[News] Eichel: Sabres wouldn't let me get surgery on herniated disk in neck

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Flames_F.T.W

I'm 36 and have been a Flames fan since '89... I've never felt more apathy for this team than I have this season (apathy started for the first time following Colorado series). I honestly don't care what they do as long as they take a sledgehammer to the core. Rebuild or break the bank for Eichel. It can't get any worse for me at this point.

As someone who can remember the Young Guns era, and lived through it on this board, you don't want to go through that. It almost cost the city the team.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by New Era

As someone who can remember the Young Guns era, and lived through it on this board, you don't want to go through that. It almost cost the city the team.

I'm not sure this is quite fair.

It was a different world at that stage. The Canadian dollar was in the toilet and there was no salary cap. In that era there were seasons where Joe Sakic was making $16M+, while Jagr was pulling in $14.5M.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by New Era

As someone who can remember the Young Guns era, and lived through it on this board, you don't want to go through that. It almost cost the city the team.

I can tell you for certain, having Jack Eichel and a bad AHL team will not cost this City the flames.

[ComixZone]

To Buffalo: Connor Zary, Juuso Valimaki, Oliver Kylington, 2021 1st, 2021 2nd, 2022 2nd
To Calgary: Jack Eichel

Seattle takes Backlund.

Tkachuk - Eichel - Dube
Gaudreau - Monahan - Mangiapane
Pelletier - Lindholm - Gawdin
Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips

Hanifin - Andersson
Giordano - Tanev
Mackey - Stone

Markstrom

That’d get me pretty excited. Buffalo moves forward with Dahlin and Valimaki on the back-end, Cozens and Zary up the middle. Whoever they draft 1st this summer, and whoever they get with our 10th overall pick.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Why would Buffalo accept that offer? LA could beat that offer just by throwing Byfield on the table. NYR could beat that by offering up one of three players.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by New Era

Why would Buffalo accept that offer? LA could beat that offer just by throwing Byfield on the table. NYR could beat that by offering up one of three players.

I don't think Byfield will be offered.

Not sure what NYR will do, but yeah - if they come out with certain prospects, sure - they can outbid us.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Why not? If Eichel is all that and a bag of Doritos, why wouldn't they offer up Byfield? If the Kings aren't willing to offer up Byfield I would be very concerned about what Eichel is really worth.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by New Era

Why not? If Eichel is all that and a bag of Doritos, why wouldn't they offer up Byfield? If the Kings aren't willing to offer up Byfield I would be very concerned about what Eichel is really worth.

For the same reasons you've put forward.

Eichel's injury. Eichel's lack of winning, and general question marks around him.

I feel like that's a weird line to draw (If LA won't offer Byfield, we shouldn't want him). I think the package I put out make sense for the Flames from a "going all in" perspective, as well for Buffalo from a "rip it down to the studs" perspective.

In general - what do you think the Flames should do to take a step forward? If not going in for Eichel, how do they meaningfully improve next season? I think the roster has a lot of good pieces in place, but they lack an elite centre and I don't think you can win without that piece. Eichel's falling out in Buffalo looks like a real chance to acquire that piece.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

For the same reasons you've put forward.

Eichel's injury. Eichel's lack of winning, and general question marks around him.

I feel like that's a weird line to draw (If LA won't offer Byfield, we shouldn't want him). I think the package I put out make sense for the Flames from a "going all in" perspective, as well for Buffalo from a "rip it down to the studs" perspective.

In general - what do you think the Flames should do to take a step forward? If not going in for Eichel, how do they meaningfully improve next season? I think the roster has a lot of good pieces in place, but they lack an elite centre and I don't think you can win without that piece. Eichel's falling out in Buffalo looks like a real chance to acquire that piece.

The team that gets Eichel likely offers up in their deal the best piece. The best piece in your deal is likely the first round pick in 2021 in what is considered a weak draft especially after pick 8. it would be outbid rather easily even though you've included some real value.

[sa226]

If LA can get Eichel without giving up too many future assets I can see a fit.

