Quote:
Originally Posted by Racki
So could they not go full Tampa and keep him out until the playoffs?
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It seems like there are some obstacles to that. Firstly, are they even going to make the playoffs? They have to trade some roster players to keep the Sabres over the minimum salary and I don't see why the Sabres would only take overpriced guys. They have some long term injuries to other key guys already and the wheels seem to have come off prior to a depth dwindling trade. It's also a pretty old roster to be burning a season for a trade. Pacioretty, Marchessault, Stone, Smith... as good as Eichel is, losing a productive year from these guys while also gutting their prospect base is an iffy short and medium term plan. Suzuki and Brannstrom are gone as well as some of their recent high picks.
By all accounts Eichel is hoping to play in the Olympics and would be getting surgery ASAP. Could Vegas convince him to sit out the Olympics so they don't have to move out more salary? Even if they could, would the NHL play ball again after the Kucherov scrutiny?
It's pretty likely that they will have to shed salary again when Eichel is cleared in the season.
Obviously they have some plan since the insiders are convinced, but I wonder if the Flames PR guy tweet is suggesting that the Flames don't buy that Vegas can do this and won't raise their current offer to Buffalo over supposed Vegas competition?