Hopefully some GM out there will see that and think he will help them. We would be in a much better place moving forward without that cap hit. He simply isn't worth his price.
- RhinoFan

no he's not...but it's not killing the team this season, certainly not to the point where i'd give up a first-rounder plus to remove his hit...next year?...maybe, but there's still a lot of work to be done in the farm system and giving away a first-rounder doesn't help that situation at all

I like the math Michael.
I had run the numbers during the Allstar break and came to the same conclusion that outside of the 10 game anomoly they are performing marginally better than last year.
While the projection with the 10 games says 90 points (92 back when I ran it) at season end...the other 41 games played projects them to somewhere around 85 pts .. that doesnt include going on a 6 or 7 game win streak that would be necessary to get into the low 90's.

Much of the fan base still thinks 90's are realistic.
I do not subscribe to this view and therefore hope JBotts continues to take the long view in considering moves between now and the trade deadline.
- IonSabres

I like that thinking as well

no he's not...but it's not killing the team this season, certainly not to the point where i'd give up a first-rounder plus to remove his hit...next year?...maybe, but there's still a lot of work to be done in the farm system and giving away a first-rounder doesn't help that situation at all
- Michael Pachla

If - and it's a huge if - freeing that space meant that they could sign a guy like Hall, trading a 1st rounder would be worth it imo. You'd effectively be trading Okposo and a 1st for Hall.

Should be a very interesting February.

If - and it's a huge if - freeing that space meant that they could sign a guy like Hall, trading a 1st rounder would be worth it imo. You'd effectively be trading Okposo and a 1st for Hall.
- jcragcrumple

i'll buy that

It is tough to really say if Eichel is better than Matthews or vice versa, but here are some things that stand out to me...

Eichel 0.9 pts/game
Matthews 0.98 pts/game

Eichel $10m per year for 8(!) years
Matthews $11.5 for 5 years

Matthews has had (by far) a better team around him each of his years, so the points difference is not as vast as it may seem on a team that is coached to be more offensive then the Sabres.

So I may want Eichel more than Matthews, mainly due to the cost difference and years of contract.
- Lilroot9

It's close either way. AM probably takes the edge. Doesn't matter who is better to me. I just like the idea that they could lose their best player for zilch in 5 years instead of 8.

no he's not...but it's not killing the team this season, certainly not to the point where i'd give up a first-rounder plus to remove his hit...next year?...maybe, but there's still a lot of work to be done in the farm system and giving away a first-rounder doesn't help that situation at all
- Michael Pachla

Agreed. We aren't in the place to be paying for cap dumps yet. Still, that 6M would be a nice chunk of change to play with in a year or two...but again, you're right, either way it would be expensive to move him.

Pains me too. He's such a good dude.

If - and it's a huge if - freeing that space meant that they could sign a guy like Hall, trading a 1st rounder would be worth it imo. You'd effectively be trading Okposo and a 1st for Hall.
- jcragcrumple

2nd time you said this

2nd time I've nodded at my computer screen

Well said.

It's close either way. AM probably takes the edge. Doesn't matter who is better to me. I just like the idea that they could lose their best player for zilch in 5 years instead of 8.
- RhinoFan

I agree. I think it is close, but AM is better. But for 1 point every 10 games better for $1.5 mil more per year. Not sure it is worth that. And like I said, AM is on a far better team, so not sure if he has those points on the Sabres or does Eichel have more being on Leafs?

Yes. So not "buying" any UFA years lowers the cap hit / contract. Could be smart until he decides to move on in 5 years.
- Lilroot9

4 years takes him to UFA, so they'd be buying 1.

Might be late but:


Paul Hamilton
‏Verified account @pham1717
54m54 minutes ago

Pominville told me the Sabres have not asked him for his list of 10 teams he can not be traded to.

Might be late but:


Paul Hamilton
‏Verified account @pham1717
54m54 minutes ago

Pominville told me the Sabres have not asked him for his list of 10 teams he can not be traded to.
- Stripes77

#thelegendcontinues

I agree. I think it is close, but AM is better. But for 1 point every 10 games better for $1.5 mil more per year. Not sure it is worth that. And like I said, AM is on a far better team, so not sure if he has those points on the Sabres or does Eichel have more being on Leafs?
- Lilroot9

No way to know. Have to just go on the stats for the most part and figure they're fairly interchangeable. 1.5 is insignificant in the grand scheme, so no worries there either, I think the big thing is just the duration.

Looks like the AM extension is going to be made official any minute now per Bob Mckenzie and Pierre LeBrun. 5 years ~$11.6M

Might be late but:


Paul Hamilton
‏Verified account @pham1717
54m54 minutes ago

Pominville told me the Sabres have not asked him for his list of 10 teams he can not be traded to.
- Stripes77

Always strange to me that it's not standard to practice to ask, or require that they submit one.

I don't think Pommer has any real value and his contract probably makes him unmovable. Anyone who can fit him would be targeting a better player.

Sabres Insider‏ @InsideSabres

**BREAKING** my source now tells me that Tage Thompson, Beaulieu and STL 1st is on the move to CBJ for Panarin and Mark Letestu




I love Twitter. Scraps for Stars. I asked the guy if he thought McDavid could be gotten for the right price...

Always strange to me that it's not standard to practice to ask, or require that they submit one.

I don't think Pommer has any real value and his contract probably makes him unmovable. Anyone who can fit him would be targeting a better player.
- Lunaion

They might get one offer, and in that case they'll just ask him if he wants to go or not, if the offer is even worth it

#thelegendcontinues
- Boss34

TO HELP THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T READ AS CHILDREN:
Riip Van Winkle is henpecked husband who loathes "profitable labor"; a meek, easygoing, ne'er-do-well resident of the village who wanders off to the mountains to escape the expectations of his wife, and falls asleep for 20 years, only to return to the Village, where he becomes a "glider" again and has to be taken care of by his son and daughter.

Sabres Insider‏ @InsideSabres

**BREAKING** my source now tells me that Tage Thompson, Beaulieu and STL 1st is on the move to CBJ for Panarin and Mark Letestu




I love Twitter. Scraps for Stars. I asked the guy if he thought McDavid could be gotten for the right price...
- RhinoFan

I thought I saw this some time yesterday or even Monday.

I thought I saw this some time yesterday or even Monday.
- Der Kaiser

It seems they have to work out Panarin's new contract first.

They might get one offer, and in that case they'll just ask him if he wants to go or not, if the offer is even worth it
- jcragcrumple

You know how the deadline works though, most of the deals are literally last minute.

It seems they have to work out Panarin's new contract first.
- RhinoFan

He isn’t even responding to contract talks in Columbus...he wants to be in a specific part of the rust belt

Looks like the AM extension is going to be made official any minute now per Bob Mckenzie and Pierre LeBrun. 5 years ~$11.6M
- BareMetal

Only 5 years instead of the maximum 8? Seems like he's still pondering that move to Arizona.

TO HELP THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T READ AS CHILDREN:
Riip Van Winkle is henpecked husband who loathes "profitable labor"; a meek, easygoing, ne'er-do-well resident of the village who wanders off to the mountains to escape the expectations of his wife, and falls asleep for 20 years, only to return to the Village, where he becomes a "glider" again and has to be taken care of by his son and daughter.
- Der Kaiser

😀

Pommer wandered off to Minnesota for 5 years.

I see the parallels.

Solid A

Good news for us.
- RhinoFan

Yea we should just be wrapping up the rebuild by then.