Jack signing that big contract and then a year later requesting a trade says it all.

Time machine Time machine Time machine Time machine
- Buffalo--Sabres

There are similarities: Record: 27-37-10-8 (72 points)

To those who say Jack Eichel doesn't deserve animosity from the Buffalo fans and it should all be directed at ownership, I'll say this:

As fans of a professional sports team we want good experiences. The best experience possible. Since we don't make personnel decisions we have little influence on if we get there or not.

There is no doubt the Pegula's decision making has brought Sabres fans bad experiences. Jack Eichel decided he no longer wanted to be a part of the solution, despite being physically capable and well paid to do so. The Pegula's remain dedicated to being a solution to the fans desires. Whether they are capable of delivering is yet to be seen. So despite letting us down to this point they are still in our corner.

Now if the Pegula's came out and said "I don't want to do this anymore, this is hard" and decided to sell the team and create instability for the fans, thats different. That's an owner who has the means(just like Eichel's talent and contract commitment) and chooses themselves over us.

We only want good experiences and we root for those who are committed to delivering them.
- Buffalo--Sabres

Eichel is a piece of a 13 year problem and continuing...carry on

But there's only 2 sides. You're either a path to the solution or not. The Pegula's are still a path to the solution. They may not be good at that but either is Cody Eakin. But today March 11th, 2002 I am rooting for both the Pegula's and Cody Eakin to deliver the best fan experience possible.
- Buffalo--Sabres

I'm rooting for a billion dollars to land on my door step...been committed for 31 years and counting...if i question that I just remind myself thats all i got...

How does an immature 25 year old hockey player become the sole scape goat?

How in the world does 1 meaningless game for a bottom 5 team in a 13 year drought with at least 3 years before the current plan can compete become the turning point for fans to come on here and stand up for the Pegulas.

See how you guys feel in 3 weeks...

How does an immature 25 year old hockey player become the sole scape goat?

How in the world does 1 meaningless game for a bottom 5 team in a 13 year drought with at least 3 years before the current plan can compete become the turning point for fans to come on here and stand up for the Pegulas.

See how you guys feel in 3 weeks...
- Theguywiththething

Excited for the future.

That being said... damn was that a hell of a (frank) you last night

How does an immature 25 year old hockey player become the sole scape goat?

How in the world does 1 meaningless game for a bottom 5 team in a 13 year drought with at least 3 years before the current plan can compete become the turning point for fans to come on here and stand up for the Pegulas.

See how you guys feel in 3 weeks...
- Theguywiththething

Why do you suppose people are not blaming reinhart too?

- TheSabresTaco

Reed the douches 1st paragraph last page, along with this black and white logic that becasue the Pegulas still own the team they are in our corner so lets root for entertainment...its been 12 years, planning on a 13th year of not entertaining hockey.

There's not being good and then there's disgraceful with a track record uglier than Eichels hair.

Eichel is a piece of a 13 year problem and continuing...carry on
- Theguywiththething

Again, this is where it gets dicey to me.

Eichel is an immensely talented player with some character traits that obviously rubbed this fanbase the wrong way. In reading and listening today, I've heard words like "arrogant", "spoiled", "entitled", etc. These words could also be used to describe quite a few of the icons of the Bills teams in the early 90s. If this team were a perennial playoff team (forget championship contender), the fanbase would probably be more willing look past those character traits. Because it isn't, the fanbase naturally retreats into its blue collar mindset and "you're not one of us" mantra. To some extent, it's justified. If you're going to parade around like your poop doesn't stink, but not make a vast improvement in the win column, you can't expect to be treated well.

At the same time, from his perspective, when you don't like your job, especially because of piss poor management (here's looking at you, Pegula family), you're going to naturally want out, especially when you know you are talented enough to play anywhere. Now, people say "well you signed a 10-year, $80 million contract, deal with it." Fair enough, but if given the choice between of making $80 million and being miserable, or making $80 million and not being miserable, and make no mistake, I would hope 7 straight years of losing should make anyone miserable, we would all choose the latter. Anyone who says other is blatantly lying to themselves.

