Jack Eichel

With the NHL season underway, it appears the Buffalo Sabres might be inching closer to working out a deal for disgruntled forward Jack Eichel. 

ESPN's Emily Kaplan recently reported on The Point that the NHL and NHL Players Association have intervened to "push things along" between Eichel and the Sabres. Last Thursday, there was "serious optimism" that a trade was imminent, but things "went quiet" on Friday. 

As of now, five teams are still in on Eichel, Kaplan adds. Each of those teams have agreed the former Sabres captain will get the artificial disk replacement surgery he desires instead of the neck fusion surgery that Buffalo believes is the best option. 

Eichel failed his physical last month and was also stripped of his captaincy amid the ongoing dispute between himself and the Sabres on how to handle his herniated disk injury. 

The 24-year-old hinted he wanted out of Buffalo in his 2020-21 season-ending media availability, saying he would be willing to play for another franchise. 

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman (via The Daily Goat Horn) reported in September that the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers were interested in Eichel. However, the Rangers might be out on the Massachusetts native after giving Mika Zibanejad an eight-year contract extension on Sunday. 

During a recent appearance on The Jeff Marek Show, Friedman also revealed that the Calgary Flames tried hard to acquire Eichel during the offseason. 

The Sabres drafted Eichel second overall in 2015. He has tallied 355 points (139 goals, 216 assists) in 375 games. Buffalo has not qualified for the postseason once since the 24-year-old was drafted. 

Eichel was supposed to be a centerpiece of the Sabres' rebuild after signing an eight-year, $80 million contract extension before the 2017-18 season. With the Boston University product on his way out the door, Buffalo could remain in turmoil for the foreseeable future. 

The 2021-22 NHL season is set to get underway Tuesday. The trade deadline is slated for March 21. And in between, the league's 32 teams will play games that dictate the types of moves they will be making.

For some, it's already clear whether they are likely to be buyers or sellers at the deadline. Teams such as the two-time reigning champion Tampa Bay Lightning are Stanley Cup contenders. Those like the Arizona Coyotes, meanwhile, are amid a rebuild and may be looking to deal top players.

There's been plenty of trade buzz as we've gone from the offseason to the preseason, and with a certain franchise center still not having switched teams, it's likely to continue into the regular season. Here's some of the latest from around the NHL.

Sabres Moving Closer to Potential Eichel Trade?

With how slow the Jack Eichel trade saga has developed, it's unclear when the Buffalo Sabres could deal the 24-year-old. But it seems things are moving more in that direction than they were for much of the offseason.

On Wednesday, TSN's Darren Dreger reported that teams with an interest in trading for Eichel have been able to have discussions about Eichel's neck injury, as well as gain additional access to his medical files. Eichel may need to undergo surgery, and the preferred course of action has led to a disconnect between him and Buffalo.

If another team acquires Eichel, he and that new organization could be on the same page. There have been rumors that the Sabres' asking price is high, but it's always possible they get what they want given Eichel's talent.

"Both sides are hopeful something can be worked out soon with one of the clubs in the mix," Dreger tweeted.

When healthy, Eichel was a strong player over the past six seasons with the Sabres. He had 355 points (139 goals and 216 assists) in 375 games for a team that has failed to make the playoffs in that time. However, injury limited him to 21 games during the 2020-21 campaign.

Although Eichel is still on Buffalo's roster, he failed a physical in September and was stripped of the team's captaincy. It seems unlikely that he will play another game for the Sabres.

Will Kessel Get Traded by Coyotes During the Season?

It's no secret in which direction the Coyotes are heading. With Bill Armstrong entering his second season as the general manager and Andre Tourigny heading into his first as head coach, Arizona has undergone a lot of changes, and not only at the top.

This offseason, the Coyotes parted ways with numerous key players. Most notably, they traded goaltender Darcy Kuemper to the Colorado Avalanche and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and forward Conor Garland to the Vancouver Canucks. And three-time Stanley Cup winning blueliner Niklas Hjalmarsson retired.