But if LA is giving up Byfield, or/and 1st and 2nd rounders, to take another run at it. I just don't see how that doesn't end up poorly for them. Kopitar and Doughty are great players, but they're no Crosby and Malkin.

LA has their cups, I think they would be smart to commit properly to the rebuild. I don't see how giving up the assets required to get Eichel wouldn't handcuff their rebuild.

In Calgary, with Sutter on board, some decent players and youth in the system, and Markstrom on a 6x6, to go along with some organizational desperation, I forsee them selling their souls to try and take a run in the next 2 to 5 years. For better or for worse.

I also think, whatever happens, we are in for an ugly rebuild in about 5 to 8 years. It's not happening next year. We all want it to, but it's not.

With young players like Dube, Mange, Pelletier, Zary, and maybe a couple others forming a decent foundation of middle six players going forward I forsee plenty of 1st and 2nd round draft picks moving to try and retool the top 4 forwards.

In my mind Lindholm stays. One of Monahan or Tkachuk should move, they're just too slow to play an impact role in an ever faster NHL, and if you can aquire a better offensive player that Gaudreau can compliment, you try and keep Johnny.

I'd love to see Eichel here, but his injury worries me and I'm not sure where the pendulum swings as far as if you're actually improving the team with the type of assets required to get him.

My apathy for this team is at an all time high, I have zero attachment to any player and am looking forward to seeing the fireworks over the summer.



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[Calgary4LIfe]

Quoting Greenlantern - won't let me quote you:

Right, it’s bad for like a year. And even then, it’s probably a playoff roster with Darryl at the helm for a full year. It can defend it has goaltending and has elite forwards.

The Oilers need like two things to go their way to be nightmarish. They need a #1D and a reliable goalie. And even without that, they are a threat to beat any team in a 7 game Series because of those two forwards.

Are they thin? Yep.

Does it matter? Nope.

If you were drafting a player 1st overall, what would they do differently than Jack Eichel?

I agree with you in that you hope to acquire an Eichel when you tank (and one like Eichel doesn't even come every year on top of that either!).


However, IMO, that's not the most important reason to tank. You aren't just getting one player - you are getting multiple players on top of your really good player.


I am sorry, but the Oilers will never win a cup with McDavid. Why? Because they are a bunch of incompetent buffoons who can't draft worth squat.


Calgary is good at drafting. However, take out the majority of their good prospects and young players, and this team will implode, even led by Eichel. It isn't just the first year. I do think that your trade was was too much (let me copy/paste it here too for reference so you don't have to look back):

Originally Posted by GreenLantern2814
My Eichel trade looks like this:

One of Lindholm/Monahan -I’d retain money on Monahan to make it worth their while.
Tkachuk
Valimaki
Zary
Pelletier
1st - 2021
1st - 2022 - this would be for taking Monahan instead of Lindholm - saves us hanging to go reacquire a 2nd centre, and I think Lindholm is good enough to fill that role at a championship level.
1st - 2023

And if they want anything else, tell me what we need to do to make it happen. I really don’t believe there’s a cost too high to pay for a player like this. He’s a Veyron.

Give Darryl Sutter this.

Gaudreau-Eichel-Mangiapane
Dube-Lindholm-Buffalo player cap dump
Lucic-Backlund—Buffalo player cap dump
Vet UFA - July 1 signing - prospect/PTO

Hanifin-Andersson
Gio-Tanev
Wrecker UFA D-Wrecker UFA D/Prospect

Markstrom
Domingue

Sign me up for that. That’s a foundation, and a shrewd operator could do a lot with it.

That's not the foundation - that's pretty much it as a team, minus who the Flames can attract (and overpay) to fill out the roster. They will be getting very little from the farm during a big portion of Eichel's contract here. You have to hope and pray that Calgary can continue to find players like Mangiapane and Gaudreau with their later round picks. I mean, I love how the Flames have been drafting for mostly over a decade now (steadily improved starting in 2007), but this is going to be a stretch to be able to fill out the rest of the roster. It is a huge overpayment that assures Calgary lands Eichel, but it also assures a rather mediocre team as well.


