Good Morning Guys, James here. This is going to be a long one but I would advise you all to read it from top to bottom…. First off, thank you for your patience and for those of you who reached out offering concern and appreciation we want to say thank you. Unfortunately, those who have just rolled their eyes during this hiatus are going to have to roll a little longer because on behalf of ILB, Wick and C3 some things are going to get addressed before we move on to the fun stuff. This should have been done a while ago but some of us are blind optimists. There are two regular posters that haven’t been welcomed here in a while and a lot has been made of it at various times. While most of you do not care about this stuff there are enough people who do and have had the wrong idea so it’s getting addressed once and for all. One poster who joined us mostly at night was asked on several occassions not to talk politics here. Not only did he persist but he became resistant and persisted under various screen names and added vulgarity and profanity to his efforts and so after I brought it to everyone’s attention he was blocked. The other poster had several run ins with myself, with ILB and with Wicky. He had been in and out of participation for a while and approached ILB and I in March/April of 2020 demanding we allow politcal and world event coverage discussion on the blog. We simply weren’t willing to do it and he made his own decision to leave for a while. Upon coming back he was posting what we as a group felt were inflamatory remarks trying to get a rise out of some of us. He was posting the same comments word for word at the Athletic and after considering his history here and persistence in contributing little other than fires that had to be put out, it was agreed upon that we would block him. Since then someone (or more than one someone) has been coming onto the blog with various IP addresses and usernames posting questionable comments at times. They or someone else have been posting at the Athletic under Wicky’s username and it’s been going on for weeks now. People who attempt to cause chaos and want to make this blog about more than hockey are just not welcomed here. So he’s going to stay blocked.
Speaking as someone who has been here since the Same Weinman blog days, I can tell you I think it sucks any time it comes to having to prevent someone from participating. Despite what you may think none of us want to prevent people from contributing or make this community any smaller after years of seeing good knowledgable fans leave. To address one more concern that someone had- Yes, there are four of us for a small blog community but that’s because while we post often, none of us have the ability to maintain, moderate, update etc on a regular basis or around the clock and this is the type of garbage we deal with behind the scenes. No one is looking to rule with an iron fist. But this is the stuff that goes on and there are only so many efficient ways to deal with it other than not giving a damn. And unless you live under a rock, you know by now that ILB had open heart surgery several weeks back and needs time and support before he’s 100% again. While he’s asked that I don’t make this all about him (Doctor Modesty as usual)I will just say that none of you have any idea how important this place is to him (or us) or the things he does to keep it going for all of us. The rest of us are here to reduce his stress while discussing the team we love. So even if you aren’t our biggest fans, you should consider giving him the respect of accepting our roles.
From now on there are going to be a couple of changes. There isn’t going to be any more public issues made of things. If there is a problem or someone wants to discuss something that they’re unhappy about, they can email us or ask to be emailed and it will be sorted out one on one or with all of us at once. We will not have outbursts or comments that “poke” at people taking place for everyone to see or deal with anymore- especially in the midst of days that should spark great conversation. Politics, profanity (written or linked from social media), personal attacks- it’s not getting tolerated nor will we partake in any of it ourselves. If you take that as some kind of freakish control thing or authoritarian effort then it’s unfortunate and I would suggest focusing on hockey talk to move on from your disgust. But I promise you, if you bring it to the comment section you’re going to get blocked until it’s worked out the right way. There’s a time and a place for some of that stuff but it’s not here and certainly not now. Finally, we decided that the comment section will be closed overnight to prevent a lot of the drivel and from any of us having to play catch up from the night before. Still ironing out the time but assume for now that it’ll close up around midnight and re-open around 6am. Speaking as someone that loves this place, I hope you are all willing to help us keep it alive by preventing this type of thing from happening again.
Now…Ryan Reaves is a Ranger, Chytil is making 2.3 million per and Smith-Deangelo is a defensive pair in Carolina. Plus Drury’s offer to Buffalo for Eichel is weak. Let the chaos ensue…
83 responses to “We’re Back. But First…”
Good morning, boneheads!
Technical difficulties on the previous page, sorry. We will move to this one.
Uhhh…. did we all see Larry’s suggestion of Buffalo retaining half of Eichel’s cap hit, with us sending Kakko their way in addition to one of Chytil/Kravy, Jones/Robertson AND a 1st….? Yup… nope. No thank you. Not willing to part with Kakko…. I’m just not there…..