Acting like Eichel is simply the spoiled rich kind from the Big City, to me is intellectually dishonest. However, it doesn't make him a victim either.

Why do you suppose people are not blaming reinhart too?
- joshs

He wasn't the captain, immature on camera, didn't go on a pr tour to play victim.

He just left and went and played hockey.

Eichel is an easy target like Jackson Mahommes, but the Pegulas have miserably failed for 12 years and counting, hoping it will just work out IMO is foolish.

They lost before Eichel, with Eichel and now after Eichel...the young man is immature, it just makes the Pegulas and GM's look very stupid.

How does an immature 25 year old hockey player become the sole scape goat?

How in the world does 1 meaningless game for a bottom 5 team in a 13 year drought with at least 3 years before the current plan can compete become the turning point for fans to come on here and stand up for the Pegulas.

See how you guys feel in 3 weeks...
- Theguywiththething

You're clearly not a Sabres fan, as this post shows. I'll feel great in 3 weeks because i expected 20 wins from the season and signs that Dahlin had a Norris-type ceiling in him.

I've got 19 wins with 23 games to play. Dahlin, starting next season, is going to be a Norris trophy candidate on a yearly basis and - if you could wipe his first 20 games this season - he'd be one this year.
I have a legit 1st line who competes with or dominates other teams nightly.
I have a couple parts to a legit 2nd line.
I have a perfect bottom 6 player in KO and would like to keep another in VH.
And, I have a dragon's treasure hoard of picks and youngins coming.

Next year when I'm breathing down Boston and Washington's necks all season, yep, you bet your ass im going to be happy in my season tickets.

Again, this is where it gets dicey to me.

Eichel is an immensely talented player with some character traits that obviously rubbed this fanbase the wrong way. In reading and listening today, I've heard words like "arrogant", "spoiled", "entitled", etc. These words could also be used to describe quite a few of the icons of the Bills teams in the early 90s. If this team were a perennial playoff team (forget championship contender), the fanbase would probably be more willing look past those character traits. Because it isn't, the fanbase naturally retreats into its blue collar mindset and "you're not one of us" mantra. To some extent, it's justified. If you're going to parade around like your poop doesn't stink, but not make a vast improvement in the win column, you can't expect to be treated well.

At the same time, from his perspective, when you don't like your job, especially because of piss poor management (here's looking at you, Pegula family), you're going to naturally want out, especially when you know you are talented enough to play anywhere. Now, people say "well you signed a 10-year, $80 million contract, deal with it." Fair enough, but if given the choice between of making $80 million and being miserable, or making $80 million and not being miserable, and make no mistake, I would hope 7 straight years of losing should make anyone miserable, we would all choose the latter. Anyone who says other is blatantly lying to themselves.

Acting like Eichel is simply the spoiled rich kind from the Big City, to me is intellectually dishonest. However, it doesn't make him a victim either.
- buffalofan19

Eichel was an elite talent entering the Sabres and league at 18, the Sabres like every other prospect failed him and when he lashed out immaturely to the mess the Sabres were/are Terry two times black balled him. I am not arguing Eichel is a saint, he was wrong in his final season here, he was dumb last night.

He is also 1 player, even McDavid and Leon can't carry a team to win. Total organizational failure...Eichel handled that mess like a child and in the media making him an easy scape goat to point the finger at. Doesn't take away the inept management for over a decade.

You're clearly not a Sabres fan, as this post shows. I'll feel great in 3 weeks because i expected 20 wins from the season and signs that Dahlin had a Norris-type ceiling in him.

I've got 19 wins with 23 games to play. Dahlin, starting next season, is going to be a Norris trophy candidate on a yearly basis and - if you could wipe his first 20 games this season - he'd be one this year.
I have a legit 1st line who competes with or dominates other teams nightly.
I have a couple parts to a legit 2nd line.
I have a perfect bottom 6 player in KO and would like to keep another in VH.
And, I have a dragon's treasure hoard of picks and youngins coming.

Next year when I'm breathing down Boston and Washington's necks all season, yep, you bet your ass im going to be happy in my season tickets.
- lacaprup

The Pegulas thank you for spending money on a bottom 5 product while managing and building so they won't try/compete for 2/3 years.

