Vegas Golden Knights

The Buffalo Sabres officially completed a blockbuster trade Thursday to send star center Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights for a package headlined by winger Alex Tuch, prospect Peyton Krebs and a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL draft.

TSN's Darren Dreger initially reported details of the deal:

Eichel will undergo his preferred artificial disk replacement surgery in the near future and his new team is "hopeful" he'll be back on the ice in four months, per Dreger.

Tuch is also on injured reserve after offseason shoulder surgery.

Eichel became the face of the franchise when the Sabres selected him with the second overall pick of the 2015 NHL draft.

His arrival marked the expected end of Buffalo's race to the bottom of the standings, a two-year journey to win the "McEichel sweepstakes"—the nickname given to the not-so-secret widespread tanking in an effort to land either Eichel or Connor McDavid, who were viewed as generational prospects.

The 25-year-old Boston University product lived up to his end of the bargain. He recorded 355 points (139 goals and 216 assists) in 375 games across six seasons in Buffalo, establishing himself as one of the NHL's most dynamic offensive weapons with high-end speed, great vision and a lethal shot.

Yet despite multiple coaching changes and a variety of roster moves made by a few general managers, the Sabres were never able to find the right lineup mix around the Massachusetts native, who'd also expressed frustration about how the front office handled his season-ending neck injury.

"I've been a bit upset about the ways things have been handled since I've been hurt," Eichel said. "I'd be lying to say that things have moved smoothly since my injury. There's been a bit of a disconnect between myself and the organization. It's been tough at times. Right now, for me, the most important thing is just trying to get healthy, figure out a way to be available to play hockey next year, wherever that might be."

His captaincy was stripped by the franchise at the start of training camp amid continued disagreement about the treatment of his injury and the ongoing trade speculation.

The problems were relatively consistent throughout the Eichel era in Buffalo: The Sabres couldn't generate enough offense from their bottom six, the defense struggled to make an impact outside of an occasional moment of brilliance from 2018 first overall pick Rasmus Dahlin, and the goaltending was typically subpar.

So while marquee names like Ryan O'Reilly, Evander Kane and, most recently, Taylor Hall created hope of a turnaround upon their arrivals, the results never changed. The Sabres completed their 10th straight season without qualifying for the playoffs in 2021, the league's longest active streak by five years.

A debate can be had about whether the losing culture that was created during Buffalo's pursuit of Eichel or McDavid was harder to escape than expected once the tanking was over. It's a viable theory given how the Sabres have crumbled at the first sight of adversity in recent years.

The bigger question is where the organization goes from here. A true No. 1 center is much like a franchise quarterback in the NFL—the most important building block to success. Trading Eichel leaves a massive void that won't be easy to fill, and it comes on the heels of Sam Reinhart's trade to the Florida Panthers in the offseason.

Perhaps Dylan Cozens, who showcased plenty of upside throughout his rookie season, can take on the role, or maybe the financial flexibility created by moving Eichel, who's under contract through 2026 as part of an eight-year, $80 million deal, can help the team find one via free agency or another trade.

There are no easy answers, however, and eight years after former Sabres general manager Darcy Regier warned their rebuilding efforts "may require some suffering," there's still no end in sight.

Meanwhile, Eichel will have an opportunity to begin a new chapter of his career with the Golden Knights. The most important thing for the 6'2" playmaker probably won't be his individual numbers, which are always strong, but instead finding far more team success than he did in Buffalo.

Once he recovers from the neck injury, he should slot in as the top-line center alongside wingers Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty in Vegas.

The Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights are reportedly the finalists in pursuit of a trade for Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel.

ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported the update Tuesday night and noted the talks are at the "1-yard line":

Eichel and the Sabres have been engaged in an extended standoff about what type of surgery he should receive to overcome a neck injury suffered last season.

The 25-year-old former Boston University standout has pushed for an artificial disk replacement his camp believes will give him a better quality of life moving forward, while the organization prefers a traditional disk fusion since the artificial disk surgery hasn't been performed on an active NHL player.

Based on the league's collective bargaining agreement, the team gets the final call on medical procedures, so Eichel has remained sidelined waiting for a possible trade.

Kaplan said both the Flames and Golden Knights are willing to allow Eichel to get the artificial disk replacement, which would come with a "minimum" of three months recovery time before he'd be cleared to play.

The timeline is important because the second overall pick in the 2015 draft would be a lock for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing if healthy. The Americans' first game is set for Feb. 10 against the host nation of China, and the tournament runs through Feb. 20.

It seems unlikely the team that ultimately acquires Eichel would want his first action to come in the Olympics after being out since March, though.

