2021-2022 NHL Thread

[herman]

Buffalo,

The time has come.

Starting today for the next two weeks in honor of our 300th episode:

Blueshirts Breakaway has purchased a billboard on I-190 next to the Buffalo Sabres KeyBank Arena demanding an Eichel trade.

We all want this Jack Eichel saga to end.#FreeJack pic.twitter.com/RNVQToorFK

— Ryan Mead (@OhRyanMead) August 16, 2021

pic.twitter.com/c6v9BM8nBN

— Greg Kaplan (@BlueshirtsBreak) August 16, 2021

[Joe]

Hey more revenue to support a hard cap system and get more money for Arizona? I’m all in.

[bustaheims]

How has Jack Eichel not been traded yet?

[Arn]

I actually think from an advertising point of view one patch is more effective.

In our early days we only had one main sponsor on the shirt, Harp Lager, and one on the shoulder patches

And I couldn't tell you who 90% of the sponsors even are

That feels like another reason why we won't see NHL teams get flooded with ads on their jerseys. A team like Belfast or teams in the Swiss league probably take on a boatload of ads from local companies and I'd assume the team doesn't get paid a ton for each one but they add up to a decent profit. But here most NHL teams will partner with one or two big brands (like the Leafs with Scotia) and those companies will pay NHL teams more not only to have their ads on the jersey but also for exclusivity rights to block other companies from getting placements.

Side note, Harp is one of my favourite beers.

Exactly my thinking - anyone partnering with an NHL team likely won't want their brand to be lost among others so it's more likely to be a prime rate. Same with the helmet adverts.

I think by about mid-October people won't even notice the one patch.

I can't ever see the NHL going like Europe - there's too many bigger revenue streams that keep teams ticking over than in Europe where we don't have the big TV deals bringing in money, and ticket prices and game day revenue are much lower and so on.

[Frank E]

How has Jack Eichel not been traded yet?

Adams has probably been bombarded with low balls given the press about the whole thing...Eichel isn't helping his own case...then you've got a meddling owner involved as well.  I'm not surprised that they're just standing pat for now.

[bustaheims]

Adams has probably been bombarded with low balls given the press about the whole thing...Eichel isn't helping his own case...then you've got a meddling owner involved as well.  I'm not surprised that they're just standing pat for now.

While they clearly have no intention of being a particularly competitive team next season, I still think they'd want to have this situation dealt with sooner rather than later. The relationship with Eichel has become toxic to the point that it could negatively impact the team's ability to sign/retain other players. Who would want to go to/stay with Buffalo when they see how they've treated the face of their franchise? On top of that, with all the contracts they've shed, they've actually lost some leverage - they now need to take a contract back or overpay a free agent if they move Eichel, or they'll be below the cap floor. It's no wonder teams are lowballing them - they've basically screwed themselves here.

Really, at this point, Buffalo's best case scenario is likely still a Pyrrhic victory.

[herman]

😒

— Jack Eichel (@jackeichel) August 19, 2021

[OldTimeHockey]

Adams has probably been bombarded with low balls given the press about the whole thing...Eichel isn't helping his own case...then you've got a meddling owner involved as well.  I'm not surprised that they're just standing pat for now.

 The relationship with Eichel has become toxic to the point that it could negatively impact the team's ability to sign/retain other players. Who would want to go to/stay with Buffalo when they see how they've treated the face of their franchise?

Jack Eichel hasn't done himself any favours in the process.  And in turn, hasn't helped Buffalo move him. I get that Buffalo has screwed this up but Eichel comes off like a whiny player that throws a tantrum when he doesn't get his way.

[CarltonTheBear]

Shocking news:

NEWS: The City of Glendale has informed the Arizona Coyotes that it will opt out of its joint lease agreement for Gila River Arena:

Story here:https://t.co/adebJ4JFjy

— Katie Strang (@KatieJStrang) August 19, 2021

[CarltonTheBear]

Jack Eichel hasn't done himself any favours in the process.  And in turn, hasn't helped Buffalo move him. I get that Buffalo has screwed this up but Eichel comes off like a whiny player that throws a tantrum when he doesn't get his way.

I'm not super eager to defend Eichel's character but I feel like the only time he's (or his agents) really spoken out here have been because of how Buffalo's handled the whole injury/surgery fiasco... and it's tough to blame him there I think.

[Nik]

Shocking news:

NEWS: The City of Glendale has informed the Arizona Coyotes that it will opt out of its joint lease agreement for Gila River Arena:

Story here:https://t.co/adebJ4JFjy

— Katie Strang (@KatieJStrang) August 19, 2021

The thing is, where would they even move to at this point? Is there even a city that makes sense geographically or economically? I know Kansas City was the noise after they built that arena but, to put it mildly, it didn't seem like there was a ton of fierce interest for expansion teams.

[Nik]

Also, I guarantee you'll hear people say things like "The problem isn't that the team is in Arizona, the problem is they built an arena out in Glendale that's hard to get to" which sounds reasonable until you remember that the Coyotes have been for sale a lot in the past and at no point has a smart rich person come along and bought the team, built an arena in a more accessible spot and reaped the rewards.

That's because that wouldn't be a smart business decision. What those people really mean is "The Coyotes would be in better financial shape if someone gave the team a free 500 million dollar arena in downtown Phoenix" which is what passes for smart business analysis in the sports world.

Shoot, I've got a bunch of business ideas that would work if you gave me 500 million dollars.

[Frank E]

Also, I guarantee you'll hear people say things like "The problem isn't that the team is in Arizona, the problem is they built an arena out in Glendale that's hard to get to" which sounds reasonable until you remember that the Coyotes have been for sale a lot in the past and at no point has a smart rich person come along and bought the team, built an arena in a more accessible spot and reaped the rewards.

That's because that wouldn't be a smart business decision. What those people really mean is "The Coyotes would be in better financial shape if someone gave the team a free 500 million dollar arena in downtown Phoenix" which is what passes for smart business analysis in the sports world.

Shoot, I've got a bunch of business ideas that would work if you gave me 500 million dollars.

I don't know...it seemed to work pretty well for the Oilers?

[Significantly Insignificant]

Also, I guarantee you'll hear people say things like "The problem isn't that the team is in Arizona, the problem is they built an arena out in Glendale that's hard to get to" which sounds reasonable until you remember that the Coyotes have been for sale a lot in the past and at no point has a smart rich person come along and bought the team, built an arena in a more accessible spot and reaped the rewards.

That's because that wouldn't be a smart business decision. What those people really mean is "The Coyotes would be in better financial shape if someone gave the team a free 500 million dollar arena in downtown Phoenix" which is what passes for smart business analysis in the sports world.

Shoot, I've got a bunch of business ideas that would work if you gave me 500 million dollars.

What can I get for $23 and a pack of sticky notes?

[Joe]

Why does this team need to exist?