How Open Are You to Trading Eichel? A Methodical Approach.

How open are you to trading Eichel?


  • Total voters
    152

Washed Up 29YearOld

Bro Do You Even Hockey?
Apr 29, 2018
1,209
1,607
Buffalo NY
Posted a similar thread but locked due to its seemingly rant-like nature, (that's why they call Buffalonians passionate sports fans [Pulling A Duane])

but I wanted to create an all-encompassing Eichel trade thread because it's all I see in the main forums basically and thought it would help to create an independent thread so that the rest of the threads aren't littered by Eichel trade talk.

The thread is designed to discuss the pros of cons of trading, your take on a potential trade, good idea/bad idea, Eichel's value/talent, speculating places he might get traded etc etc.

Because Eichel is the best player and captain, and the rampant trade rumors, I thought that it was thread-worthy. If not feel free to lock her up again.

But I believe people forgot just how superhuman of a season Eichel had in 2020. 50 goal, 95 point pace most of the time, only subsiding at the very very end. The question is, is that his peak? I say that'd be ridiculous. Eichel still has a lot of game left to be grown and is only 24 AKA not even entering a typical human's physical offensive prime. (Until age 25-28.)

A question is: Does the surgery he had impair his ability to play at his top level? I doubt it but I am not a doctor, insight posted in this thread as pertains to that topic would also be appreciated.

IMO: You don't sell low on players EVER. Near when I first made this HF account (A new era in my life:laugh:) I was begging for people to not sell low on ROR and that he'd be PPG on a good team. ROR wasn't yet in his prime at the time, just before. We know how that ended up. Crazy to think Eichel would hit 100 pts.? Absolutely not. 24 is still very young. I want Eichel to be on this team in his prime 25-28.

Trading Eichel now before his prime considered, including his perceived value from his surgery, is the worst strategy possible. Lowest time possible to trade him. I believe there will be a stretch as Eichel matures when he will be a top 3 center in the entire league for a few yrs. (Pulling A MacKinnon) or the very least top 5.

I'm a big believer that you want the best center possible to win a cup and build around that. I don't want a average 1c for a great 1c just for depth. I want a cup. Greater centers do greater things.

For that reason, I'm really not wanting to give Eichel up for anything short of McDavid (Call me a homer, but I would have an equal opinion if Jack wasn't a Sabre based on the glimpses of true greatness I see).
Eichel more dynamic than Matthews in his peak imo and has more term.

Of course the potential benefits of trading him are:
-More depth
-More picks
-Different players
-Dumping 10 mil salary
-Dump a contract
& -Overall try to be a better team.

The risk is that Eichel will O'Rielly you and win a cup while the return ends up being underwhelming, AKA another disaster.
I think this team needs a retool, we have some good young players, a rebuild would be tragically unnecessary IMO. So trading Eichel would set us back. I don't want that.

What say you my fellow Sabres fans? How open are you to trading him? I say, players like Eichel, you build around, personally.

Let's keep things civil and respect everyone's opinions as always of course !
:cool::thumbu:


***Note: Just added the poll question about an hr. later, "Take a risk if it might help improve team". Due to this- the answer to this poll question may not be 100% representative of opinion.***:popcorn:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: buffalowing88

dortt

Registered User
Sep 21, 2018
5,298
2,656
Houston, TX
If it improves the team, trade him. If a trade doesn't improve the team, keep him

No different than trading any other player
 

JThorne

Stop accepting failure
Jul 21, 2006
4,803
802
Downtown Buffalo
Thing is, I've been disappointed by him as a player. Many injuries. Lack of commitment(it appears at times).

He's not the one step behind McDavid player we thought he'd be. He's a few steps behind.
 

explore

I was wrong about Don Granato and TNT
Jun 28, 2011
3,752
3,434
If you trade Eichel, you're committing to a rebuild. If you're committing to a rebuild after 10 years of the current rebuild, you need to get your head checked

The only exception to trading Eichel is if he gets traded for a better center, which is even more unrealistic than people thinking other teams are going to give up their best prospects/players for him
 

flashsabre

Registered User
Apr 5, 2003
3,962
3,462
Visit site
Only if he wants out. You can’t trade Eichel and be a better team now. Trading him means you are getting young pieces, picks back. It has to be a deal that helps to rebuild the team. IE. Byfield, Turcotte, unprotected 1sts.

To me Eichel is not the be all end all. Great talent but a lot of questions about his attitude and leadership. I look at a kid like Shane Wright in the 2022 draft. Superstar talent and oozes leadership and character. I don’t see Eichel with that combo. But you can’t ROR the deal. It has to be a grand slam return and build the team properly.
 

Royisgone

Registered User
Mar 7, 2012
2,203
516
Only if he truly wants out, it improves the team and he is shipped out West.

I won't lose sleep over him playing in the East after we trade him, if we do.

I vote to retain him however. Don't see a trade of Eichel equating to the team improving.
 

Royisgone

Registered User
Mar 7, 2012
2,203
516
If you trade Eichel, you're committing to a rebuild. If you're committing to a rebuild after 10 years of the current rebuild, you need to get your head checked

The only exception to trading Eichel is if he gets traded for a better center, which is even more unrealistic than people thinking other teams are going to give up their best prospects/players for him

We are in a rebuild as it is! Just depends on how you define "rebuild." Team needs work.
 

