Sabres seek 6 components in blockbuster trade for Eichel!

Jack Eichel has been trending in trade rumours even since the Buffalo Sabres were out of contention for the postseason, and even more when the captain admitted that he would mull over his future this summer. He was especially upset with the Sabres’ demands not to undergo surgery on the herniated disc in his neck. Eichel played his last game of the campaign for the league-worst Sabres on March 7 before being ruled out for the remainder due to his neck injury. Eichel went on to say that there’s a “disconnect” between him and the Sabres organization regarding a neck injury that he suffered and that his focus is on getting healthy for next season “wherever that may be.”

Ever since, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams has held talks with teams inquiring on Eichel’s availability with a recent report from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun stating that the Sabres will be expecting to demand a 2021 first-round pick as part of their return for Eichel, putting the timeline for a deal ahead of the July 23 NHL Draft.

Jimmy Murphy has added that Adams is seeking a king’s ransom for Eichel as a league executive told Murphy that the Sabres could demand up to six components in the return for the 24-year-old center.

Those components reportedly include a top-six center 25-year-old or younger, a top-four defenseman 25-or-young, a first-round pick and various prospects. Murphy said that monumental asking price has some NHL executives wondering if Adams could have potentially misread the market for Eichel.

The forward, who’s under contract through 2025-26 with a $10-million cap hit, played his last game of the campaign for the league-worst Sabres on March 7 before being ruled out for the remainder due to his neck injury. It just feels like Eichel, who has served as Sabres captain since 2018-19 and has spent his entire six-year career with Buffalo, will be wearing a different uniform next season. 

Earlier this month, LeBrun reported that six teams make sense to acquire the top forward now that talks are getting more serious and intense, listing the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers among the many clubs that could make sense as a landing spot.

However, we wonder if any of them would be willing to pay the exorbitant price for Eichel. No doubt, the interested parties will counter-offer and the Sabres will choose the best package. Who knows Adams might get a high first-round pick, a top prospect and a good young NHL player in the return for Eichel.

To be continued, there is no doubt here…