Even if a trade isn't finalized in the next few days, it's hard to imagine a scenario where the dynamic center plays again for the Sabres given the longstanding dispute about the neck procedure and the team's overall lack of success since it drafted him.

Eichel, who's under contract through 2025-26 as part of his eight-year, $80 million deal, has done his part, scoring 355 points (139 goals and 216 assists) in 375 games for the Sabres. Alas, the franchise hasn't been able to put enough talent around him over the past six years to climb up the standings.

While the sides are almost definitely about to head their separate ways, there's still pressure on Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams to deliver a sizable return package for the three-time All-Star to help jump-start the latest rebuilding effort after several failed attempts over the past decade.

Once healthy, Eichel would immediately take over as the No. 1 center in either Calgary or Vegas, and with more talent around him, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him rank among the scoring leaders next season when he has a chance to play a full schedule.

The Vegas Golden Knights might be ramping up their pursuit of Jack Eichel. 

Vegas is considered a "team to watch" for the disgruntled Buffalo Sabres forward, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reported Tuesday (h/t David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal).

The Golden Knights have been linked to Eichel since the star forward made it clear he wanted out of Buffalo because of the Sabres' unwillingness to allow him to get the artificial disc replacement surgery he desires instead of neck fusion surgery for the herniated disc in his neck.

However, the Golden Knights reportedly aren't willing to meet the Sabres' asking price for Eichel. Buffalo wants 2019 first-round pick Peyton Krebs in any deal, according to NHL insiders Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek (h/t the Las Vegas Review-Journal).

The Golden Knights expect Krebs to be a difference-maker. Head coach Pete DeBoer said after the 20-year-old's NHL debut that he has "a good reputation in the organization."

Buffalo will likely look for a center in return for Eichel, so if Krebs is unavailable, someone like Nolan Patrick or Jake Leschyshyn might head the other way in a trade that will undoubtedly include draft picks.

In September, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman (via The Daily Goal Horn) reported that a number of other Western Conference teams were interested in Eichel, including the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings and Minnesota Wild.

ESPN's Emily Kaplan added earlier this month on The Point that five teams remain in on Eichel. All of those teams agreed the former Sabres captain would get the artificial disk replacement surgery he wants. 

If Eichel is traded this season, it's unlikely he plays because he needs to undergo neck surgery. However, he could be ready for the 2022-23 campaign, depending on when he is moved and how long his recovery takes.

Eichel, who was drafted second overall by the Sabres in 2015, has tallied 355 points (139 goals, 216 assists) in 375 games. He signed an eight-year, $80 million contract extension with Buffalo before the 2017-18 season.  

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner wants to see changes in the NHL that will "protect the younger players," as he said in his press conference Tuesday.

The 30-year-old made headlines in recent days after claiming on Twitter that teams have supplied players with sleeping and anxiety drugs:

He specifically called out Alain Vigneault in the tweets, later clarifying to ESPN's Emily Kaplan that the Philadelphia Flyers coach treats his players in an "unacceptable" way.

Vigneault has since declared the claims to be "completely false."

Lehner met with the NHL and NHLPA to help create positive changes within the league and was encouraged by his meetings.

"They're listening," he said of the organizations, per Kaplan.

"The last 72 hours have been incredibly difficult but also incredibly valuable to me, to my career, my life goals," Lehner said Tuesday.

The Swedish-born goalie is heading into his 12th year in the NHL, spending time with five different organizations. He shared the Jennings Trophy with teammate Marc-Andre Fleury last season, his second time in three years winning the award. 

In 2019, Lehner won the Masterton Trophy given to the player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey." 

Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said Monday allegations by Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner that the team pushed for players to receive nonprescription medication are "completely false."

Lehner, who used his Twitter feed over the weekend to focus on NHL player safety amid concerns about the Buffalo Sabres' treatment of Jack Eichel, called out Vigneault on Saturday:

Here's the Flyers coach's full response:

Lehner clarified he wasn't accusing Vigneault of distributing pills to players but was discussing the coach's methods in terms of how he treats players, which he believes are "unacceptable," per Emily Kaplan of ESPN.

Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher released a statement Sunday in response to the allegations.

"The health and well-being of our players is our top priority, and any care provided to them comes from the team's health care professionals, not the coaching staff," Fletcher said. "We have no reason to believe any of our players have received improper care."

Meanwhile, Lehner highlighted what he believes was improper care from the Sabres' training staff while he dealt with an ankle injury during the 2015-16 season:

His concerns come as Buffalo and Eichel remain in an extended standoff about the type of treatment the star center should receive to overcome a neck injury suffered last season.