The goal is to win the cup, not simply obtain a #1 C.



I think there are 3 glaring holes in the current lineup right now:


#1 C
#1 D
#2 D


When you spend that much for Eichel to patch up one hole (and definitely the toughest one to patch up, I give you), you are going to create a huge depth issue, and also a huge cap issue since you just traded away all your cheap depth, and have to replace those over the next few years with FA signings. This team is good at drafting, but they are extremely sucky at identifying pro-level talent it seems (Brouwer, Neal, Raymond, Simon, etc).


On top of this, you are obtaining a fairly disgruntled individual. If this team is not looking like a contender, how many seasons pass before he starts making statements about this team for not winning?



I think Eichel will come in much cheaper than your trade idea. I think the Flames could bring him in while remaining a competitive team. However, if it does end up costing this much, then it pretty much assures the Flames to have a superstar to watch nightly, but a team mired somewhere in the bottom third of the standings. Just look at the Oilers as an example. I don't want to be the Oilers.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

To Buffalo: Connor Zary, Juuso Valimaki, Oliver Kylington, 2021 1st, 2021 2nd, 2022 2nd
To Calgary: Jack Eichel

Seattle takes Backlund.

Tkachuk - Eichel - Dube
Gaudreau - Monahan - Mangiapane
Pelletier - Lindholm - Gawdin
Lucic - Ruzicka - Phillips

Hanifin - Andersson
Giordano - Tanev
Mackey - Stone

Markstrom

That’d get me pretty excited. Buffalo moves forward with Dahlin and Valimaki on the back-end, Cozens and Zary up the middle. Whoever they draft 1st this summer, and whoever they get with our 10th overall pick.

Good lord.

Does that fit under the cap?

If the Flames pulled that miracle off I would definitely be tuning back in next season.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Why the hell would the Rangers move there low cost high value players when their roster is currently ready to compete? It isn’t a move they need to make at all, and it would be hilariously dumb if they did.

They don’t need Eichel, at all.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

IF Eichel is that guy.

What if Eichel isn't the true elite #1 center people hope he is. Where does he rank in the NHL right now? Somewhere between 8-12?

Eichel played this season on a broken rib and a herniated disc and was still outproducing every player on the Calgary Flames.

He's an an ELITE player, period.

He's absurdly fast accelerating with the puck, shifty through the middle in tight checking games, a huge body in the corners on the cycle, with vision to find guys through layers of traffic, and shooting skill in spades.

He'd probably be the most purely talented player in this organization's entire history.

And even though he's a year removed from 78 points in 68 games... I don't believe this is a guy who has hit his ceiling yet. He's still going to get better in my opinion.

[Roof-Daddy]

Seriously, if the Flames won't tear it down and rebuild then pull out all the stops and get Eichel in a Flames uniform. We freaking deserve this.

[ComixZone]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Good lord.

Does that fit under the cap?

If the Flames pulled that miracle off I would definitely be tuning back in next season.

It does. The subtracting Backlund (or I suppose Lucic) would be a requirement to fill out the roster fully.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Seriously, if the Flames won't tear it down and rebuild then pull out all the stops and get Eichel in a Flames uniform. We freaking deserve this.

I do think Calgary is going to be crazy aggressive trying to make this deal. This is not Dubois who the Flames refused to move Tkachuk for. There is no untouchable for Eichel and if Treliving is going to stick around this is the type of move he needs to make to get the fans excited and attempt to push this team off the treadmill.

[Wolfman]

After watching Eichel's 19/20 highlights on Youtube, it is clear to see he does everything at an elite level. Skating, shooting and passing. It's all there. He's a gamebreaker.

[Manhattanboy]

Can anyone comment on whether this kind of injury and possible surgery could have adverse consequences? Is there a risk to his eliteness?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Wolfman

After watching Eichel's 19/20 highlights on Youtube, it is clear to see he does everything at an elite level. Skating, shooting and passing. It's all there. He's a gamebreaker.

Two goals in limited action this year. Minus 9.