Pine Barrens Mafia Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/17/2019 at 11:15 PM, K-9 said: I’ll just go ahead and say it and I don’t care that it’s a sacrilege to many, but sometimes Eichel plays like a complete bum. Talk about looking like a player trying to get a coach fired. He’s just out for a Sunday afternoon skate today. Way to appreciate your fans, Eichel. Expand I'll take it a step further. He's not half the player Matthews is.
shrader Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 5:19 AM, BillsFan4 said: I thought that it was kind of interesting that the Sabres did not do a tribute video for ROR. Expand Have they done any for other players? This recent trend around sports in having tribute videos is kind of an odd one. I get if if we're talking about a guy who was a local icon. Even with the way he left, you do one for a guy like Hasek in his first game back. Rob Ray with Ottawa (not sure he ever actually faced us)? Sure. Ryan O'Reilly, a guy who was here for three very forgettable seasons? No thank you. I hear the Taylor Fedun tribute earlier this year was a real tear jerker.
HeHateMe Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 (edited) Why the heck would they give ROR a tribute video? He was one of our better players during the tank seasons? He left on bad terms too basically forcing a trade. A welcome back would suffice and that was fine. Edited March 18, 2019 by HeHateMe
Cripple Creek Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 1:37 PM, HeHateMe said: Why the heck would they give ROR a tribute video? He was one of our better players during the tank seasons? He left on bad terms too basically forcing a trade. A welcome back would suffice and that was fine. Expand I’m with you. A tribute to what exactly?
K-9 Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 8:15 AM, Joe in Winslow said: I'll take it a step further. He's not half the player Matthews is. Expand I wouldn’t go that far. They are two different types of players entirely. Matthews is a pure goal scorer. Eichel drives possession and is more of a playmaker for his line mates. 1
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 3:05 PM, K-9 said: I wouldn’t go that far. They are two different types of players entirely. Matthews is a pure goal scorer. Eichel drives possession and is more of a playmaker for his line mates. Expand Makes him a lesser player, IMO. Give me scorers.
shrader Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 3:05 PM, K-9 said: I wouldn’t go that far. They are two different types of players entirely. Matthews is a pure goal scorer. Eichel drives possession and is more of a playmaker for his line mates. Expand One also gets to learn from two likely hall of famers. That's going to be a big asset for him moving forward.
K-9 Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 4:03 PM, shrader said: One also gets to learn from two likely hall of famers. That's going to be a big asset for him moving forward. Expand No doubt, AM has had the FAR better situation since entering the league. From being surrounded by more offensive firepower to, more importantly far superior coaching. Not landing Babcock hurt this franchise more than any other single factor, imo.
Jauronimo Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/17/2019 at 11:15 PM, K-9 said: I’ll just go ahead and say it and I don’t care that it’s a sacrilege to many, but sometimes Eichel plays like a complete bum. Talk about looking like a player trying to get a coach fired. He’s just out for a Sunday afternoon skate today. Way to appreciate your fans, Eichel. Expand His shifts are too long. Lots of circling around. I am often yelling at the TV "stops and starts, Jack!". He reminds me of Ovechkin with how awesome he can be when hes moving and also how passive he can play without the puck. Electric or invisible. Skinner never stops moving, never stops applying pressure, forces turnovers. 1
row_33 Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 These days the Leafs are flouncing around saving energy for the playoffs, so the Sabres will be spotted 5 or 6 goals easily. several seats on Stubhub under $40 for a ticket to sit in the upper tier at Buffalo, my laugh for the morning.
shrader Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 4:07 PM, K-9 said: No doubt, AM has had the FAR better situation since entering the league. From being surrounded by more offensive firepower to, more importantly far superior coaching. Not landing Babcock hurt this franchise more than any other single factor, imo. Expand I've been on this horse for a while, but the piece this team could really benefit the most from is that 30 something veteran leader who still actually produces. I haven't yet looked around to see who could be available in that role, but it's that guy like Justin Williams as been in Carolina since he returned. And I don't mention him as a guy I'd target if available, but that's the type of role this team needs to fill.
plenzmd1 Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 5:24 PM, shrader said: I've been on this horse for a while, but the piece this team could really benefit the most from is that 30 something veteran leader who still actually produces. I haven't yet looked around to see who could be available in that role, but it's that guy like Justin Williams as been in Carolina since he returned. And I don't mention him as a guy I'd target if available, but that's the type of role this team needs to fill. Expand Simmonds? On 3/18/2019 at 4:38 PM, row_33 said: These days the Leafs are flouncing around saving energy for the playoffs, so the Sabres will be spotted 5 or 6 goals easily. Expand This is an interesting article by Mirtle...saying the Leafs troubles are far from recent..and Babcock is gunna be under a ton of pressure in a few weeks. https://theathletic.com/873301/2019/03/18/mirtle-its-time-to-ask-some-tough-questions-about-these-maple-leafs/ 1
shrader Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 5:40 PM, plenzmd1 said: Simmonds? Expand He'd be good if he wasn't going to draw an Okposo contract. That's going to be a lot for a guy with declining numbers. It's such a hard role to fill, finding that guy who isn't about to fall off the cliff. 1
K-9 Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 5:24 PM, shrader said: I've been on this horse for a while, but the piece this team could really benefit the most from is that 30 something veteran leader who still actually produces. I haven't yet looked around to see who could be available in that role, but it's that guy like Justin Williams as been in Carolina since he returned. And I don't mention him as a guy I'd target if available, but that's the type of role this team needs to fill. Expand Good luck finding that guy. Old and getting ready to decline is not attractive to me at all, though. I think these young players are just gonna have to do it on their own. May be a while, as the heart and balls grow at different rates and this team possesses little to none of either, imo.