Could Phil Kessel be one of the next Arizona players to get traded? The 34-year-old forward is entering his third season with the team, which is much further away from contending than it was when it traded for Kessel in June 2019.

This is the final season of Kessel's contract, and he's unlikely to fit into the Coyotes' long-term plans. It would make sense for him to get moved at some point. And according to Dreger, that's what Kessel wants.

"He wants a fresh start," Dreger recently said on Insider Trading. "He wants to earn a new contract somewhere in the National Hockey League. He's got some no-trade protection. He wants to go to a competitor."

Kessel won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins before heading to the Coyotes. And if he's going to win another in 2021-22, it's almost certainly going to be with a new team.

There reportedly may be some movement on the trade front involving Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel.

According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the standstill may be "shifting," as teams interested in Eichel have gained additional access to his medical records to "clearly" see what he is dealing with.

Dreger added that Eichel and the Sabres are "hopeful" a trade can be worked out with one of the teams that have expressed interest.

Eichel is on injured reserve after failing his physical because of a neck injury. He and the Sabres are at odds, as he wants to undergo artificial disk replacement surgery, while the Sabres want him to get disk fusion surgery, as no active NHL player has ever had Eichel's desired procedure.

Eichel is one of the most dynamic, young talents in the NHL. However, it can be argued he has been wasted on a Sabres team that has not reached the playoffs since 2011, which was well before he entered the league.

The Sabres made Eichel the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft behind only Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid.

Across six NHL seasons, Eichel has appeared in 375 games and registered 139 goals and 216 assists for 355 points.

He broke the point-per-game mark for the first time in 2018-19, recording 28 goals and 54 assists for 82 points in 77 games. He was better the following season, with a career-high 36 goals to go with 42 assists for 78 points in 68 games.

Eichel seemed poised to enter the MVP conversation last season, but he never looked quite right and had his campaign cut short by the neck injury suffered on a hit by New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas.

All told, Eichel appeared in 21 games and finished with two goals and 16 assists for 18 points.

Given the manner in which his injury has been handled and the frustrations of playing for a perennial losing team, it is clear Eichel no longer wants to be in Buffalo.

One thing working against the 24-year-old, however, is the fact that he is under contract through the 2025-26 season, meaning the Sabres are under no obligation to trade him.

Still, there is some incentive to move on from Eichel since keeping him could be a disservice to Sabres players and coaches who would likely be forced to answer questions about it throughout the year.

Also, since Eichel is one of the best young players in the game, it stands to reason that the rebuilding Sabres could get a large, useful package of players and draft picks for him.

Finding a trade partner and consummating a deal would be the best resolution for all parties involved.  

Two of the biggest names featured in NHL trade rumors early in the offseason were St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko and Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel. The 2021-22 campaign is set to get underway Oct. 12, yet neither has been dealt. But that could still change.

Tarasenko requested a trade in July, but nothing materialized. Eichel's situation with the Sabres is a lot more complicated because of his neck injury, which caused him to fail a physical and may still require surgery.

As the start of the season nears, these players continue to have plenty of news surrounding them. Here's some of the latest buzz involving Tarasenko and Eichel.

What Would It Take for Blues to Trade Tarasenko?

Even though Tarasenko is still with the Blues, it doesn't mean they won't trade him this season. However, it seems like that isn't going to be the team's preferred option.

NHL.com's Dan Rosen recently wrote that Tarasenko is likely to be in St. Louis all season because the team expects to be in contention for a playoff spot. But if the Blues disappoint and don't think they are going to be competing for the Stanley Cup, then Rosen believes a trade would be possible.

"If the forward can't stay healthy, he would have minimal trade value, so the Blues would be in a tough spot," Rosen wrote. "... If healthy and productive, his value on the trade market should be significant because the team acquiring him would have him for next season and could sign him to a contract extension next offseason."

Tarasenko still has two seasons remaining on the eight-year, $60 million deal he signed with the Blues in 2015. As for his health, that's been an issue recently, as he's been limited to 34 games over the past two seasons. St. Louis' handling of his shoulder surgeries was also a contributing factor in his trade request.

