2020-2021 NHL Thread

[bustaheims]

What they need is an young, exciting, developing winger like Jimmy Vesey. Package him with Tavares and we'll take Eichel off their hands. I mean it's devastating to lose Vesey but I just can't stand seeing Buffalo suffer like this.

I feel like a 3rd go around (even if only one of the two previous had him actually play for the team) with Vesey might not be in the cards. Their defence, however, could be bolstered by a young, high-ceiling defenceman - just like Martin Marincin.

In all seriousness, though, I can't see how Eichel finishes his contract in Buffalo. He's clearly unhappy about all the losing, and the team is going nowhere fast.

 

[Zee]

What are the chances that Bergevin takes a swing and sells the entire farm to try and get Eichel?  They need an elite talent centerman and he would fit the bill.

 

[Kin]

What are the chances that Bergevin takes a swing and sells the entire farm to try and get Eichel?  They need an elite talent centerman and he would fit the bill.

I have no idea whether or not they'll try but I think A) they don't have the sort of singular high ceiling asset Buffalo would be looking for in return even if they included "the farm" and B) It's pretty unlikely that Buffalo would choose to trade him to a team that will probably be in their division post-quarantine.

 

[bustaheims]

I have no idea whether or not they'll try but I think A) they don't have the sort of singular high ceiling asset Buffalo would be looking for in return even if they included "the farm" and B) It's pretty unlikely that Buffalo would choose to trade him to a team that will probably be in their division post-quarantine.

Yup. Unless they're willing to give up the few good young pieces they have on their NHL roster, they just don't have the pieces to convince Buffalo to make that trade, regardless of the divisional rival aspect. Throw that in, and they shouldn't even bother picking up the phone, quite frankly.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Eichel for Suzuki, Romanov, Drouin, and a 1st.

Assuming Eichel is at a point where he's flat-out demanding a trade and won't play for Buffalo in 21/22, who says no?

 

[OldTimeHockey]

Eichel for Suzuki, Romanov, Drouin, and a 1st.

Assuming Eichel is at a point where he's flat-out demanding a trade and won't play for Buffalo in 21/22, who says no?

I'd say Montreal says no.

 

[Kin]

Eichel for Suzuki, Romanov, Drouin, and a 1st.

Assuming Eichel is at a point where he's flat-out demanding a trade and won't play for Buffalo in 21/22, who says no?

I still feel like Buffalo would be looking for a better deal either in terms of better immediately or getting someone higher ceiling. Like, if I'm Buffalo in that situation I'm only looking at that if I can't put together something with Florida for Barkov or something with LA or NJ for Byfield/Hughes.

 

[bustaheims]

Eichel for Suzuki, Romanov, Drouin, and a 1st.

Assuming Eichel is at a point where he's flat-out demanding a trade and won't play for Buffalo in 21/22, who says no?

Man, that trade would devastate Montreal without moving the needle enough for Buffalo. Habs say no first. Buffalo sits on it until they get better offers.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I still feel like Buffalo would be looking for a better deal either in terms of better immediately or getting someone higher ceiling. Like, if I'm Buffalo in that situation I'm only looking at that if I can't put together something with Florida for Barkov or something with LA or NJ for Byfield/Hughes.

An Eichel for Barkov swap would be super interesting and probably the best-case scenario for the Sabres. It would rely on getting Barkov signed to an extension though. Assuming the deal happens in the summer he'll have just 1 year left on his current deal vs. 5 for Eichel.

 

[Zee]

Eichel for Suzuki, Romanov, Drouin, and a 1st.

Assuming Eichel is at a point where he's flat-out demanding a trade and won't play for Buffalo in 21/22, who says no?

Man, that trade would devastate Montreal without moving the needle enough for Buffalo. Habs say no first. Buffalo sits on it until they get better offers.

See my entire motivation here was trying to devastate the Habs to the point where they had Eichel and nothing else on the team.  How's about Suzuki, Caufield, Romanov + 1st

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Eichel for Suzuki, Romanov, Drouin, and a 1st.

Assuming Eichel is at a point where he's flat-out demanding a trade and won't play for Buffalo in 21/22, who says no?

Man, that trade would devastate Montreal without moving the needle enough for Buffalo. Habs say no first. Buffalo sits on it until they get better offers.