BillsFan4 Posted March 18, 2019 Author Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 1:14 PM, shrader said: Have they done any for other players? This recent trend around sports in having tribute videos is kind of an odd one. I get if if we're talking about a guy who was a local icon. Even with the way he left, you do one for a guy like Hasek in his first game back. Rob Ray with Ottawa (not sure he ever actually faced us)? Sure. Ryan O'Reilly, a guy who was here for three very forgettable seasons? No thank you. I hear the Taylor Fedun tribute earlier this year was a real tear jerker. Expand Yes, they have done it for other players, especially guys who have worn a letter like ROR, which is why I thought it was interesting. On 3/18/2019 at 1:37 PM, HeHateMe said: Why the heck would they give ROR a tribute video? He was one of our better players during the tank seasons? He left on bad terms too basically forcing a trade. A welcome back would suffice and that was fine. Expand That was my thought as well. I wondered if there may still be some hard feelings over the way things ended. If true, I get it. The Pegulas were damn good to the guy. When he signed that deal in Buffalo, it was the biggest contract in Sabres history (now Eichel’s is). It was a super, super player friendly deal. He got a better contract structure than most super stars do. Almost his entire contract was paid out in lump sum signing bonuses each July 1st. ROR actually has one of the best structured contracts in the entire NHL. It’s buyout and lockout proof too. If the NHL looks out for the 2020 or 2021 season, ROR still gets his entire salary (unlike most guys). Plus they went and signed ROR’s brother to that 2yr $1.4M one way deal. Even though he was a career AHLer, he got a 1 way contract so he got his NHL salary even in the AHL. The Pegulas even let ROR record at their studio (a life long dream of his), and hooked him up with some professional musicians too. Just to be clear, I am not saying I agreed with the trade. Just that I get why the Pegulas may still have some hard feelings.
Rockpile233 Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 I’m surprised they even did a welcome back announcement. The team accomplished zilch in the ROR era. Not saying any of that was his fault, but come on a welcome back video? How else can we lower the bar today?
4merper4mer Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 6:59 PM, BillsFan4 said: Yes, they have done it for other players, especially guys who have worn a letter like ROR, which is why I thought it was interesting. That was my thought as well. I wondered if there may still be some hard feelings over the way things ended. If true, I get it. The Pegulas were damn good to the guy. When he signed that deal in Buffalo, it was the biggest contract in Sabres history (now Eichel’s is). It was a super, super player friendly deal. He got a better contract structure than most super stars do. Almost his entire contract was paid out in lump sum signing bonuses each July 1st. ROR actually has one of the best structured contracts in the entire NHL. It’s buyout and lockout proof too. If the NHL looks out for the 2020 or 2021 season, ROR still gets his entire salary (unlike most guys). Plus they went and signed ROR’s brother to that 2yr $1.4M one way deal. Even though he was a career AHLer, he got a 1 way contract so he got his NHL salary even in the AHL. The Pegulas even let ROR record at their studio (a life long dream of his), and hooked him up with some professional musicians too. Just to be clear, I am not saying I agreed with the trade. Just that I get why the Pegulas may still have some hard feelings. Expand They should have shown a highlight video of him moping around the locker room, giving interviews about his own lack of passion and drunk driving into a Tim Horton's. On 3/18/2019 at 4:07 PM, K-9 said: No doubt, AM has had the FAR better situation since entering the league. From being surrounded by more offensive firepower to, more importantly far superior coaching. Not landing Babcock hurt this franchise more than any other single factor, imo. Expand Losing Babcock is a distant second to the hiring of Tim Murray. It was likely also caused by Murray. 1
snafu Posted March 18, 2019 Posted March 18, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 5:24 PM, shrader said: I've been on this horse for a while, but the piece this team could really benefit the most from is that 30 something veteran leader who still actually produces. I haven't yet looked around to see who could be available in that role, but it's that guy like Justin Williams as been in Carolina since he returned. And I don't mention him as a guy I'd target if available, but that's the type of role this team needs to fill. Expand Simmonds. I’ve been saying it for a couple months. I don’t know what Nashville has in store for him, but if he’s a FA this summer, he’s the kind of guy. On 3/18/2019 at 5:49 PM, shrader said: He'd be good if he wasn't going to draw an Okposo contract. That's going to be a lot for a guy with declining numbers. It's such a hard role to fill, finding that guy who isn't about to fall off the cliff. Expand I should have read further befor I posted that. I still think he’s the guy.
shrader Posted March 19, 2019 Posted March 19, 2019 On 3/18/2019 at 11:18 PM, snafu said: Simmonds. I’ve been saying it for a couple months. I don’t know what Nashville has in store for him, but if he’s a FA this summer, he’s the kind of guy. I should have read further befor I posted that. I still think he’s the guy. Expand He's definitely a name that has been floating around in my head since the deadline. I just worry about any player who has a noticeable drop in scoring this year even though scoring is up across the board. I could see them rolling the dice on a guy like him though, but I think it might be contingent on freeing up the Okposo money. I don't think there's much of a chance of that happening though.
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