You're right about asset management, of course. But shouldn't we judge the GM who made the pick on those bases, and not the player. Sam didn't pick himself 2OA. He didn't write all the scouting reports rating him as a top-2 or 3 pick. He will be played and paid based on his on-ice performance. So why not judge the player on that basis?

Because of the CBA and cap system, his on-ice worth has always exceeded his salary and cap hit when he's been a Sabre. If Botts does a good job, that will continue to be the case through Sam's next contract with the Sabres.
- JetpackJesus

Maybe Botterill could have locked him up for 8 years, $5-6 per on the last contract. But that's done

So the 2nd overall pick is not a more coveted asset than a mid-late round first ?

Id sell the farm for Byfield idk about you.
- Pegullaville

I wasn’t comparing 2OA vs 14OA
No clue where u got that from

How about this.....

If u hate Sam for not meeting your expectations of 2OA,
Shouldn’t u be mad that Jack isn’t on McDavid’s level?

While Jack has been very good,
He hasn’t lived up to his “generational” draft status... has he?

Well here's the question is Rhino a Elite Winger.
- Buff36

That's the ironic part. Even the biggest Sam backers won't call him elite. He's going to be asking for elite $.

You're right about asset management, of course. But shouldn't we judge the GM who made the pick on those bases, and not the player. Sam didn't pick himself 2OA. He didn't write all the scouting reports rating him as a top-2 or 3 pick. He will be played and paid based on his on-ice performance. So why not judge the player on that basis?

Because of the CBA and cap system, his on-ice worth has always exceeded his salary and cap hit when he's been a Sabre. If Botts does a good job, that will continue to be the case through Sam's next contract with the Sabres.
- JetpackJesus

Exactly. Good post

That's the ironic part. Even the biggest Sam backers won't call him elite. He's going to be asking for elite $.
- Lunaion

8mil per is no longer “elite” $$$

That's the ironic part. Even the biggest Sam backers won't call him elite. He's going to be asking for elite $.
- Lunaion

Are you telling me that Botterill might paint himself into a corner with another big money contract for a forward?

I'm shocked, shocked I say.

He could have addressed that 2 years ago

8mil per is no longer “elite” $$$
- jdfitz77

I don't care about your labels. I think his ask right now is probably 9m.

Then do we take Rhino as a good player that has benefited from being on Jack's wing. Would we even be talking about 8 mill a year. Or 5 or 6 mill were he probably should be.

I don't care about your labels. I think his ask right now is probably 9m.
- Lunaion

Well idc about your speculation about what his ask will be for

I care about what he ends up getting
And it won’t be 9mil per

Are you telling me that Botterill might paint himself into a corner with another big money contract for a forward?

I'm shocked, shocked I say.

He could have addressed that 2 years ago
- jcragcrumple

That's not backing yourself into a corner. The new trend of bridge deals does that. Like Tkachuk: 3 years at 5m, 7m, 9m, creating a 9m QO where he can accept it and walk into UFA.

Are you telling me that Botterill might paint himself into a corner with another big money contract for a forward?

I'm shocked, shocked I say.

He could have addressed that 2 years ago
- jcragcrumple

Botts isn’t the one still playing Sam with Jack
Be upset with Ralph for putting Skinner on line2 and Sam on line1

I wasn’t comparing 2OA vs 14OA
No clue where u got that from

How about this.....

If u hate Sam for not meeting your expectations of 2OA,
Shouldn’t u be mad that Jack isn’t on McDavid’s level?

While Jack has been very good,
He hasn’t lived up to his “generational” draft status... has he?
- jdfitz77

Eichel is on pace for 107 points and his next closest line mate is on pace for 68. He possess’ the puck more than any other forward in the NHL in the offensive zone, he leads the league in end to end rushes, he’s the best if not one of the best in the league in zone exits and zone entries (goes hand in hand with the end to end rushes).

He is tied for 3rd in the league in goals and is top 10 in the NHL in slot shot pass attempts.

The only other player that ranks in not only the top 5, but top 10 in all of those categories is McDavid.

So yes, although it took 5 years for the point totals to show what the analytics have shown for the past 2-3 years, Eichel has been every bit of what I thought he’d be.

Apart from McDavid, I don’t think there is another forward in the league I would take over Eichel since the start of November. Eichel is on another 9 game point streak so that makes what, at least a point in 26 of his last 28 games ?

Then do we take Rhino as a good player that has benefited from being on Jack's wing. Would we even be talking about 8 mill a year. Or 5 or 6 mill were he probably should be.
- Buff36

Botts had his chance to sign him to that price point.

That's not backing yourself into a corner. The new trend of bridge deals does that. Like Tkachuk: 3 years at 5m, 7m, 9m, creating a 9m QO where he can accept it and walk into UFA.
- Lunaion

Beg to differ

He could have offered variable length deals but here we are. Botterill lowballs guys on the RFA deals and now he has to pay up.