If Buffalo decides to do the correct thing, and blow it up, I wonder if making Skinner part of the package makes things more palatable in terms of not gutting the team acquiring Eichel.

Not sure of the habs cap situation, but if it was Eichel and Skinner (perhaps a bit retained) for Suzuki and 2 1st rounders and some $ off the roster, perhaps doable?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Man, that trade would devastate Montreal without moving the needle enough for Buffalo. Habs say no first. Buffalo sits on it until they get better offers.

I certainly tried to load up the offer on Montreal's end, but I think "devastate" is probably pushing it. Obviously Eichel is a pretty big upgrade on Suzuki. I've always said Montreal did a good job loading up on wing depth so losing Drouin isn't the end of the world when they still have Gallagher, Anderson, Toffoli, plus a guy like Tatar if they can re-sign him or Caufield is he's ready to play. Even past that Lehkonen and Byron are good 3rd line options. I think they have the wing depth to make Drouin expendable in a trade like this. Romanov is a good young D but also someone who is probably getting a tad overhyped by Montreal's media/fan base. Losing a 1st rounder hurts a lot when you're also giving up young guys like they are in a deal like this but Montreal has a lot of picks this year (two 2nds, and then three picks in each of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds) so at least their scouts will still have stuff to do.

From Buffalo's perspective, I agree that ideally they look for the best 1 for 1 swap possible like Nik suggested. But those don't always materialize when you're trading a guy as good as Eichel. This deal at least gives them a future 1C to replace him (albeit a lower ceiling one) plus some valuable pieces to keep them competitive since I'm sure ownership isn't looking to do a barebones rebuild all over again.

 

[Zee]

Eichel for Suzuki, Romanov, Drouin, and a 1st.

Assuming Eichel is at a point where he's flat-out demanding a trade and won't play for Buffalo in 21/22, who says no?

Man, that trade would devastate Montreal without moving the needle enough for Buffalo. Habs say no first. Buffalo sits on it until they get better offers.

If Buffalo decides to do the correct thing, and blow it up, I wonder if making Skinner part of the package makes things more palatable in terms of not gutting the team acquiring Eichel.

Not sure of the habs cap situation, but if it was Eichel and Skinner (perhaps a bit retained) for Suzuki and 2 1st rounders and some $ off the roster, perhaps doable?

6 1/2 years left on that Skinner deal, man what the hell were the Sabres thinking?

 

[Kin]

An Eichel for Barkov swap would be super interesting and probably the best-case scenario for the Sabres. It would rely on getting Barkov signed to an extension though. Assuming the deal happens in the summer he'll have just 1 year left on his current deal vs. 5 for Eichel.

Or here's another one, can you put together some sort of thing that essentially boils down to Eichel for Pastrnak? Pastrnak's scoring numbers are slightly better but Boston gets the #1 C of the future to replace Bergeron and gets to build around a local guy.

edit: I don't know, maybe I'm just undervaluing Suzuki here but I really think there are a bunch of teams better suited to make a "for now" deal than Montreal and, and I admit this is a stretch, but even like a team like Detroit I think might be better situated if they can offer what figures to be at least a top 3 pick and other pieces.

 

[Kin]

Not sure of the habs cap situation, but if it was Eichel and Skinner (perhaps a bit retained) for Suzuki and 2 1st rounders and some $ off the roster, perhaps doable?

Right now Montreal has about a million and a half in cap space. They have five long term, substantial cap hit deals signed with Anderson(5.5), Gallagher(6.5), Weber(7.8 ), Petry(6.25) and Price(10.5).

Adding just Eichel seems tricky enough long term cap wise unless you basically strip the rest of the team for parts but there's no way they can viably take on Skinner as well.

 

[Zee]

Who are we kidding, Eichel is probably gonna end up on the Rangers just because. They can put together a package for him and him on broadway is the kind of American exposure he would probably love.

 

[cabber24]

Eichel/Skinner/Hall 3 goals for $27M!

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Not as good as the Muzzin video, but still pretty good:

https://twitter.com/Jomboy_/status/1366434507629420547

 

[cabber24]

Not as good as the Muzzin video, but still pretty good:

https://twitter.com/Jomboy_/status/1366434507629420547

It's funny how every SJ player he went after was more confused than mad.

 

[herman]

Are GMs able to trade themselves?