Sabres ownership back then didn't even let it get that far. They traded him that offseason. Of course, we found out later that the Rigases were broke and later going to jail, but the point remains the same.

I don't claim to know what exactly the Pegulas will do if Eichel were to, God forbid, demand to be moved. Maybe they talk him off the ledge and get him back on the ice. Maybe they trade him for a good or not-so-good return. I do know they will not let him sit and rot for the long-term. It's not in their best interest, nor it is in the league's as a whole.
- buffalofan19

Hasek definitely demanded a trade he just didn’t sit out. Team Captain Peca however, did sit out.

Sabres ownership back then didn't even let it get that far. They traded him that offseason. Of course, we found out later that the Rigases were broke and later going to jail, but the point remains the same.

I don't claim to know what exactly the Pegulas will do if Eichel were to, God forbid, demand to be moved. Maybe they talk him off the ledge and get him back on the ice. Maybe they trade him for a good or not-so-good return. I do know they will not let him sit and rot for the long-term. It's not in their best interest, nor it is in the league's as a whole.
- buffalofan19

He won't sit and rot because he likes money, 10 mil dollars of it.

You have seen/heard their press conferences.
I wouldn't place too much trust nor hope in them being able to talk anybody out of anything.
- IonSabres

I don't disagree. It's still more likely than letting him sit and rot.

Hasek definitely demanded a trade he just didn’t sit out. Team Captain Peca however, did sit out.
- SuperCat

Peca didn't have a contract.

He won't sit and rot because he likes money, 10 mil dollars of it.
- GilPerreault11

We weren't talking about whether Eichel would or wouldn't do it. We were talking about what the Pegulas would do if he did.

I agree it most likely won't get that far because Eichel also stands to lose too much money.

I would avoid UFA like the plague all together.

I wouldn’t care about the $9M if he were on the books for another 3-4 years.

Draft well and make savvy trades.

Giving up the additional assets for a player with term (Zucker for example) was the right move.
- Pegullaville

Why avoid UFA's all together? Seems like a bad idea if you can get a UFA or two that are undervalued on a quality contract that isn't long term.

We weren't talking about whether Eichel would or wouldn't do it. We were talking about what the Pegulas would do if he did.

I agree it most likely won't get that far because Eichel also stands to lose too much money.
- buffalofan19

I'm saying it's not going to happen. He won't sit out, because, ya know, 10 mil is a lot of money and he is a lot younger than Hasek was and maybe earned the right demand his trade.

Yea with a 2 year term. He was one of the best FA signings that year.


- Pegullaville

Shattenkirk, Donskoi, Brett Connolly

much better signings IMO

Peca didn't have a contract.
- buffalofan19

and if darcy paid peca 250 thousand more, peca plays and hasek stays

and if darcy paid peca 250 thousand more, peca plays and hasek stays
- homiedclown

There was no salary cap back then. I fully put that blame on ownership. The only reason Regier didn't pay him that much is because the Rigases wouldn't let him.

I don't know if Hasek stays after that season because I think the Rigases were in a downward financial spiral already, and the public just didn't know it yet. I do think they are very likely a Cup finalist, if not a Cup champion in 2001 if Peca signs.

Just like when league mvp Dominik Hasek did it with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres.

And no, the season ticket holders didn’t like it because Dom was the highest paid athletes in Buffalo sports history at the time (making $8 mill in the early 2000 era) and no star power came back in return.
- SuperCat

Hasek age 36 when traded. Most of his hif career is was in the past

Eichel now 23 years old.


See the difference

What's your team anyways?

Why avoid UFA's all together? Seems like a bad idea if you can get a UFA or two that are undervalued on a quality contract that isn't long term.
- kingcong39

Forsure, if we are looking into secondary players like a Jesper Fast for example.

But the big ticket guys very rarely turn out.

Panarin is the lone exception to that rule but time will tell with that one also.

Shattenkirk, Donskoi, Brett Connolly

much better signings IMO
- homiedclown

I would have liked Donskoi here.

Even trading for Burakovsky would have been nice.

Sakic is hitting everything out of the park tbh. Even getting Newhook at 16 last year was unbelievable.

Forsure, if we are looking into secondary players like a Jesper Fast for example.

But the big ticket guys very rarely turn out.

Panarin is the lone exception to that rule but time will tell with that one also.
- Pegullaville

Wouldnt ufas be discounted the next few seasons with the Suprising lower cap numbers frozen

Peca didn't have a contract.
- buffalofan19

He wasn’t a UFA during his holdout. Peca was Sabres property. He sat out the final year of his deal with Buffalo and became a ufa.

He wasn’t a UFA during his holdout. Peca was Sabres property. He sat out the final year of his deal with Buffalo and became a ufa.
- SuperCat

He was an RFA during the holdout. He was Sabres property but didn't have a contract. He also didn't become a UFA. The Sabres traded him to the Islanders for Connolly and Pyatt (and more, I think).