Or he can let the organization's only good RW go

Botts isn’t the one still playing Sam with Jack
Be upset with Ralph for putting Skinner on line2 and Sam on line1
- jdfitz77

I'm not upset with Reinhart or Reinhart's useage. I'm just pointing out that he's going to get paid because of the bridge structure Botterill opted for. I like Reinhart and clearly the team needs to keep him and pay him. There are few RW alternatives

Well idc about your speculation about what his ask will be for

I care about what he ends up getting
And it won’t be 9mil per
- jdfitz77

then why bother commenting???

Eichel is on pace for 107 points and his next closest line mate is on pace for 68. He possess’ the puck more than any other forward in the NHL in the offensive zone, he leads the league in end to end rushes, he’s the best if not one of the best in the league in zone exits and zone entries (goes hand in hand with the end to end rushes).

He is tied for 3rd in the league in goals and is top 10 in the NHL in slot shot pass attempts.

The only other player that ranks in not only the top 5, but top 10 in all of those categories is McDavid.

So yes, although it took 5 years for the point totals to show what the analytics have shown for the past 2-3 years, Eichel has been every bit of what I thought he’d be.

Apart from McDavid, I don’t think there is another forward in the league I would take over Eichel since the start of November. Eichel is on another 9 game point streak so that makes what, at least a point in 26 of his last 28 games ?
- Pegullaville

Would u call Eichel “generational” though?
I wouldn’t

Yet I’m still quite happy with how well he’s playing
Even if it doesn’t live up to the expectations we had originally

This is where i bring it back to Sam
Yeah, we were all looking for him to be a ppg 2C
He’s not
But he’s a good player, who we hopefully won’t have to pay a crazy amount to keep
Will he get “overpaid”?
Probably

What do we think he should get?

I'm not upset with Reinhart or Reinhart's useage. I'm just pointing out that he's going to get paid because of the bridge structure Botterill opted for. I like Reinhart and clearly the team needs to keep him and pay him. There are few RW alternatives
- jcragcrumple

What’s the right number for him?
I’d say 7ish
But with the way contacts have exploded the last couple years (thanks McDavid),
he may end up getting 8ish

Is that an overpay?
Yeah, i guess
But I’m not gonna lose sleep over it

What’s the right number for him?
I’d say 7ish
But with the way contacts have exploded the last couple years (thanks McDavid),
he may end up getting 8ish

Is that an overpay?
Yeah, i guess
But I’m not gonna lose sleep over it
- jdfitz77

If they get it done under $8 per, it should be marked down as a win

then why bother commenting???
- Lunaion

U commented on my post
I’ve just been responding back

Point is
His “ask” doesn’t matter
What he actually gets does

And he should be judged for his on ice production
Not what slot he was drafted in 6 years ago

Botts had his chance to sign him to that price point.
- PrinceChill

We shall see, really see what the Sabres think of him, cause they bridged him because they still had ? On him.

If they get it done under $8 per, it should be marked down as a win
- jcragcrumple

Only other option is to see what we can get for him in a trade, which i wouldn’t hate

But i do like Sam
So it better be a really good return

Maybe Botterill could have locked him up for 8 years, $5-6 per on the last contract. But that's done
- jcragcrumple

Turns out that would've been great. But I don't know if that was actually an option. Maybe Sam decided to bet on himself and would only do a bridge barring a huge overpayment (at the time)? I don't know what happened. Both scenarios are equally plausible. If he did bet on himself, he made the right choice.

Risto was great tonight too. Huge game. Looks like Miller, McCabe are going to draw the short straws

Would u call Eichel “generational” though?
I wouldn’t

Yet I’m still quite happy with how well he’s playing
Even if it doesn’t live up to the expectations we had originally

This is where i bring it back to Sam
Yeah, we were all looking for him to be a ppg 2C
He’s not
But he’s a good player, who we hopefully won’t have to pay a crazy amount to keep
Will he get “overpaid”?
Probably

What do we think he should get?
- jdfitz77

Our PP sucks and he doesn’t get the luxury of playing with a Huberdeau, Rantenen/Landeskog, Kucherov, Marchand/Pasternak, Draisatil, Marner.

Imagine the damage Jack could do if he wasn’t lifting Olofsson up by 20 points, but instead having a player that brought Jack himself up by 20 points ?

Reinhart is a good player, but not nearly as good as the running mates the players you are comparing Jack too get on a nightly basis.

Jack is so good he can still produce however when our PP dries up for months at a time and he can raise the play of guys like a Victor Olofsson.

He is every bit a generational player.

In terms of Sam it depends on years. If they go 3 years I see $7M per, if they go 5 years I can see $7.5M. If they go full term I could see $8x8.