Craig….I saw that. At this point nearly anything is too much for a whiny guy who is also damaged goods. Furthermore, Eichel has mot played in one important NHL game in his career. I would much rather see what our kids have to offer….after all we have been waiting to see what they can do with a real coach. I certainly don’t want to see them blossom with the Sabres while whiny decides he can’t play because of his neck. If the Rangers make this foolish trade the rebuild or whatever you want to call it will never end.
Brooks must need to generate clicks as that offer is nuts
My take is the blog was down for a few days and he had to come up with something original..ly dumb!
I think the whole center ice thing is getting to be kind of silly at this point. Too much drama out of Buffalo and clearly he could have been moved to a couple of teams for a what were probably respectable offers.
For those of you paying attention to the rumor mills and ufa etc, you know full well that the Rangers will go into this season a hell of a lot stronger down the middle than a lot of teams trying desperately to improve at that position. The issue is the expiring contracts. Eichel for five million doesn’t make it ok to overpay Zibanejad
Listened to the 31 thoughts podcast. Granted you are only getting one side of the argument, but after listening, if you are Eichel you get the disc replacement. Not only for your NHL career, but for quality of life after hockey. If you are the Rangers, or any other team, in no way shape or form do you pay the high prospect price. If you are Buffalo, and you are smart, don’t trade him, let him get the surgery he wants, and after he heals up and is ready to play, then you trade him. That’s when you might get the value you are looking for.
Pete,
I think the age thing is all relative. While I get that in an ideal situation you never want to give a lot of term to a guy in his late twenties, there aren’t any teams that win Cups these days without a mix of vets and youth.
The Rangers’ roster is full of guys 20-23 years old. There are only a handful of guys older than that. The average age of the team this season was 25.8. And that was with 34 year old Jack Johnson averaged in.
Tampa’s roster was 27.7 years old in 2020. And they acquired Goodrow 3 days before his 27th birthday.
He was hardly the younger version of who is he now lol
BDL
This is a legal/liability issue now.
There’s questions as to whether the disk replacement surgery would be covered by insurance. If it’s not and the sabres let him have it before trading him. If it goes wrong, pegula is on the hook out of pocket.
I think the lowdown is that Buffalo doesn’t want him getting this surgery as a Sabre.
But eichels agents have now turned this into a the sabres are preventing eichel from being able to play and honor his contract by not letting him get the procedure done.
They are saying, they were under the impression a trade would have happened b4 the draft which would have allowed him to get the surgery with the new team giving OK and he’d be ready to play and get paid.
Now eichels agents are pushing this into the zone of trade my guy now and be done with it, or we’re gonna the surgery ourselves and you can void the contract if you. And my player will sign with the team he wants afterwards without said team having to pony up assets
That’s where I think this is veering towards. Just trade him or we’re gonna force your hand by getting the surgery and making your only option to void the contract
If Buffalo were smart (they are not), they would allow the disk replacement and have Eichel back in the lineup next season so his value can be built back up, or at least until he is cleared to play again. It is a reach to expect a premium return for a player that is not healthy and there is a risk of his missing half ot all of the next season. They have made a huge mess of this.
The main concern I have about Reaves is can he keep up with the game at his age. It has been noted he lost a step or two last season.
I’m not that concerned about losing Buch. The Isles lost JT and brought in a new coach who made them tougher to play against and they are a much better team now. It’s not a fantasy league. The whole can be greater than the sum of its parts and it’s Gallant’s job to make that happen with the Rangers.
The thing I can’t understand about the Evander Kane saga is how he ran up $26million in liabilities as listed in his bankruptcy filing. They are apparently personal loans with no nonperforming assets show for them. All he owns are three houses. The conclusion seems to be that he p**sed away ~$15-20 million gambling. As an occasional quarter slots player this is mind boggling to me.
As long as the disk replacement doesn’t void their insurance policy Buffalo should let him have it just to move things along at this point. His value is going down because of his health uncertainty and his ability to play next season. They need to change the dynamics of the discussion now and at least create the possibility that they might walk away from the table. At this point the market seems to have dried up for him and his last season is one he walked way from and had 2 goals. They may need him back on the ice and performing to his former level to make a trade happen and that seems to be what both parties want to happen. All they have now is damaged goods with an attitude issue. They need to show potential buyers what they would actually be getting.
The mess the sabres made.
