The Buffalo Sabres have traded superstar Jack Eichel and a 2023 third-round pick to the Vegas Golden Knights for Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch, 2022 conditional first-round pick and 2023 second-round pick. This huge blockbuster trade was finalized early Thursday morning as both sides came to an agreement after weeks of discussing a deal.
The Vegas Golden Knights won the lottery with the Jack Eichel sweepstakes, acquiring the 1st line center for a great price. When healthy, Eichel is regarded as a top 10 center in the league, despite playing on a terrible Sabres team, Now being traded to a stacked Golden Knights team, who badly needed a center, is the best-case scenario for Eichel as he will thrive in Vegas.
But in order to acquire Eichel, the Golden Knights had to part ways with their best prospect Peyton Krebs, a solid middle 6 winger in Alex Tuch, a top 10 protected 2022 first-round pick and a 2023 second-round pick. Giving up Krebs was a difficult choice for the Golden Knights as Krebs is their best prospect in a position they need, center. Alex Tuch is a good winger, however, the Golden Knights have plenty of other wingers to replace Tuch. Lastly. the Golden Knights gave up two picks which is not a shock as the Golden Knights are used to trading picks for great players.
Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon said regarding Jack Eichel, “The price was high for him, obviously, in terms of what we have sent to Buffalo, but at the same time for a player of this ilk, it should be high. For me, when you look at what an NHL contending team should look like, he’s really an important piece of that.”
As for the Sabres, they finally agreed to part ways with their long-time star and former captain, before being stripped of the captaincy. Eichel was drafted 2nd overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2015 NHL Draft but has had a disappointing time in Buffalo, missing the playoffs in each of the 6 seasons he has played in Buffalo.
But the final blow came as the relationship between Eichel and the Sabres was fully destroyed with their disagreement over how to treat Eichel’s herniated disc in his neck. The Sabres preferred Eichel undergo fusion surgery while Eichel wanted an artificial disc replacement, a surgery that has never been performed on an NHL player. After being traded to Vegas, McCrimmon has expressed that the Golden Knights will allow Eichel to have his choice of artificial surgery, which will be performed as soon as next week. Eichel will be out for 3-5 months and could return after the Olympics break
By trading away Jack Eichel, the Sabres fully going rebuild mode and trying to finally start a strong foundation for their rebuild. The Sabres will build around newly acquired Peyton Krebs, Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn, Owen Power, and Rasmus Dahlin for the future. On top of that, the Sabres have plenty of draft picks to draft some young talent. Although the Sabres traded away Jack Eichel, they still have a bright future to look forward to.
Sabres GM Kevyn Adams said “What I felt strongly about was we were not going to be backed into a corner or feel that we were going to make a deal that we did not feel right for us regardless of any external pressure, or anything being said.”
Vegas Golden Knights Lineup (fully healthy)
Max Pacioretty – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Jonathan Marchessault – William Karlsson – Reilly Smith
Mattias Janmark – Chandler Stephenson – Evgenii Dadonov
William Carrier – Nolan Patrick – Nicholas Roy
Alec Martinez – Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Nic Hague – Zach Whitecloud
Buffalo Sabres Lineup (fully healthy)
Victor Olofsson – Casey Mittelstadt – Alex Tuch
Rasmus Asplund – Dylan Cozens – Jeff Skinner
Anders Bjork – Tage Thompson – Vinnie Hinostroza
Drake Caggiula – Cody Eakin – Kyle Okposo
Rasmus Dahlin – Henri Jokiharju