Maybe that affected the interest that teams might usually have had in Tarasenko this offseason. But there's no doubt he can be a productive player when he's on the ice, as he had at least 68 points in five straight seasons from 2014 to 2019.

Set to turn 30 in December, Tarasenko seems likely to remain in St. Louis for at least the remainder of 2021. However, it will be interesting to see how things develop, especially if he sees out his deal with the Blues and becomes a free agent after the 2022-23 campaign.

Sabres' Asking Price for Eichel Remains High

It seems much less likely that Eichel is going to remain in Buffalo. He was stripped of his captaincy after his failed physical, and he and the Sabres haven't been on the same page regarding how to handle his neck injury.

So why hasn't Buffalo just dealt the 24-year-old to end this saga? Well, it may still have a bit to do with the Sabres' asking price.

According to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News, the Sabres' "demands, long believed to be at least four pieces and perhaps more, are just too much right now for an injured player." And a Western Conference source shared that sentiment with Harrington.

"What they're asking for is insane" the source told Harrington. "I get that they're trading Eichel, but what do they really expect if you don't know if he can play?"

So the stalemate continues. It seems unlikely that Eichel will play for the Sabres again. And if they are not willing to lower their asking price or allow him to get the surgery he desires, then he may not be playing anywhere anytime soon.

Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner spoke out Friday in support of former Buffalo Sabres teammate Jack Eichel.

Eichel and the Sabres are at an impasse, as Eichel no longer wants to play for Buffalo. Sabres doctors will not permit Eichel to undergo disk replacement surgery on his neck, and Buffalo has held off on trading its star player as well.

On Friday night, Lehner called out the NHL Players' Association in a tweet, asking for it to do more in support of Eichel:

Lehner later added the following:

Eichel and Lehner played together with Buffalo for three seasons from 2015-16 to 2017-18, after which Lehner signed with the New York Islanders in free agency.

In subsequent tweets, Lehner took aim at the Sabres and NHL.

He referred to Eichel as "a generational player" and called for Eichel to be allowed to make his own medical decisions:

The goaltender also reacted to Eichel's doctor's saying it would be best for Eichel's long-term health to get disk replacement surgery:

A Massachusetts native, Eichel was the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL draft, in which Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid was selected No. 1.

It quickly became apparent that Eichel was one of the best young talents in the league, as he averaged just under one point per game in his second and third seasons before exploding for a career-high 82 points in 2018-19.

The 24-year-old followed that up with a career-high 36 goals in 2019-20 to go along with 78 points in 68 games.

Eichel suffered the neck injury last season and finished with only two goals and 16 assists in 21 games.

It appears he will never play for the Sabres again, and his NHL future is in question as well since he has yet to undergo surgery of any kind. Buffalo has no obligation to trade Eichel, as he is under contract through the 2025-26 season.

The NHL is back. After an eventful offseason that included trades, free-agent signings and a new class of incoming rookies, the league's 32 teams are now preparing for the 2021-22 season.

This past weekend, the first NHL preseason games took place. And there will be plenty more exhibition contests taking place over the next few weeks before regular-season action gets underway on Oct. 12. So there's not much time until these games start mattering.

While the majority of the focus has now shifted to what's happening on the ice, there are still rumors circulating about potential trades, possible contract negotiations and more. 

Here's some of the latest buzz from around the NHL.

Teams Reportedly Want Clauses Added to Potential Eichel Trade

With the Buffalo Sabres now holding training camp, it's still not clear whether Jack Eichel will play for the team again. The center, who has been dealing with a herniated disk in his neck since March, failed a physical upon his arrival at camp and was then stripped of his captaincy.

There's been a dispute between Eichel and the Sabres over which surgery he should undergo in order to get healthy, and that's sparked plenty of trade rumors all offseason. So while Eichel currently remains in Buffalo, it's possible that could change if there isn't any resolution.