A) Was hiring and firing so many GMs and coaches.
B) seemingly getting nothing from draft picks. do the sabres have any 2nd, 3rd, or 4th rounders make it in the last 3-5 years
C) giving big money UFA deals to complimentary players
Eichel wanting to leave after 7years and agreeing to sign long term with Buffalo in the 1st place in order to get paid and own NMC wanting to go to a specific spot. All of that was inevitable, unless the sabres built something in those years.
They didn’t. Buffalo is in this situation bc of Buffalo. This isn’t on Jack Eichel. A ton of us would be pulling the same leverage if we were in his situation and lived all those Buffalo blunders that close up.
Entitled bastards. The pegulas , owners In general.
Your team sucked, you designed it to suck more than any team beforehand had sucked. To get one draft pick. Well you got one draft pick, your not entitled to holding him or another team over the barrel bc you made piss poor decisions.
Wake up to reality Buffalo. Your gonna take somebody’s scraps or your gonna have a long drawn out ugly battle that leaves the vibes and energy and perception of your team and franchise as toxic and cancerous.
Draw this out with eichel. And you can kiss 2020-2025 away. After a decade of this stuff.
Your franchise will be worth less than the Toronto Marlins
You cut bait and move on so you can control the perception and narrative of your team. Nobody’s tuning in 82 games a season for a team that’s a decided to screwed themselves and the product by having screwed themselvws by putting a vendetta against eichel and making sure you drag him through it
Heck maybe Buffalo should have just been proactive and done this early. I said it then. The book is out. You better make sure your star players and top draft picks want to be there long term and if your not sure of that, you owe it to your franchise to look to sell high with those guys EARLY.
There is a definitive point where a guy is just popping and teams would pay whatever to get them then with a ton of years of service, but very quickly you get into a countdown to where the guys value actually decreases even if he gets better, bc he’s closer to UFA or a NMC or he’s signed a 2nd contract that walks him into a RFAfor one year, UFA the next situation. and at that point your at the mercy of your guy remaining happy and content or asking out and having set up in place, a NMC or NTC that allows him to pick where he goes. That’s the exchange in these deals. I will sign long term and give up years of UFA, for the ability to decide where I go if either party wants to move on. That’s what a NMC NTC is. And every cornerstone player is gonna go by this book if they don’t love the team they were drafted by.
If I were Buffalo. I’d be worried that this stigma of the sabres continues and Owen Power says I want nothing to do with any of this. I don’t want to be there.
I can stay in Michigan for 4 years and then pick my team.
I really think Buffalo’s really been chicken littled by eichel doing this and have lost sight of everything else.
This move should have done be done. Like last summer. They are still just digging themselves a bigger hole.
Honestly if I’m Owen power. I am not signing until there is crystal clear evidence that ship is turned around and I can win there. Although he would be the most moronic person to willing walk himself into an NHL career with Buffalo.
I get it James and that’s why not that worried bout Goodrow’s deal given cap hit or Reaves’ given both term and cap hit (doesn’t mean i think he was a necessary add). However, where they could get in trouble next offseason is if they extend Mika longterm at big $ and would be compounded by doing the same for Strome. Talked about it last week, but Pens are really the only example of a team in recent history of winning more than one Cup with centers past 30 on big $ contracts. Blues did it once, but most others in the last 10 years won when there centers were young and not yet on max contracts. Doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but unless you think Mika stays elite into his mid-30s we’d have a very short window to win a Cup before cap becomes a problem. And I know we all want to be cup contenders as soon as possible, but still may be a couple seasons until Laf, Kakko and our young D (besides Fox) really hit their full stride, which is going to be key.
My guess is Buffalo’s current insurance would only cover this new surgery if they ponied up more $ or they may need an entire new policy. If Buffalo were truly smart they would cut their losses and trade him right now for best they can get and let some other team deal with this.
I am not sure Eichel becomes a free agent if he voids his contract by getting this surgery without permission, but rather he may still remain Buffalo’s player until UFA just without the $10m/yr salary. Would need a CBA expert to weigh in there, but hard to see Eichel taking that kind of financial gamble either
Rich re your 3:25 PM of yesterday – Of the three mentioned, think it is Kakko that may have the most difficult time. A lot of the scoring moves he had prior to coming here just do not work very often in the NHL – lack of time and space. I think he can ultimately figure it out but may be a bumpy ride.
