The difference between Buff and Eberle is not the Oilers 2015 first round pick. I agree the Oilers need to add but not much. Eberle is a great fit for the organization. At 23 he could fit perfectly age wise and skill set with Kane and Scheifele. In a couple years they may make up one of the top offensive lines in the league just hitting their prime together. Buff soon will be a diminishing asset based on age and contract status.
Sure we can ride it out with Buff, but by the time this team is ready to contend it is unlikely he will be around or anywhere near the player we see today. With every passing season our return will be less and less.
IMO we need to build around our young guys with an eye on the future and this of the type of trade Chevy needs to pull off.
By the time the Jets are "ready to contend" will Scheifele or Trouba be around?
When are we building for? We just signed this core to 5+ years contracts. Which clearly indicates Chevy thinks this core can do something. Will they? What is the goal here?
Soon enough Kane/Scheifele will be "declining assets". At 23, Eberle is in the MIDDLE of his prime as an offensive threat. By the time "we are ready to contend" he will already be declining offensively if unless you think Buff is going to be useless in the next two years.
Eberle is a HUGE downgrade for this team right now and a negligible if any upgrade 2-4 years from now. Unless you are thinking we it's gonna take 5+ years to contend, which at that point Ladd, Little and many others become almost irrelevant as they need to change the whole core.