According to Nick Kypreos of Line Movement, the 24-year-old would be willing to be dealt to any of the NHL's 31 other teams. However, it seems quite a few have conditions they'd want included in any potential trade.

Kypreos reported that one team believes a trade is doable, but they'd want clauses added regarding how Eichel performs after surgery in terms of his games played, his scoring and other key stats. In such a deal, a team may not have to pay Eichel as much if he didn't perform up to expectations.

Eichel is still under contract through the end of the 2025-26 season, so if a team traded for him, it would have multiple years of control. However, he will have a full no-movement clause come into effect after the 2021-22 season. As of now, he can be traded to any team, which doesn't seem to be a concern to him based on Kypreos' report.

When Eichel has been healthy, he's been an effective player. After being selected by the Sabres with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, he's tallied 139 goals and 216 assists in 375 games with the team over six seasons.

Senators Not Close to a New Deal with Tkachuk?

Another hot topic around the NHL of late has been Brady Tkachuk's status with the Ottawa Senators. The forward is a restricted free agent who has yet to work out a deal with the Sens, who still have him under team control due to his RFA status.

During a Sept. 26 appearance on TSN 1200 Ottawa, TSN's Darren Dreger reported there's "no deal that is close at this point" between Tkachuk and the Senators. But there's plenty of time for things to change on that front.

"That's not to say that it can't happen very swiftly," Dreger said. "I think when you get to this stage in the negotiation, everybody knows what the lines are, right? Ottawa prefers a certain amount of term, a long term. They know what they like in terms of the money. They don't like giving up the bonus money. So the structure of the contract has been a back-and-forth, to be sure."

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that the Senators sent an eight-year, $64 million proposal to Tkachuk's camp, as they're hoping to get that type of deal done. But Garrioch also noted that both the 22-year-old and the team are "trying to find a way to end the stalemate to get Tkachuk back on the ice as quickly as possible."

It makes sense that Ottawa wants to continue to build around Tkachuk. Since being selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft, he has 60 goals and 65 assists in 198 games over three seasons, and he's likely going to keep getting better in the years to come.

When the offseason began, the notion that Jack Eichel would begin the 2021-22 NHL season on any team outside of Buffalo seemed to be the lock of the century. Eichel all but announced that he wanted out, while the Sabres, at least publicly, presented that feeling as mutual.

Inexplicably, as NHL teams began training camp this week, Eichel and the Sabres find themselves still stuck in an unhappy marriage. Despite months of offseason talks and an agent change, a resolution to the situation feels more in the distance than ever before. The Sabres haven't made the playoffs since Eichel was drafted second overall in the 2015 NHL Draft and far away from contention. Exasperated with the direction of the franchise, Eichel aired out his frustration with the franchise in his exit interview last season.

The Sabres' reportedly astronomical asking price was not met in the summer, and it's hard to see why teams would up the ante now that his impending surgery (of some kind) will force him to miss significant stretches of the regular season.

The only real change from the start of the saga is the Sabres' announcement on Thursday that Eichel had been stripped of the captaincy; an understandable decision in the context of the situation, but it is a nonetheless new humiliating low for an organization at war with its foundational player after a decade of incompetence.

Eventually, this will end. Despite all of the drama and injury uncertainty, teams won't be able to shrug off the possibility of adding a franchise-altering center. It's a reputation Eichel has earned through his elite offensive abilities. He has 178 points in 166 games over the last three seasons despite being surrounded by a dearth of talent. Eichel has incredibly slick hands, is a magician with the puck on his stick, particularly in small areas of the ice and he can beat goaltenders with a quick release and find teammates in scoring positions through small seams. On his ability to create goals alone, Eichel is a major difference-maker.

Where Eichel receives fewer compliments is his play away from the puck. In reality, the American is a far more complete player than he often gets credit for. Yes, the offensive output is the main driver of his value, but he can impact the game in a multitude of ways that go beyond what's displayed on the scoresheet.