Alphas bet on themselves
Every time Kane came up, I said run away he is garbage. Feel vindicated after the events of the summer, even if the worst parts end up not being true.
One thing to bet on yourself JPP, but he also would need to obtain personal medical and life insurance to cover this surgery done under these circumstances and that may be very hard (as carriers may not want to get in the middle of this either) and would definitely be very expensive to pay for the surgery and insurance that way.
But at the same time, if you are trading for him now, have to be able to agree on approach with Eichel ahead of time and be sure if you go the disc route your insurance covers it. For that reason, no way Sabres are getting anything close to a top prospect from us if I’m Drury, even if they retained cap. Let them pick one of Chytil or Kravtsov and then Jones and a pick.
Pete
Your missing the point though. Buffalo won’t void his contract, they will get something for him.
But eichel and his camp can go ahead with the surgery and just say hey void his contract if you want to, knowing they won’t
yea just don’t think it’s gonna be so easy to just get this surgery on his own is what i’m saying. Sure Ilb and James would know details better there tho
If I’m Drury, my final offer for Ike is: Cockoh, Kravstov, cheadle, Laffy, Stromeo, Jones, Nils, Georgie, and the next 5 #1’s
Per my last comment – lines
Bread Ike Goodrow
The Zbad Barron
MeKeg Rooney Reavo
Gettinger Ike Blais
With his new neck sewn tight, double shift Ike all season
E3
You’ll really need to add Robertson to that or I just don’t think Buffalo will accept.
I’ll throw in Robertson, Lindgren and Shesty
E3 for Ranger GM….making Rangers stink again🤯
And a partridge in a pear tree.
Tampa just signed Sean Day lmao. Watch them turn him into a Norris Trophy winner….
Sean Day….come get the Stanley Cup
EddieJ
Wow…that race!!!
All the non-Posting fish who washed ashore yesterday and couple days ago have scurried back under ice for another 20 years.
From my foggy bottom, seems to me Eichel could sue Buffalo and win.
Can’t believe that I read James’ long screed again before I realized what was going on.
Coos,
FYI I’m not a fan of the Fish. Wash your mouth out w/ soap! Is there a daily posting quota I should know about?
I don’t think Drury is going to give in to Adams’ demands Eichel and his neck issues are just not worth the risk.
Gargling with JW Black, Heave. 🙂
Adams suggesting that Eichel is a malingerer.
Scarlet Begonias!
That will really up his value. I assume Adams background is not in sales and marketing. He is confirming people’s fears about Eichel .
Jettison Miller. Plenty of 6’5 210 guys on the streetcorner who won’t check or clear the cease.
creace
crease
crotch
cheeky monkey!
A good choice, Coos. But if you’re gargling w/ JWB what are you drinking as a chaser?
I’ve read comments suggesting trading Miller. Why? After only one year? He’s young, big and has serious potential.
Bigs are all over the streetcorners, world-wide. Toss him before he proves he’s little more than mediocre and won’t backcheck/hit or clear the front. We’re loaded with up-and -c0ming D.
The last Miller we traded worked out real well, or did it? The Rangers need a checking center if we know I think Drury might know it too. I am so looking forward to the October puck drop, but at my age I’m no longer in a hurry to get there LOL!
IMO Miller is far from untouchable but there are other players and prospects I’d try to offer before Miller. He’s got to be better with his gap control and knowing when to jump into the play,(not just pinching in the offensive zone, but in the neutral zone). Agree HH, I think there’s a lot of potential there and I can think of several tall defensemen in particular, who looked like completely different players after a few years in the league. He may have been better off spending some time in Hartford last year, but that ship has sailed.
As St.Pete said, we need a top 6, checking center, preferably one that’s good at faceoffs. I’m really surprised that the beats and others continue to focus on Eichell, but don’t bring up other options. Who else could we get? Kadri? I’m not a big fan, but he checks a lot of boxes. If Vegas wants Eichell, could we make it a 3 team trade to give Buffalo more assets and take William Karlsson to help them clear cap space? I’m sure Vegas would rather not lose Karlsson but it might work. Drury didn’t target Kurally,(UFA) or even Reinhardt,(trade) who Florida got for goalie Devon Levi and a 2022 1st round pick. Are there other options? Thoughts?
Given Miller’s age and his short time on the blue line the past few years after moving from F to D and the generally accepted idea that D men take longer to develop I’d hate to give up on him after only one season. He won’t even be his true man size for 2-3 more years. Way too soon to be giving up on him now.