I am not a fan of the Pegulas, doesn't make me not a fan of the team. Don't forget a couple jerseys and mugs on your way out. Yacht fuel is expensive.

ncaa regionals start in 2 weeks. #4 ranked Michigan and #11 ranked NEastern. North Dakota and Minny are also in it (Huglen, Johnson, Constantini). I believe the final is April 9, so hopefully we get 2-3 signings at or before then.

The Pegulas thank you for spending money on a bottom 5 product while managing and building so they won't try/compete for 2/3 years.

I am not a fan of the Pegulas, doesn't make me not a fan of the team. Don't forget a couple jerseys and mugs on your way out. Yacht fuel is expensive.
- Theguywiththething

The Pigooli's do better when the team does better. It's in their best interest, so no they're not rooting against the team or not trying to make them bad or average. They just (frank)ing suck at it.

I think what always strikes me the most is how tone-deaf some celebrities are. You don't have to want to be idol of the fanbase but it really would take so precious little to say some things that fans want to hear and smile when you don't want to smile during interviews after games. I'd think that if nothing else I would want to do that just because it would make my life easier and isn't hard to do. Not everyone is going to be a guy like LaFontaine where years later you are still hearing stories about the good he did for sick kids behind the scenes. But it also doesn't take much to be like Alex Tuch.

The Pigooli's do better when the team does better. It's in their best interest, so no they're not rooting against the team or not trying to make them bad or average. They just (frank)ing suck at it.
- TheSabresTaco

I'm not debating they are intentionally doing this, its been a decade with them at the helm and year 13 and counting look like that's the preferred route. On that alone the chance of failure is higher than every other team in the league except for the Arizona college dogs.

I think what always strikes me the most is how tone-deaf some celebrities are. You don't have to want to be idol of the fanbase but it really would take so precious little to say some things that fans want to hear and smile when you don't want to smile during interviews after games. I'd think that if nothing else I would want to do that just because it would make my life easier and isn't hard to do. Not everyone is going to be a guy like LaFontaine where years later you are still hearing stories about the good he did for sick kids behind the scenes. But it also doesn't take much to be like Alex Tuch.
- Slump Buster

Rivet has a good take on Eichel today about how he came to the egomaniac he is and how he handled the media.

I'm not debating they are intentionally doing this, its been a decade with them at the helm and year 13 and counting look like that's the preferred route. On that alone there chance of failure is higher than every other team in the league except for the Arizona college dogs.
- Theguywiththething

the way I believe it should be viewed is that everyone they hire is different. They struck out on two GMs, it doesn't mean KA will fail too. They struck out on Bylsma, Phil and Ralph (not counting Teddy and Gloves), doesn't mean they'll strike out on Granato. It's more important to have a good managerial structure in place than a coach when it comes down to it.

They deserve no benefit of the doubt, but I simply hope KA is good enough to see a winning vision come to fruition, which comes with hiring the right people, something the Peguelo's have yet to accomplish on the ice.

the way I believe it should be viewed is that everyone they hire is different. They struck out on two GMs, it doesn't mean KA will fail too. They struck out on Bylsma, Phil and Ralph (not counting Teddy and Gloves), doesn't mean they'll strike out on Granato. It's more important to have a good managerial structure in place than a coach when it comes down to it.

They deserve no benefit of the doubt, but I simply hope KA is good enough to see a winning vision come to fruition, which comes with hiring the right people, something the Peguelo's have yet to accomplish on the ice.
- TheSabresTaco

It went from selling hope on the ice to hope in the cubicles...

It went from selling hope on the ice to hope in the cubicles...
- Theguywiththething

We're going from folding tables to conference tables, bro!

We're going from folding tables to conference tables, bro!
- Hank Balling

Dregs is whatever and parroting Friedman but said KA is looking for a "top" defenseman for Power

The organization is a mess. The blame starts and stops at the top.

Jack eichel is not the scapegoat for Buffalos failures. Jack eichel is a cautionary tale.

What have the pegullas done that’s timely and/or relevant to arousing any new hatred?