The Sabres prefer a traditional disk fusion, while Eichel's camp wants him to receive artificial disk replacement surgery they believe will provide more long-term health benefits. The team is hesitant because that procedure has never been performed on an NHL player.

Buffalo's efforts to trade the three-time All-Star have been unsuccessful amid the medical uncertainty, and Eichel was stripped of the captaincy ahead of the 2021-22 season as he remains without a timetable to return.

Lehner called on the NHL Players' Association to do more on Eichel's behalf:

The Sabres open the new season Oct. 14 when they host the Montreal Canadiens, while the Flyers begin play Oct. 15 at home against the Vancouver Canucks.

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner has accused an NHL team of giving out benzodiazepines and Ambien to players.

In a series of posts on Twitter, Lehner explained that he knows "many other teams" and has played for some teams that have given out the prescription drugs.

Lehner did say that Vegas is not among the teams he's played for that give out benzodiazepines and Ambien. He did call out the Philadelphia Flyers and head coach Alain Vigneault in a follow-up post:

Lehner also tweeted he will "be releasing a story and proof from my self, ex players and current players on what is going on" each day starting Sunday if "things don’t get fixed."

No one with the Golden Knights, Flyers, NHL or NHL Players Association has yet responded to Lehner's claims.

A second-round draft pick by the Ottawa Senators in 2009, Lehner is entering his 12th season in the NHL. He began his professional career in the American Hockey League with the Binghamton Senators.

Lehner has played with five different teams in the NHL. The 30-year-old spent the first five years of his career with the Senators. He has also suited up for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks.

Vegas acquired Lehner from the Toronto Maple Leafs in February 2020. He started 19 games during the 2020-21 season for the Golden Knights.

The Vegas Golden Knights traded goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for center prospect Mikael Hakkarainen in a move that creates $7 million in salary-cap space.

TSN's Darren Dreger first reported the parameters of the deal. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic added Vegas' return.

According to The Athletic's Rob Rossi, Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus, Fleury was "totally shocked" by the trade and "doesn't want to play" for the Blackhawks. Fleury reportedly did not believe Vegas viewed him as "their guy," though he had expected to finish out his contract with the team.

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's best goaltender is scheduled to enter the final season of a three-year, $21 million contract.

Fleury's agent, Allan Walsh, said the 36-year-old netminder hadn't been immediately informed of the trade by Vegas and would "seriously evaluate his hockey future" before deciding whether to join the Hawks or retire:

Fleury joined the Golden Knights as part of their initial roster in the 2017 expansion draft. He's compiled a 117-60-14 record with a 2.41 goals against average and .917 save percentage across 192 regular-season appearances for the club.

The 2003 first overall pick won three Stanley Cup titles as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins before joining Vegas. He helped lead the expansion franchise to the Stanley Cup Final in its debut season, posting a .927 save percentage in 20 games during the 2018 playoffs.

He would take over as Chicago's unquestioned No. 1 goalie if he opts to continue his career.

Meanwhile, the trade to generate financial flexibility suggests the Golden Knights may be setting the stage for a marquee offseason addition via trade or free agency.

Vegas has been linked to a potential blockbuster deal for disgruntled Buffalo Sabres star center Jack Eichel, who carries a $10 million cap hit. The team has $12.2 million in cap space after Tuesday's trade, per CapFriendly.

The Golden Knights have one of the NHL's most complete rosters, but a true No. 1 center is missing. Eichel would fill that void and bolster the team's championship hopes assuming he's recovered from a neck injury that limited him to 21 games last season.

While there's a shroud of uncertainty about Vegas' next move, one thing did become clear with Tuesday's trade: Robin Lehner will now be the full-time starter between the pipes.

After spending the 2020-21 season searching for an impact defenseman, the Philadelphia Flyers found one by acquiring Ryan Ellis from the Nashville Predators as part of a three-team trade Saturday.

Ellis was traded for Nolan Patrick and Philippe Myers, and Patrick was rerouted to the Vegas Golden Knights for Cody Glass.

Per Cap Friendly on Twitter, trades and player signings were frozen Saturday at 3 p.m. ET, and 5 p.m. ET is the deadline for clubs to submit their expansion draft protection lists to the NHL and NHL Players' Association.

The Seattle Kraken will start to fill out their roster during the expansion draft Wednesday.

There had been speculation leading up to the regular-season trade deadline April 12 that Ellis' long-term outlook with the Predators wasn't promising.

Elliotte Friedman reported in March that Ellis had been considered untouchable but that "something's made the Predators think."

Ellis has six years remaining on the eight-year, $50 million deal he signed in August 2018.