He was an RFA during the holdout. He was Sabres property but didn't have a contract. He also didn't become a UFA. The Sabres traded him to the Islanders for Connolly and Pyatt (and more, I think).
- buffalofan19

New blog.

Or is there?

Maybe you could trade Skinner for Cary Price?

You’d be getting a much older player but it would certainly fill a hole.

From there work out a trade for Johnny Gadreau (maybe for Olafsson, Miller and the 8th overall pick) and become a 1 line team with a bunch of two-way grinders.

Hey, the Vegas Knights started out with just a goalie and some two way players. At least you would get out from Price’s deal earlier than Skinners.

He wasn’t a UFA during his holdout. Peca was Sabres property. He sat out the final year of his deal with Buffalo and became a ufa.
- SuperCat

Swing and a miss



Again

New blog.

Or is there?
- Hatboro_Swords

He was an RFA during the holdout. He was Sabres property but didn't have a contract. He also didn't become a UFA. The Sabres traded him to the Islanders for Connolly and Pyatt (and more, I think).
- buffalofan19

Yep, that’s right. But it’s all semantics.

The question was... Has a star player held out and not played. The answer is yes. And for Buffalo(Peca).

The second part was when has a star player demanded a trade and gotten it even when it wasn’t in the best interest of the team. Answer again, Buffalo Sabres (Hasek).

So the point is, if Eichel demands a trade or threatens to sit out... There is most certainly a presidency for that here. Hardly unrealistic speculation considering it’s already happened.

Homie? Talks out of his arse. I think it's important to consider the source and message board posters are wee bit off often.
- GilPerreault11

Way to go d!ckhead!
Offend the 2 posters that actually make this site interesting.
89 and Homie keep giving us some insight!

During the 12 game losing streak from 10/24 to 1/30, take a guess at the average goals scored for the Sabres.

Answer: 1.75. Yes, just 1.75.

How many times during that 12 game losing streak did the Sabres outshoot their opponent (a Corsi For % of greater than 50%)?

Only 5 of the 12.

2 of the 5 were against Tampa, and one of those two they only outshot Tampa by 1.

One of the 5 was the 1-0 loss to the Islanders where they outshot the Islanders 56 to 39. Not Hutton's fault there.

They averaged even less goals scored in those 5 games overall, at 1.4 compared to 1.75 during his 12 game losing streak.

For the other 7 games of his 12 game losing streak, the Sabres were outshot. They averaged a whole 2 goals goal scored per game for those 7 games.

Buffalo was outshot by 15 in the Arizona game they lost in the shootout, which they would not have gotten to if not for Hutton's play during regulation and OT.

They lost 2 of those other 6 games 2-1 to Toronto and Montreal where they were outshot by 6 and 7. Not Hutton's fault.

They were outshot in the Flyers game 28 to 52 (!!!) when they lost 6-1. The entire team was a train wreck in that game.

The best I can come up with are 3 games during that 12 game losing streak where the Sabres scored 3 goals per game against Carolina and Vancouver twice, but in 2 of those 3 games, the Sabres were outshot by 5 and by 6.

Would you like your goaltender to bail you out sometimes in those situations? Sure.

Interestingly, Hutton lost a game to the Avalanche down the stretch 3-2 where the Sabres were outshot 51 to 80 (!!!), and he won 4 games in February where the Sabres were outshot by a combined 193 to 216.

There was some good and some bad re: Hutton last season.

Did he play great? No.

Was he responsible for the Sabres missing the top 24 in round? I don't think so.

Was he the difference between the Sabres making the top 8 in the East? Absolutely not, at least not when looking at all the stats.
- kingcong39

If we were losing all those games 1-0 or 2-1,
then you’d have a point...

But this is such a dumb argument
We could’ve scored 3 or 4 or even 5 goals in some of those games & STLL LOST

HUTTON..... PLAYED..... HORRIBLE.....
That’s it. End of story.

Way to go d!ckhead!
Offend the 2 posters that actually make this site interesting.
89 and Homie keep giving us some insight!
- sgk56

Ha! Post if the day! And completely agree, I appreciate Hommie and 89!

Is anyone hearing anything more on duds ? Or is it the month of the super yacht!

If we were losing all those games 1-0 or 2-1,
then you’d have a point...

But this is such a dumb argument
We could’ve scored 3 or 4 or even 5 goals in some of those games & STLL LOST

HUTTON..... PLAYED..... HORRIBLE.....
That’s it. End of story.
- jdfitz77

He was also playing with one eye. So did he REALLY play horrible for a one eyed tendy? Lol.

The question becomes... is his eyesight better. What where his numbers prior to the one eyed season and are those stats acceptable for 2020-2021?

I’d still like to know why he was being played and not put on the shelf for a bit. Or why they decided to ride Ullmark as hard as they did and not call up the Hamburgler.

But you can probably put the in the same basket as not putting skinner with jack as soon as olo went down. Seemingly because of “poor practice habits”. Poor form Ralph... poor form.