So they have a deal in place with Igor? First time they have no one file in a while. Was Buch an RFA?
BTW Buffalo screwed up giving Eichel that contract because they wanted to match McDavid’s contract and convince the fan base they were equal players- which they are not. When healthy he is a very good center but not a generational talent. They probably could have done 5 years at $5or 6million like Mika’s contract. Eichel had no leverage. It was a marketing ploy that has come back to bite them in the a*s.
Buch was an RFA and he was arbitration eligible. St. Louis signed him shortly after the trade.
Orf
It’s interesting isn’t it re: Igor ? I was saying it yesterday about the Reaves extension too. Not the typical way Sather /Gorton did business over the last 80-90 years (it feels that long w Sather)
Drury seems like a much more modern and proactive GM than we are used to. And despite the chirping of some fans about how these moves are “all Sather” if you look around it’s more like “all nhl” as in everyone’s trying to emulate the teams winning Cups.
How is it that the athletic is so full of numbskull know it all’s? It’s embarrassing to root for the same team of a lot of those people
I cannot wait for this season!!!
Finally. We will be back in the playoffs. Mark it
Opening shift this season : Reavo and Wilson are gonna go. Reavo with a left, a right, another right, a left uppercut, a right and another right. Holy F***, Reavo just knocked Wilson’s head clean off. I’ve never seen this. Wilson’s head is sliding into the caps net. A KO and a goal awarded to #75, Ryan Reaves
As of tonight
Bread Strome Kravtsov
Lafreniere DJ Kakko
Kreider Chytil Goodrow
Blais Rooney Reaves
Miller. Trouba
Lindgren Fox
Nemeth Lundkvist
Shesterkin
Georgiev
Have tinordi take the faceoff against the Martin line
Man. The philth have shifted away from their roots. Shoe will certainly be on the other foot.
Whistle to whistle coach and haven’t been the same since Simmons left
Woohoo! We’re not closed yet!!
I do my best blogging after midnight
Btw, James, Wicky and ilb, I wanted to get in touch with you guys during the “sabbatical” but I didn’t know how. Perhaps you guys can post that on the front page of the blog or something.
Thanks!
Oh, and thank you guys for reopening. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have an outlet for hockey irks.
I joked with Carp during the “hiatus” how funny it was that most of the blog had been clamoring for Reaves or a “Reaves-type” player forever and when they actually did no one could talk about it. 🤣
I’m getting everything in that I wanted to last night but it was way past last call. Also, it closed early too😝
They tried to close the Blog for the night but their closing comment went into moderation.
Lmao
I loved seeing all the “longtime listener, first time caller”‘s show up when the blog reopened. That was pretty cool.
It’s party time
I like St. Peter’s line combos except I’d have the red Barron in lieu of charmin soft cheadle…
Hi, I’m Big Joe, long-time reader, rare poster since before Sam Wegman and I want to thank the bosses here for their courage in tossing out everyone they have tossed out. Keep going fellas! Still problem people here, dozens.
Is this the Beatles blog? If so, I love the fab 4!!!!
Nah E3. This is the Monkees blog. Similar but less original.
Wick- That was a great race. Felt bad for Lando and Max, but it was nice to see Ocon get the win. Funny that he didn’t know where to go after the race was over.
I haven’t watched any F1 since around 2005 or so. So glad I started watching again this season. I’m really enjoying it.
Opening face-off v Washington: Goodrow, Tinordi and Reaves lineup and we go all Hanson Brothers on the Crapitals. Wilson takes a beating and crawls back into his shell and the Rangers dominate them all-season, bar half a dozen Powerplay goals from Ovi.
Oh no I forgot about The Red Barron and Tinordi? I think I’ll replace Reaves with Barron. Reaves The 13th Warrior…see what I did there? And Tinordi 7th D.
I thought the blog turned into a pumpkin at midnight?
Listening to new 31 Thoughts podcast. Friedman says Christian Dvorak is “a guy I’m watching.” Calls him a “physical, banging center who can get points. A lot of teams really like him.” Marek mentioned Calgary and he agreed but added MN, SJ, NYR & MTL.
Anyone know why Ritchie hasn’t been signed?
NEW POST
AA-Nick Ritchie signed a 2 year deal with Toronto. $2.5 AAV