Sabres send league-wide message about Eichel and trade rumours get going!

As expected, the trade rumours are getting louder in Buffalo when it comes to captain Jack Eichel, and we wonder now if we should drop the word rumours entirely. 

It has been confirmed by several insiders, including Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and TSN’s Darren Dreger, that the Sabres are looking to move Eichel this offseason and on Friday, more details were revealed on their attempt to get a transaction underway. 

On the air of The Instigators, Dreger revealed that the Sabres have basically sent out a league-wide message about Eichel and potential tarde scenarios. And that will surely get things going! 

“I think the Buffalo Sabres are ready to move on from Jack Eichel but at the right price and they’re in full control and I think that’s the messaging to all NHL clubs.”

At the end of the Sabres’ season earlier this month, Eichel met with media and appeared to hint more than once at a much-needed change of scenery for the future. 

The forward, who’s under contract through 2025-26 with a $10-million cap hit, intends to 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.”The team is reportedly hesitant to pull the trigger on the surgery, while Eichel and his doctor are pushing to get the surgery done this offseason.
Back in May, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that  Adams had confirmed that the Sabres are still not comfortable with Eichel’s process. He even added: “Whatever Eichel decides to do it’s going to be in conjunction with the next team that acquires him.”

The consistent information that the Sabres are looking to move Eichel has reportedly gotten one of the teams already out of the sweepstakes. Friedman revealed on Friday in the 31 Thoughts podcast that the Los Angeles Kings have no interest in acquiring the forward after reading a report from John Hoven that the Kings will not pursue Eichel:

“John is really plugged in, he knows the Kings really well. If he’s reporting that then I think there is a much better than zero chance that is exactly what they’re thinking.”

Dreger believes the Kings might be interested, but at this point, we are only certain of one thing: the Sabres are moving Eichel. 

Let’s see to which team and for what price.