That contract should fit well for Philadelphia, which is trying to get better in the short term but also has a long-term outlook in mind after missing the playoffs twice in the past three years.

Ellis missed six weeks last season after undergoing surgery on his upper body in March. He finished with 18 points in 35 games during the regular season. The 30-year-old was terrific with five points in six games in Nashville's first-round playoff loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Philadelphia did sell low on Patrick, who scored just nine points and was minus-30 in 52 games last season. The Golden Knights are betting the 22-year-old will return to the level he showed over the previous two years, when he scored 61 points in 145 games. 

The addition of Ellis made Myers expendable for the Flyers. Myers is 24 years old and will give the Predators a plug-and-play defenseman alongside Mattias Ekholm.   

On the heels of the Tampa Bay Lightning beating the Montreal Canadiens to win the 2020-21 Stanley Cup on Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche opened as favorites to win the 2021-22 Stanley Cup.

DraftKings lists the Avalanche as +500 (5-1) favorites to win next season's Stanley Cup, followed by the Vegas Golden Knights at +600 (6-1) and Lightning at +700 (7-1).

With Wednesday's Game 5 win over Montreal, Tampa Bay became the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups since the Pittsburgh Penguins won two in a row in 2016 and 2017.

Colorado has been one of the best regular-season teams in the NHL in recent years, reaching the playoffs in each of the past three campaigns.

Last season, the Avs won the Presidents' Trophy given to the team with the most regular-season points, as they went 39-13-4, which was good for 82 points.

After leading the NHL in goals scored with 197, the Avalanche were viewed as strong candidates to go the distance and win the Stanley Cup, but they fell in the second round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season, losing to the Golden Knights in six games.

Despite their playoff shortcomings, there is reason to believe the Avalanche can bounce back and win it all next season, and much of that has to do with the presence of Nathan MacKinnon.

After finishing second in the Hart Trophy voting for NHL MVP in 2019-20, MacKinnon was chosen as a finalist again this season.

In 48 games, MacKinnon racked up 20 goals and 45 assists for 65 points. Colorado also got big-time forward production from Mikko Rantanen (66 points), Gabriel Landeskog (52 points) and Andre Burakovsky (44 points).

Additionally, defenseman Cale Makar was a Norris Trophy finalist after posting 44 points in 44 games and goalie Philipp Grubauer was a Vezina Trophy finalist thanks to his 30-9-1 record, 1.95 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

Most of the aforementioned players are likely to return next season, although Landeskog and Grubauer will be unrestricted free agents.

The Golden Knights have only been in the NHL for four seasons, but they have achieved unprecedented success, reaching the playoffs all four times.

Vegas went to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season and reached the Conference Finals this year, marking the second consecutive year it made it that far.

Among the key players set to return for the Golden Knights next season are forwards Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson, defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, and goalies Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner.

The Lightning also figure to return largely the same roster, led by Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman and Conn Smythe Trophy-winning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy.

If Tampa wins the Stanley Cup again next season, it will become the first team to three-peat since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83. 

Marc-Andre Fleury was the best goaltender in the NHL during the 2020-21 season.

The Vegas Golden Knights star was named the Vezina Trophy winner Tuesday, defeating fellow finalists Philipp Grubauer of the Colorado Avalanche and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The trio of goaltenders were named finalists on June 1, which just so happened to be near the start of the second-round playoff series between Fleury and Grubauer.

Yet it was the only representative outside of the West Division, Vasilevskiy, who won a Vezina in the past. The Lightning goaltender took home the award in 2018-19, while both Fleury and Grubauer had their eyes on what would have been their first Vezina when the finalists were announced.

It is somewhat surprising that Fleury has never won one given a resume that includes three Stanley Cup titles and four All-Star selections.

The 36-year-old made his case this season with a 26-10-0 record, six shutouts, a .928 save percentage and a sparkling 1.98 goals-against average. Only Alex Nedeljkovic (1.90) and Grubauer (1.95) were better in the last statistic this season.

That goals-against average wasn't the only area Grubauer shined, as the Avalanche shot-stopper finished with a 30-9-1 record, league-leading seven shutouts and a .922 save percentage.

As for Vasilevskiy, he played this season as a defending Stanley Cup champion who figured to get his opponent's best on a nightly basis. That didn't stop him from posting a 31-10-1 record, 2.21 goals-against average, five shutouts and a .925 save percentage.

The goals-against average was his best mark in a career that includes another Vezina, a Stanley Cup title and three All-Star selections.

All three finalists were excellent throughout the 2020-21 season as they looked to add the coveted award to their list of accomplishments, and it was Fleury who prevailed.