BUFFALO – Sabres center Jack Eichel has “no desire” to sign a contract extension this summer if Dan Bylsma remains coach, according to WGR’s Paul Hamilton.
The report, published this morning, comes as general manager Tim Murray is meeting with owner Terry Pegula in Florida about the Sabres’ future following a last-place finish.
Murray said last Wednesday he wanted to pursue an extension with Eichel, a young star who scored 24 goals and 57 points in 61 games this season, his second in the NHL.
“We’re allowed to start talking on July 1, and I don’t know why we wouldn’t start then and try to get something done,” Murray said during his end-of-season news conference.
Eichel, 20, often expressed frustration over the Sabres’ lack of aggressiveness this season.
Murray said last week the team’s coaches and the captaincy could be part of Eichel’s contract negotiations.
“He wants to be a leader, he wants to take more of a leadership role,” he said. “I encouraged him to do that. There was no talk of the ‘C.’ There was obviously talk of coach and system because I demanded that.”
Update: Eichel will represent Team USA at the upcoming World Championship.
Hey Bill, this issue has me wondering if, along with coaching schemes, part of the reason behind the disdain between a young superstar & his head coach stems from the mindset that the youth of this team needs to spend time in the minors to “season” as Bylsma likes to say. Instead of letting the speedy youth come up to learn & make mistakes and have a possible impact at the NHL level, the head coach values players like Gorges, who voices his opinion about how this team needs to play but then goes out and can’t perform at the level his mouth runs. Perhaps Jack sees the potential and wants to be an impact player with a coach who keeps trying to be as monotonous as possible.