Friedman: Flames have begun extension talks with Gaudreau & Eichel speculation

[Toonage]

I think the Sabres blink before camps open. Why keep him for the season when his suitors won't be sorted out until the end of the year and some may choose to keep their pick if they're firmly in lottery territory.

Let him have his surgery and if it goes poorly or he takes a year off to recoup, then the Sabres are left holding the bag. They tried playing hardball with Jack, and the other teams around the league. Didn't work. Their options are shrinking. They'll blink.

[talladega.25]

It is curious to see this drag out. No legitimate rumours or updates for weeks now. I was anticipating a move at a few of the off-season's pinch-points like the draft or free agency.

It is fair to asses this situation like buying a used car that needs a major repair before you can even drive it (Imagine buying an Aston Martin at full-cost with a mechanical issue - Not gonna happen right?). GMs are not going to forgo assets without knowing:
A) What is the medical history of the player
B) How will this player rehab and perform post-surgery (Whichever surgery he needs or gets)
It is still unclear how this situation resolves itself because the Eichel/Buffalo bridge is scorched earth at this point. Buffalo seems to be holding things up because the ask/return outweighs the risk for other GM's in the league.
If it means getting Eichel in Calgary by tomorrow, I would be pulling the trigger on a move like this.

Buffalo:
Eichel

Calgary:
Dube (RFA Rights)
Zary
2022 1st
Conditional picks based on performance/games played. That's what.. 3 1st round equivalencies and the 4th can be factored in once Eichel has returned to play.

Let it be said that 'forecasting' is now equally just as important as 'prior performance' for GM's these days.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Toonage

I think the Sabres blink before camps open. Why keep him for the season when his suitors won't be sorted out until the end of the year and some may choose to keep their pick if they're firmly in lottery territory.

Let him have his surgery and if it goes poorly or he takes a year off to recoup, then the Sabres are left holding the bag. They tried playing hardball with Jack, and the other teams around the league. Didn't work. Their options are shrinking. They'll blink.

What does everyone think would indicate Buffalo blinking or Calgary blinking?

If it’s eichel for 2022 1st round pick (top five protected), Zary, Dube, and Monahan… is that Calgary blinking or is that Buffalo blinking?


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[Toonage]

Originally Posted by stemit14

What does everyone think would indicate Buffalo blinking or Calgary blinking?

If it’s eichel for 2022 1st round pick (top five protected), Zary, Dube, and Monahan… is that Calgary blinking or is that Buffalo blinking?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think they'll take the best offer available prior to camp. Teams have stepped up (albeit these are 3rd hand accounts from Larry Brooks types) and put together decent packages. They don't meet Buffalo's demands. Other teams backed off entirely as they couldn't or wouldn't come close to Buffalo's demands. Buffalo will step off those demands. Those are my thoughts. Can't speak for anyone else.

[Lord Carnage]

Originally Posted by stemit14

What does everyone think would indicate Buffalo blinking or Calgary blinking?

If it’s eichel for 2022 1st round pick (top five protected), Zary, Dube, and Monahan… is that Calgary blinking or is that Buffalo blinking?

I think what it comes down to is that the final deal accepted with be seen as not having 4x 1st round equivalencies in it, which has been their commonly accepted request.

Buffalo will cave in the end and maybe take 3x 1st round value assets and a little more, but not get 4.

[GioforPM]

Got home and my wife was all excited and said “did you hear about the Flames???”


It was the vaccination announcement.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Got home and my wife was all excited and said “did you hear about the Flames???”


It was the vaccination announcement.

The difficult part is having to hide the intense Eichel related disappointment when trying to react positively to said news, which by itself is great news, so you don't offend the missus.

Just not quite the news some of us are hoping for..

[bax]

Originally Posted by Weitz

There's $10 million reasons why the ship hasn't sailed.

Just a prediction - Let him get his surgery then tell him to come back and play and show teams you are ok then they will trade him.

I don't think they are going to just dump him for a lesser amount.

Buffalo doesn’t even want him to come back. This is their captain, a guy who has been the face of the franchise for the past 6 seasons.

Now he’s disgruntled, angry, and wants out. No GM wants to bring that into their locker room. They’ve backed themselves into a corner here

[Flamette]

Eichel's NMC kicks in next season. Buffalo has a finite window to "control" the trade destination. As more times ticks down it will become a factor.

[Manhattanboy]

Almost 200 pages and 4,000 posts and no significant progress.

[BurningSteel]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Almost 200 pages and 4,000 posts and no significant progress.

It's a process.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by BurningSteel

It's a process.

Damn you! Damn you straight to hell! Lol

[Macindoc]

Originally Posted by BurningSteel

It's a process.

I'm processing your reply.

Back on topic, it seems clear that no GM is willing to pay what Buffalo is demanding. The longer this drags on, the less Buffalo will get, considering how each day increases the amount of time Eichel will miss and brings his NMC closer to being a factor. And then there's all of next season's marketing, what to do when the face of the franchise may or may not be a part of the team going forward? And as next season approaches, more and more teams will move on to plan B if they sense that this stalemate won't be broken, so Buffalo risks losing the best offers currently available.

The Sabres would do well to temper their expectations a bit, because they won't get more by waiting longer.

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

The difficult part is having to hide the intense Eichel related disappointment when trying to react positively to said news, which by itself is great news, so you don't offend the missus.

Just not quite the news some of us are hoping for..

Well, I manage to offend the missus pretty easily so it wouldn’t have changed much in my day.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by GioforPM

Got home and my wife was all excited and said “did you hear about the Flames???”


It was the vaccination announcement.

Fan kinda got me with "breaking Flames news" but I know better

If Eichel was acquired they wouldn't be wasting any time commercials and jingles

I'm not sure if I want Eichel more for the hockey player or for the smug guys on the fan960 that basically laughed at suggestions it was possible

Tkachuck and 2 firsts aren't even in the ballpark apparently according to them in June

[calgaryfox]

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by Manhattanboy

Almost 200 pages and 4,000 posts and no significant progress.

What happened to “hope you can believe in”?

[Flamesfan05]

Originally Posted by Rick M.

What happened to “hope you can believe in”?

Post season is not over yet. Treliving’s fans are saying he has a plan. Trust the process.

[Goriders]

Still feels like something else is coming. Just based on the amount of capspace remaing. Even minus a trade you could still add a pretty good player. Although there isn’t much for free agents remaining.

Not much time left before camp starts so if anything is going to happen it should take place in the next few weeks.

[Flames_F.T.W]

Ugh. No Eichel or Gaudreau/Tkachuk extensions. Such a boring and disappointing offseason so far.