Agreed. Want an elite player, you’re going to give up shit that is going to hurt.
eichel is 24, on his 3rd coach. 3rd gm. never made playoffs. sabres will retain salary to get a 1st & take cap dumps and prospects. kessel to penguins is prototype for eichel trade. what gm will willingly risk his job for a kingslayer? yzerman might be the only one & he won't lose bertuzzi, larkin or seider.
IMO logic proves THIS is how it works
1. it is estab that Eichel, who is under contract, actually wants out. Otherwise he stays.
2. Suitors DO have to give up a lot of shit,
approaching the point where it hurts, which is spurred on by competitive bidding.
3. However, at no point do we pass the cut your nose to spite your face mark. There IS a single extra straw that breaks the camel's back. There IS a point at which it becomes too much.
4. So the concept of hurt is relative and capped, Not all clubs have equal resources, esp preferred trade asset resources. The level of hurt is thus different for different clubs at any given time.
5. Taking into account a combo of #s 4 and 3 above, the correct perspective to expect is more of wince to significant wince than hurt.
6. Now all that said, the other perspective needs to be recognized in measured proportion as well. Eichel is bonafide elite. Yes, his huge cap may require cap dumps going to BUF only to provide adequate actual or approximate cap balance, but that does not mean there will be a shortage [within the reasonable parameters identified above] to make an offer, a hefty, substantial, qualified offer, for Eichel.
7. Remember depending on exact situation, a team may partially overpay a bit even more to deny a competitor, esp one in same division, from acquiring the elite trade prize.
8. So in conclusion, neither of the above perspectives is spot on, the truth is somewhat in the middle as outlined.
==============
To repeat,
unless Jack himself wants out, he will stay.
BUF will recognize it must do more to keep him and incentivize Hall and that will likely mean dealing Dahlin for F and other help.