If Lehrer or O'Reilly get hurt, we'll have a hard time winning games
- jdfitz77

this team is not that bad with or without Eichel.
- SABRES 89

Like I said, losing Eichel is never a good thing, but he plays a position that the team is most deep at right now. Having Ristolainen hold out for the same time period as Eichel will be out would have hurt this team much worse simply because of who they have behind him.

Christ all mighty this team is not that bad with or without Eichel.
- SABRES 89

Are you feeling ok? You're much more upbeat about this than I expected you to be. I like it!

Are you feeling ok? You're much more upbeat about this than I expected you to be. I like it!
- HonkFortheGoose

We better hope Reinhart can get Kane scoring at a 30+ level
I'm interested to see how he looks at Center

If sacrificing Eichel for half the season was required for the Bills to end their playoff drought...is it worth it?

Like I said, losing Eichel is never a good thing, but he plays a position that the team is most deep at right now. Having Ristolainen hold out for the same time period as Eichel will be out would have hurt this team much worse simply because of who they have behind him.
- buffalofan19

Yup. If we can stay at. 500 without him, that bodes well. If he was lost for the season, I honestly think I would have lost all interest. 4-6 weeks should be survivable

If sacrificing Eichel for half the season was required for the Bills to end their playoff drought...is it worth it?
- 50GinosIn07

F NO

Like I said, losing Eichel is never a good thing, but he plays a position that the team is most deep at right now. Having Ristolainen hold out for the same time period as Eichel will be out would have hurt this team much worse simply because of who they have behind him.
- buffalofan19

Eichel is the only legitimate game breaker this team has.

Reinhart and O'Reilly are good, but they will be no where near what Eichel will be.

Deep teams can overcome like the Lightning did with Stamkos, but all this means is that we will role out ROR for 21 minutes a night like he's a franchise center and we will struggle to score like a middle of the road team does.

This freaking sucks.

F NO
- cabin

I agree

Eichel is the only legitimate game breaker this team has.

Reinhart and O'Reilly are good, but they will be no where near what Eichel will be.

Deep teams can overcome like the Lightning did with Stamkos, but all this means is that we will role out ROR for 21 minutes a night like he's a franchise center and we will struggle to score like a middle of the road team does.

This freaking sucks.
- sbroads24

It absolutely does, but if, and it's a big if, they can play .500 hockey without him for 2 or 3 months, the season isn't lost. I have my doubts because the defense already sets them back as it is, but I wouldn't be surprised to be wrong.

I agree
- 50GinosIn07

What's up w your avatar?

What's up w your avatar?
- jdfitz77

Danny Heatley..50 in 07. It's a twitter thing.

It absolutely does, but if, and it's a big if, they can play .500 hockey without him for 2 or 3 months, the season isn't lost. I have my doubts because the defense already sets them back as it is, but I wouldn't be surprised to be wrong.
- buffalofan19

I just want to watch him play.

Eichel is the only legitimate game breaker this team has.

Reinhart and O'Reilly are good, but they will be no where near what Eichel will be.

Deep teams can overcome like the Lightning did with Stamkos, but all this means is that we will role out ROR for 21 minutes a night like he's a franchise center and we will struggle to score like a middle of the road team does.

This freaking sucks.
- sbroads24

I'm not going to lie, I'm glad I'm not you. Because if I had to live my life with that kind of miserable outlook on things, I don't think I could stand it.

I get that it sucks he's out. And yes, losing a guy like him hurts, but this team is in a much better place than it was before we got him and the news so far is that he's probably out 4-6 WEEKS instead of the 4-6 MONTHS it looked like it could have been based on the video.

Take a second to appreciate the fact that in this situation, we actually came out better than you probably expected. There's a lot of positives in there. Even without him, we're not going to be watching a team like we did two years ago try and compete out there. This team is better than that.

I just want to watch him play.
- sbroads24

You and all of Buffalo.

I hate this. I really do. But given the alternative, I won't complain too much. The feel of the games without him certainly won't be the same. But the team can still be competitive.

- SomeoneGerman

- CaptainRivet

He's got like a .844 SV% lifetime.

I'm not going to lie, I'm glad I'm not you. Because if I had to live my life with that kind of miserable outlook on things, I don't think I could stand it.

I get that it sucks he's out. And yes, losing a guy like him hurts, but this team is in a much better place than it was before we got him and the news so far is that he's probably out 4-6 WEEKS instead of the 4-6 MONTHS it looked like it could have been based on the video.

Take a second to appreciate the fact that in this situation, we actually came out better than you probably expected. There's a lot of positives in there. Even without him, we're not going to be watching a team like we did two years ago try and compete out there. This team is better than that.
- HonkFortheGoose

***Buffalo Sports****

You have 0 clue what my outlook is on anything else.

did they say what grade it is, the sprain?


Either way it sucks but im thankful its not the knee, because then we're having a different conversation, one on the sclae of his whole career instead of just part of a season.

did they say what grade it is, the sprain?


Either way it sucks but im thankful its not the knee, because then we're having a different conversation, one on the sclae of his whole career instead of just part of a season.
- Sabresfan-365

Jason York
‏@jasonyork33
Hoping Jack Eichel doesn't have high ankle sprain, one of the most stubborn injuries. Sprained mine with the ducks-took 6 months 2 feel good

did they say what grade it is, the sprain?


Either way it sucks but im thankful its not the knee, because then we're having a different conversation, one on the sclae of his whole career instead of just part of a season.
- Sabresfan-365

I haven't seen anything that said specifically. The initial diagnosis is a high ankle sprain. They're going to do more tests though someone said.

Jason York
‏@jasonyork33
Hoping Jack Eichel doesn't have high ankle sprain, one of the most stubborn injuries. Sprained mine with the ducks-took 6 months 2 feel good
- sbroads24

His must've been grade 3, total rupture of the ligaments. Hopefully not what Eichel has.

yea not sure how 4-6 weeks for a high ankle sprain is the estimate. That takes months and months to heal, let alone skate at a high level required for hockey. We will see but I'd say 4 weeks is very optimistic. I hope he's back soon, love watching him play.

I haven't seen anything that said specifically. The initial diagnosis is a high ankle sprain. They're going to do more tests though someone said.
- HonkFortheGoose

Hopefully just the "standard" injury 1-1/2 months and he'll be back.

yea not sure how 4-6 weeks for a high ankle sprain is the estimate. That takes months and months to heal, let alone skate at a high level required for hockey. We will see but I'd say 4 weeks is very optimistic. I hope he's back soon, love watching him play.
- SnipeDevil6

If its grade 1 its 4-6 weeks. Months and months is when its more severe and that person isnt a high level athlete