agreed, that is the biggest issue. But, if it’s the difference between getting a franchise player or not, you would have to think long and hard about that.
We're not getting a healthy franchise player and we don't know what we'll be getting if he goes through with the procedure.
What we do know is that both Zegras and Drysdale are NHL products today. Zegras >>> any forward we draft. Drysdale > any defenseman we draft because Drysdale is in the NHL today! Also, Zegras is a franchise player.
There's just too much uncertainty with Eichel that I'd rather just stay put than to force a trade. Sometimes the best trades are the ones that don't happen. Let's flashback to
Perry for the Oilers' Mike Comrie:
[Mike Comrie] He totalled 61 goals and 133 points in 192 over that time, but contract issues led to his eventual demise. He held out in a contract dispute and the Oilers reportedly had a deal in place to trade Comrie to the Anaheim Ducks for Corey Perry and a 1st, but in order for it to happen Comrie was to reimburse the Oilers $2.5-million as part of the bonus money he earned in his entry level deal.
The deal fell through, and days later the Oilers shipped him to the Flyers for Jeff Woywitka, a first round pick in 2004 used to take Rob Schremp, and a 3rd round pick in 2005 used to take Danny Syvert.
Then GM Bryan Murray was trying to make a big splash as well in 2003. I'm glad the Oil screwed that trade deal.
Maybe it's best to keep Zegras, Drysdale, and the 3rd OA than to gut a significant part of the top-end future. We all want to get better faster, but not at the expense of amputating an arm and a leg to there if we can handle being patient. Again, there's far too much uncertainty with Eichel to include a Zegras or Drysdale.
