It's been an eternity since the Buffalo Sabres last strided across the ice on March 9, 2020 in Washington.
Since the COVID-19 hiatus began on March 12, there has been constant change in Buffalo with the firing of Jason Botterill and twenty two members of his management team and scouting department. In June, Kevyn Adams was appointed to Botterill's GM chair.
If I was given a dime for each time that I have been asked by a friend or stranger whether the Buffalo Sabres are going to trade their captain Jack Eichel, I would be a multi-millionaire.
Seriously.
There isn't a day that goes by that I am not asked to listen to or consider a trade proposal for Jack Eichel.
I'll be honest.
I have heard the rumors for the past two years. I allow the chatter to go in one ear and out the other. I have asked NHL sources that I know about Eichel and his alleged availability. Each time the response is the same. Which is to say that no NHL team can afford Eichel's $10 million annual average value. Also, the Sabres are in no position to trade their starting quarterback, so to speak.
I've said it before, and I will say it again. Jack Eichel isn't going anywhere.
Listen. Losing sucks. Habitual losing really, really sucks.
Eichel has said recently that he is fed up with the constant whirlpool of losing in Buffalo. Enough is enough. He's had it up to here. He's said as much publicly. Eichel is a winner and he wants to lead his team to a Stanley Cup championship.
“Listen, I’m fed up with the losing and I’m fed up and I’m frustrated. You know, it’s definitely not an easy pill to swallow right now. It’s been a tough couple of months. It’s been a tough five years with where things have [gone],” Eichel said earlier this year. “I’m a competitor. I want to win every time I’m on the ice. I want to win a Stanley Cup every time I start a season.”
In 354 career NHL games with the Sabres, Eichel has been an All Star scoring by leading his team in scoring with 137 goals and 200 assists for 337 points.
What's eating Eichel is that he has yet to play in his first meaningful Stanley Cup playoff game. Eichel's inner clock is ticking. He wants the excuses and "should, coulda, woulda" rationales to stop one and for all. Eichel has given the Pegula family five brilliant seasons of NHL hockey. For that, he has gotten compensated with a kings ransom in terms of wealth.
There is still something missing: the opportunity to earn a Stanley Cup championship.
Is there a guarantee that the Pegulas will allow Adams to spend the necessary amount of budget this season, next to ensure a playoff qualifying team in Buffalo? Will the Pegulas impose a hard $70 million (or less) internal salary cap?
Eichel, 23, has six years remaining on his eight year, $80 million contract with the Sabres.
Come news today from a very reliable source Bob McKenzie, who reports that a few NHL teams have inquired about Jack Eichel's availability.
It's very interesting that Eichel's agent, Peter Fish, is speaking on the record about Eichel trade news. Did Eichel request a trade from the Sabres and his agent is getting involved in the process publicly? Its premature. However, it is curious that the agent is speaking about the rumors.
I can't blame the veteran NHL GMs for calling Sabres rookie GM Kevyn Adams to try to take advantage of him while he is learning his new role while on the job. Pull the sweater over the rookie general manager’s head.
It's important to note that the New York Rangers are in the middle of Eichel trade chatter.
The Rangers are well armed with many premium pieces of trade currency including the
first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft as well as premium prospects in goalies
Alex Georgiev, Igor Shesterkin, defenseman K'Andre Miller, forwards Kappo Kaako, Lias Andersson, and Filip Chytil. The Rangers also have number one center Mika Zibanejad.
Why would the Rangers want to trade the first overall pick a top goalie prospect and other premium pieces for Eichel?
Because Eichel is a star. He would plug, play and dominate on Broadway for the next decade.
The Sabres are in serious need of an upgrade in the starting goaltending, top six forward ranks, and organizational prospect depth. Doing a deal with the Rangers for Eichel would stock the pantry with some high quality players with which to create a new winning culture in Buffalo.
Trading Eichel for Alexis Lafreniere, Mika Zibanejad, Igor Shesterkin, K'Andre Miller, Lias Andersson, plus a 2021 first round pick is nothing to sneeze at if you are Kevyn Adams and The Pegulas. The Sabres also own pick number eight at the 2020 NHL Draft.
Adams can rebuild his roster on the fly by pulling off a a trade of Eichel that is akin to that of Eric Lindros from Quebec to Philadelphia back in the day.
The Rangers love their current team and they want to add another star player to their mix today.
How badly do John Davidson, Jeff Gorton, Chris Drury, and Dave Quinn want to win?
Badly enough to trade 5-6 premium pieces to Buffalo in exchange for Eichel?
Another reason to give the Rangers rumors legitimacy is that their head coach, Dave Quinn, coached Eichel at Boston University. Quinn's teammate at BU was none other than Eichel's agent, Peter Fish. Wanna know who else starred for The BU Terriers? Rangers assistant general manager Chris Drury. Sabres fans fondly remember Drury.
Imagine the horror of Chris Drury breaking the hearts of millions of Sabres fanatics for a second time by trading for Eichel. July 1, 2006 is a day that still lives in infamy in Buffalo, NY.
How bad do the Rangers, or other NHL teams, want Jack Eichel?
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