SundherDome

Y'all have to much power
Jul 6, 2009
14,367
6,633
Minneapolis,MN
You already have the golden goose, no reason to trade it for magic beans unless the goose's neck is broken or wants out of the swamp.
 

Archie Lee

Registered User
Apr 13, 2018
506
555
Only if he wants out. You can’t trade Eichel and be a better team now. Trading him means you are getting young pieces, picks back. It has to be a deal that helps to rebuild the team. IE. Byfield, Turcotte, unprotected 1sts.

To me Eichel is not the be all end all. Great talent but a lot of questions about his attitude and leadership. I look at a kid like Shane Wright in the 2022 draft. Superstar talent and oozes leadership and character. I don’t see Eichel with that combo. But you can’t ROR the deal. It has to be a grand slam return and build the team properly.

I don't want to trade Eichel. If we add Eichel, Girgs, McCabe and Ullmark to the team that ended the season, I think we address a lot of what is missing (offence, grit, experience, goaltending). It's not likely to unfold precisely that way and there will be other losses and acquisitions, but I'm optimistic about this team's future, with Eichel.

I strongly disagree with the bolded though.

Since we drafted Eichel our average end of season position is 4th or 5th from the basement (4.5 to be precise). This is the 2nd time in 6 years we have finished last overall with Eichel on the team. Eichel is not the cause of that futility, far from it. We almost can't be worse than we have been though.

Eichel could retire tomorrow and we get nothing for him and the team could make good moves this off-season and be better. He's a very good player; elite maybe, certainly borderline elite when healthy. There are lots of teams who have finished ahead of us in the standings, year after year, who didn't and don't have a talent like Eichel. If the people in charge know what they are doing (a big IF, I realize), then we can absolutely move Jack Eichel and become a better team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: elchud

elchud

Registered User
Nov 1, 2015
3,094
1,927
If Eichel wants out, that will trickle up to the Pegulas and the Pegulas will decide, jointly, with Eichel, how to proceed. Trading Eichel is way above GMKA's paygrade.

In the short term, let's get through half a season with a healthy Eichel and a healthy Ullmark and see how it works out. That's prudent for the franchise, and coming off an injury, prudent for Eichel. If significant injuries are not an excuse and it's another shit-show season, you've got to consider trading him at the 2022 trade deadline. Jack's got this huge signing bonus coming July 1 2022 after all...
 

jc17

Registered User
Jun 14, 2013
11,015
7,733
Kings ransom is fine with me if it fills other holes on our roster with legitimate NHLers.

I think realistically what other teams are willing to do, I wouldn't be, so the kings ransom is pretty hypothetical

The only thing I'd really say contrary to other comments is that idk if I need an elite C prospect in return. I think any deal involving a big name C prospect will mean that there wouldn't be much added, and at that point I wouldn't want to trade a great C for a great prospect plus a pick.
 

elchud

Registered User
Nov 1, 2015
3,094
1,927
The organization should be asking itself not when we will make the playoffs, but when we will have a legit Stanley Cup contender. If the kids develop, maybe 23/24? If you trade Eichel, you concede that you don't think the team can be a Stanley Cup contender in 23/24.
 

itwasaforwardpass

I'll be the hyena
Mar 4, 2017
5,317
5,121
Only if he wants out. You can’t trade Eichel and be a better team now. Trading him means you are getting young pieces, picks back. It has to be a deal that helps to rebuild the team. IE. Byfield, Turcotte, unprotected 1sts.

IE a ransom from the Kings.
 

Snippit

Registered User
Dec 5, 2012
16,585
9,910
With what’s been happening with the NYR this past week, expect them to make a serious run at Eichel. A lot more serious than the BS trade offers from Rangers fans.

The price would be very steep but never say never.
 

Rowley Birkin

Registered User
Oct 31, 2004
10,534
3,739
Duchene wanted out. Corolorado waited for an offer that was more than fair and was better for it.

Eichel signed an 8 year deal, I don’t care if he wants to leave, the trade needs to make Buffalo better.

If you're trading Eichel you are getting a decent return. Probably not the haul some of you guys might expect/hope for - but good all the same. Weather it's the right return will always be debatable...

Having the face of the franchise unhappy/wanting out is not the ideal building block. And trading him for the optimal return becomes a hell of a lot harder when his NMC kicks in next summer.

They need to have that discussion ASAP. Hopefully he's on board & this trade talk is irrelevant...
 

Montag DP

Sabres fan in...
Apr 4, 2007
11,854
4,069
...Maryland
If you're trading Eichel you are getting a decent return. Probably not the haul some of you guys might expect/hope for - but good all the same. Weather it's the right return will always be debatable...
The same could have been said about ROR. While I like Tage, the trade wasn't close to being worth it. GMs make bad trades all the time, especially when they feel like they have to.

Likewise, I can imagine very few Eichel trades that would be worth it. I'd rather forget about it and look forward to see how this team looks next year with a healthy Eichel and a decent coach for once.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->