On the opening day of the NHL free agency period in 2013, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed Nathan Horton. The contract was for seven years and worth $37.1 million. At the time, this was a huge signing for the team as they landed a veteran presence for a team hoping to push for a Stanley Cup.
Columbus overlooked the shoulder and concussion injuries Horton sustained as a Boston Bruin. Instead, their focus was on the experience he could bring to the table. The red flags proved to bite the Blue Jackets in the butt. Horton played only 36 games in the 2013-2014 season before never playing another game in the NHL again.
Fast forward to 2021 where Columbus finds themselves right in the mix of trade talks for Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres. Because of past history and some other factors involving Eichel, Columbus should consider maybe holding out of the trade.
Jack Eichel’s Injury
Like Nathan Horton in 2013, Jack Eichel has a history of injuries. Throughout Eichel’s career he has battled through a few ankle injuries. Nothing too major but they’re worth noting.
The injury other teams should be concerned about is the current neck injury he is dealing with. Eichel only played 21 games in 2021 before missing the rest of the season with the neck injury. The Buffalo Sabres and Eichel disagreed with how the injury should be treated. Eichel wanted surgery while Buffalo wanted to wait it out.
The problem with surgery is that there is a six-month rehab process at least. The rehab process may jeopardize Eichel’s availability to start the 2021-2022 season if the surgery gets done now. Any injury to the head or neck area is significant for a professional athlete. Knowing that it hasn’t been treated yet could have lasting effects on the athlete going forward.
Buffalo’s Asking Price is A Lot
Buffalo took Eichel second overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. It’s no wonder that they’re asking for a lot from teams in order to acquire him. There is a possibility that Buffalo’s asking price could be too much, especially if Eichel requires surgery that could keep him sidelined for a long period of time.
Columbus has exactly what Buffalo could be looking for. The Blue Jackets have three first-round picks in this upcoming draft plus a plethora of other picks in the future. On top of that, they have a wide range of prospects to choose from.
If Columbus were to trade for Eichel, they’d get exactly what they needed in a top line center. However, it could cost them their fifth overall pick in the draft plus a few high-profile players including one of their goalies. Now, it wouldn’t necessarily be a terrible trade for both sides, however, that’s a lot to give up for a player that may require surgery and miss extended time.
In Columbus’ case, they’d be giving up a lot of their future for Eichel. It isn’t out of the question that the long-term effects of the neck injury could linger and could alter his career at some point. Plus, there is always the risk of additional injuries to occur.
Jack Eichel’s Contract
Jack Eichel is currently under contract until the 2026-2027 season. He will make $10 million each year until his contract is up. That is a steep cap hit for the next couple seasons to whatever team he ends up with.
For the Columbus Blue Jackets, there is no doubt that they will need to address their need for a top line center in the offseason. One player that could fill those needs could be Ryan Nugent-Hopkins which Columbus could get for around $6 million. That is far cheaper than Jack Eichel and wouldn’t come at the cost of draft picks or prospects.
All Things Considered
Columbus and Anaheim are the two favorites to land Eichel. For Columbus, Eichel would give them a top line center that they need. It could be a very costly move for them and could be risky given Eichel’s current neck injury he is dealing with. If there is anything Columbus learned from the Nathan Horton experiment in 2013, it’s that they don’t want to replicate it or come close to replicating it, which is why it could be best to steer clear of Jack Eichel.
Cover Image Courtesy of Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images.