players, and we will add another this draft. I think the future looks bright for the Sabres, whether Murray is the GM or not.

 

As far as Eichel, I think he was pissed off that the season ended and the Sabres didn't make the playoffs, and he also just found out he missed out on a $2 million bonus by .01 points (for being in the top 10 in PPG) hours before that interview, so I am sure that was a factor in it (did you notice how he answers that "you were almost a point per game player" question? and how he said he wished he had his last 6 games back (where he only scored 2 points total)). He also sounded like he was possibly upset with some of his teammates, by the "you can't just be happy to be in the NHL" and "have to hate losing more" and "culture change" comments (among other comments).

 

I am not at all taking it as his future with the Sabres is doomed, or that he has no confidence in Tim Murray. I have in fact heard a number of Sabres players, including Eichel, say some very good things about Tim Murray and the confidence they have in him. Bylsma is a different story. Multiple different sources have said (for over a year now) how much Eichel hates playing for Bylsma and hates his system. If you want to read into anything, read into how he answered the questions about playing in Bylsma's system...

It's very understanding why a player such as Eichel isn't enamored with the system. All his hockey life he was the best player on the ice who roamed and played his own individual game. That worked in the prior pro setting but it doesn't work out well in the NHL. Also, before going to the pros he always played a free styled game that was outside of the unit. That doesn't work well in the NHL.

 

The HC is requiring the young star to play a more disciplined and structured game on offense and defense. The coach is doing the right thing in coaching Eichel hard to stay within the boundaries of the structure. So it is understandable why the player would be resistant to such a dramatic change being forced on him.

 

Bylsma is not a fool. He has coached stars such as Crosby when he worked in Pittsburgh and earned a cup. He is not going to restrict such a grand talent by repressing his game but he is not going to allow his game to be so undisciplined that it will hurt his hockey growth and hurt the team.

 

Let me use Kane as an example that the coach knows what he is doing when handling individual players. No one can deny that Kane's style of lone ranger play was not in the long run going to work. It has taken time but by the last third part of the season Kane was playing a much more integrated and disciplined style of game. That's an example of good coaching.

[4merper4mer]

It's very understanding why a player such as Eichel isn't enamored with the system. All his hockey life he was the best player on the ice who roamed and played his own individual game. That worked in the prior pro setting but it doesn't work out well in the NHL. Also, before going to the pros he always played a free styled game that was outside of the unit. That doesn't work well in the NHL.

 

The HC is requiring the young star to play a more disciplined and structured game on offense and defense. The coach is doing the right thing in coaching Eichel hard to stay within the boundaries of the structure. So it is understandable why the player would be resistant to such a dramatic change being forced on him.

 

Bylsma is not a fool. He has coached stars such as Crosby when he worked in Pittsburgh and earned a cup. He is not going to restrict such a grand talent by repressing his game but he is not going to allow his game to be so undisciplined that it will hurt his hockey growth and hurt the team.

 

Let me use Kane as an example that the coach knows what he is doing when handling individual players. No one can deny that Kane's style of lone ranger play was not in the long run going to work. It has taken time but by the last third part of the season Kane was playing a much more integrated and disciplined style of game. That's an example of good coaching.

Please tell me you're not blaming Eichel already. You're supposed to wait a couple of years.

[JohnC]

Please tell me you're not blaming Eichel already. You're supposed to wait a couple of years.

How did you come to the conclusion that I am primarily blaming a young player for the failure of the team, although to an extent he and all the players share blame for their play?

 

You are responding to anything written by anyone with your same reflexive responses. My point was simple and clear. The young talented player was being coached to harness his abundant talents to play within a more discipline system. An approach he was not used to until he got into the pro ranks. The adjustment that Eichel is making is the same adjustment that all young players experience. That's the basic point!

 

It's gotten to the point that if it rains you blame the GM for the clouds. If you fart you blame the GM for your excessive gas. You need to widen your horizon because the GM and the coach are not the cause for all the ills in the world.

[thebug]

 

Or he's simply pissed that he got hosed out of a $2 million incentive bonus on the last day of the season? I'd be incensed too.

That would suck for sure and to have McD get his 100th point of the season on a goal that !@#$ed you out of 2 million bucks. Man!

[shrader]

How did you come to the conclusion that I am primarily blaming a young player for the failure of the team, although to an extent he and all the players share blame for their play?

 

You are responding to anything written by anyone with your same reflexive responses. My point was simple and clear. The young talented player was being coached to harness his abundant talents to play within a more discipline system. An approach he was not used to until he got into the pro ranks. The adjustment that Eichel is making is the same adjustment that all young players experience. That's the basic point!

 

It's gotten to the point that if it rains you blame the GM for the clouds. If you fart you blame the GM for your excessive gas. You need to widen your horizon because the GM and the coach are not the cause for all the ills in the world.

 

Again I have to point out to you who you are having this conversation with. It's really not worth the effort. I have enjoyed much of the interaction in this thread over the course of the season, but a handful of people are doing their best to completely ruin it with their hit and run whining. I'm probably bailing at this point, but hopefully the playoffs drag me back in.

[plenzmd1]

That would suck for sure and to have McD get his 100th point of the season on a goal that !@#$ed you out of 2 million bucks. Man!

can someone explain the bonuses to me? I had no idea they were allowed on this scale.

 

Thought the ELC was pretty much defined by CBA...can teams give these kinds of bonuses? Did the Rangers give Jimmy V. something similar that tilted the deck in their favor?