Put away your white Speedo and pookah shell necklace.
Labor Day is in the rear view mirror.
Cue the Bobby Vinton 8-track version of "Goodbye For The Summer".
It's time to officially say goodbye to the Summer of 2017.
It's hockey season in Western New York.
The Sabres will host the Carolina Hurricanes for an exhibition match in just thirteen days from now.
Jack Eichel made his long awaited return to the rink on Tuesday morning. Eichel and Kyle Okposo joined the shinny group consisting of Sabres, Amerks, and NCAA guys who have been skating at HARBORCenter in downtown Pegulaville.
Afterwards, Eichel said that if he and his agent cannot hammer out a new eight year contract extension with Jason Botterill and the Sabres in the next few weeks, he will have zero problems playing out the final season of his entry level contract.
From a negotiating standpoint, what more needs to be said?
The Sabres know what Eichel wants. Camp Eichel knows Buffalo's high water mark. The time for talk has passed. Eichel is parking the negotiating and is moving on. Why wouldn't he? Eichel has big plans for 2017-18. He wants to play on a Stanley Cup Playoffs contender, not a middling also ran.
Eichel has the leverage in his contract talks and is now applying it.
"Like I told my agent, this is something that you do and you focus on," Eichel said. "We know where we stand. We know where the Sabres stand. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I have no problem playing the season out and just trying to earn whatever", Eichel told Bill Hoppe of Buffalo Hockey Beat.
The Sabres have had Eichel's undivided attention since July 1. That's when NHL clubs could begin talking about contract extensions with their players who are entering year three of entry level contracts.
"I have no problem playing the year out," Eichel said. "I'm adamant about staying a Sabre. I want to bring some new excitement to this town and the contract thing will take care of itself."
If Eichel had a problem with the pace of his contract talks he would have said something about it before Tuesday.
This is Eichel saying "I'm cool. Do what you gotta do Botterill. You know where I stand".
Since July 1, Botterill and Eichel's agent have been volleying contract offers back and forth like Roger Federer and Juan Martin DelPotro at the U.S. Open. The best offer has likely already been made to Eichel by the Sabres. I don't think Botterill is sand bagging his franchise player. Eichel appears to be switching mental gears from dollars and cents to one-timers from his off-wing.
It's hockey time.
Botterill has said several times this summer that he and the Pegulas want to sign Jack Eichel for the max term of eight years. The Pegulas have said the same thing. Eichel has also expressed and reiterated his commitment to his loyal fans.
Eichel's average annual value will end up being in the $10 million to $11 million range.
Earlier this summer, Connor McDavid was rewarded with an eight year, $100 million contract extension.
The Eichel contract extension is just a matter of time before.
"I look at myself to be one of the leaders on this team and a guy that's going to push this organization to the next level," Eichel said. "So I've got to be a guy that everybody leans on and I've got to be better on and off the ice."
Eichel, who will turn 21 next month, has one season remaining on his Sabres entry level contract. In 2016-17, Eichel scored 57 points in 61 games after missing the first 21 games of the season due to a high ankle sprain.
Eichel is committed to taking his total game to the next level, both on and off the ice.
"Every year you try to become a little bit more mature and you try to handle your business a little bit better whether that's your day to day at the rink or how I handle you guys," Eichel said. "It's all new and it's only my third year, so I just want to keep getting better at everything."
My guess is that Eichel will be rewarded with his new contract in the days to come. By the time the Sabres play the Hurricanes in exhibition gamer number one, Eichel will have signed on the bottom line.
**
The Buffalo Sabres will dress a full roster of youngsters for this weekend's Prospects Challenge tourney, which will take place in Buffalo from 9/8 to 9/11 at HarborCenter.
The Sabres roster includes:
F's:
Justin Bailey Nick Baptiste Colin Blackwell Eric Cornel Justin Danforth Hudson Fasching Vasily Glotov Brandon Hagel Vaclav Karabacek Alex Kile Sean Malone Daniel Muzito-Bagenda Alex Nylander Cliff Pu C.J. Smith
D:
Arvin Atwal Vojtek Budik Anthony Florentino Brendan Guhle Brycen Martin Carl Neill Austin Osmanski Devante Stephens
Keepers:
Jonas Johansson Jake McGrath
***
Jason Botterill has signed veteran defenseman Cody Goloubef to a Professional Tryout Agreement.
Goloubef, 28, was a second selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008.
If Goloubef impresses during training camp, he will add nice depth down in AHL Rochester.