Per Evolving Hockey, Jack Eichel's defensive impact ranks in the 80th percentile for NHL skaters over the last three seasons. Along the same lines, Hockey Viz estimates Eichel is worth eight percent fewer goals per 60 minutes at even strength than league average.

What drives Eichel's success defensively? For one, he plays with a deceptively strong motor. He doesn't chaotically fly around with his heart on his sleeve, but he rarely coasts during his shifts and is always looking to become involved in the play. He inhabits all areas of the ice and constantly moves in response to the puck in order to support the play.

One area in which Eichel is underrated is on the backcheck. He's a fairly good straight-line skater and has the acumen to anticipate plays and where danger might present itself.

He's also surprisingly successful in fights for possession. When one thinks of puck battles, particularly around the perimeter, physical power forwards like Dustin Brown and Brady Tkachuk might be the quickest associations. Eichel does not play anything resembling that style and rarely throws hits, yet he is often a menace in these types of situations using the same gift that drives so much of his offensive brilliance: his hands.

At 6'2" and 213 pounds, Eichel is big enough to stand his ground. From there, he relies on quick mitts and phenomenal hand-eye coordination to win the puck in tight spaces. He'll dig pucks out of awkward spots or even make a perfectly timed stick lift to win possession, then use his poise and stick-handling ability to rescue the puck out of danger and into more open ice. Maybe he's not slamming players into the glass, but the 24-year-old doesn't tip-toe around puck battles, either, and uses his finesse abilities to out-duel brawn.

This translates to similar types of plays in the offensive zone, where his team is the aggressor. He'll win those 50-50 battles to keep the play alive for his team. That is helpful offensively in that it recycles possession for his team and maintains pressure. There are some great players, such as Patrik Laine and Evgeny Kuznetsov, who can do special things with the puck in the offensive zone but won't make an impact in the offensive zone otherwise.

In Eichel's case, he can make a difference elsewhere by doing the dirty work to tilt the ice in his team's direction. More to the point, the best defense is not having to defend. The opposing team can't score if the puck stays in their own end, and Eichel is extremely capable of ensuring that happens.

Is there a Selke Trophy in Eichel's future? Probably not. He'll never reach the level of a Patrice Bergeron in terms of defensive prowess. But he's also hardly a slouch in that regard despite his reputation as primarily, if not solely, an offensive contributor. It's typical for centers in their first few NHL seasons to struggle on the defensive side. The best ones take their high-end processing abilities and physical skills that allow them to excel offensively and learn how to utilize them in the other direction.

Eichel has shown tremendous growth over the last six seasons in that regard and, still just 24 years old, will only become better. Maybe he's not a team's top penalty-killer, but he can be relied on to match up against the other team's top players and hold the line.

An NHL team will eventually pony up and part with a significant package of future picks and/or players to acquire Eichel. The justification for doing so is apparent. He may have made a name for himself for the magic he can create offensively, but Eichel's stature as an elite NHL center is borne in his underappreciated all-around game. 

Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams announced Thursday that star Jack Eichel was removed as the team's captain after failing his physical because of a neck injury.

"From our perspective, the captain is your heartbeat of your team," Adams said. "And we are in a situation where we felt we needed to make that decision."

Eichel, who's been the focus of trade rumors throughout the 2021 NHL offseason, and the Sabres have been at odds about the treatment he should receive.

Eichel preferred to have an artificial disc replacement surgery, which hadn't ever been performed on an NHL player before. The Sabres, however, disagreed with the recommendation of Eichel's neurosurgeon and withheld their approval for the procedure in favor of a fusion surgery.

The 24-year-old center was limited to 21 games in 2020-21 as a herniated disc ended his season in April. 

Because of the delay in making a final decision, his availability for the start of the 2021-22 season was thrown into doubt.

The saga led many to feel a separation was inevitable.

Prior to the herniated disc, the 2015 first-round pick had been playing the best hockey of his career. He posted 160 points (64 goals, 96 assists) in 145 games between 2018-20 and had two goals and 16 assists through 21 appearances last season.