What the gents at Blueshirt Breakaway podcast, Ryan Mead and Greg Kaplan, have done to the Buffalo Sabres organization is pure diabolical brilliance. It’s bold, it’s antagonistic, and it’s what every hockey fan wishes they’d done.

If you haven’t seen it yet, then you’re living under a herniated rock. Mead and Kaplan, with the help of their designer, Nick DePalo, have strategically purchased a billboard right next to the Buffalo Sabres’ KeyBank Arena. The sole purpose – to incite a Jack Eichel trade.

My god, this “Jack Eichel billboard” gives me the feels. From tip-to-toe, it makes me giggle like someone just told off my third-grade teacher, Miss Carter, who would obnoxiously refer to herself in the third-person and keep the lights off in the classroom for eight hours straight because “Miss Carter believes that the fluorescent bulbs would make us too rowdy!”

Back to the billboard, it’s perfect. The line, the placement, the Buffalo with the Eichel haircut. This is the ultimate subtweet of billboards.

The Billboard is Kevyn Adams’ own doing

It’s sad that it’s come to this. If you were a part of the Buffalo Sabres front office, would you not be ashamed? They’re blatantly holding Eichel hostage for all of the hockey world to see. They’re denying other teams’ doctors to examine him, they’re denying Eichel the surgery he feels he needs, and they’re demanding four-first round talents in return for him. It’s a joke, right?

I mean enough is enough. Kevyn Adams, aren’t you embarrassed? At this point, there’s no way for you to win this trade and that’s your own fault. And will have implications beyond this trade.

Do you really think that another top-tier free agent will ever want to sign with the Sabres after the way Eichel has been handled? Do you think other organizations will willingly work with you at all?

Just make the trade already. Salvage what little dignity and reputation you may have left and get on with the rebuild. It’s become a joke at this point and someone had to do something.

Thank you, Blueshirts Breakaway

What Blueshirts Breakaway have done is bigger than a billboard. This isn’t a “Lebron James recruitment billboard” or fan pride in any such form. They’ve hilariously called out a franchise. They’ve dragged Adams through the streets (or across I-190) shouting, “Shame, Shame, Shame.”

This goes well beyond fandom. This isn’t even about them wanting Jack Eichel on the New York Rangers, which they would. This is simply Mead and Kaplan having a good bit of fun, while simultaneously calling out an organization that has gone too far, that’s all.

Whether Eichel gets traded to New York or not this is the best bit of advertising they could have ever come up with. I guarantee this money will come back to them because of it.

Today, this August 17th, 2021, I salute you, Blueshirts Breakaway. You might be a Mets podcast in disguise, but by golly, you’re one of the good ones. Thank you for your service to the League. Thank you for doing what needed to be done.

NHL Restricted Free Agents still going to arbitration, dates and details

Featured Image via WKBW