Jack Eichel's name has been in conversation a lot this season, however not so much has it been associated with his own team. The 24 year old Sabres captain has just recently been announced out for the remainder of the 2021 season due to a neck injury. In his sixth season with the Buffalo Sabres, Eichel registered two goals, 16 assists in 21 games played, fighting injuries for most of the year. Buffalo has had one of the worst seasons in recent NHL history, embarking on an eighteen game losing streak beginning in February and going through the month of March. Their record currently sits at 11-25-7 and it appears they will begin rebuilding from their rebuild as they began selling assets at the trade deadline.
Jack Eichel has already made it clear he does not want to stay with Buffalo and you can't blame him. When the Sabres drafted him second overall in 2015, he was supposed to be the heart of the rebuild. Six years later and the team is essentially back to square one. They dealt Eric Staal to Montreal in exchange for a third and fifth round pick, Brandon Montour to Florida for a third, and in one of the bigger trades of the day, Taylor Hall and Curtis Lazar to Boston for Anders Bjork and a second round pick. Here's why these moves don't help their cause all that much.
None of these moves resulted in Buffalo gaining a first round pick or even much of a second rounder. Sure they picked a second round pick up from Boston but with Boston in the playoff picture for now (please stop winning so the Rangers can take your place) that second round pick will be mid round at best. Picking up two thirds and a fifth for Staal and Montour was nice, however it's not what Buffalo needs. I'm sure Buffalo obviously did everything they could to get higher picks and there were some situational things to consider. For example, Taylor Hall had to modify his NTC in order to be moved and he wanted to go to Boston. This gave the Bruins leverage to not pay a huge price for him. Bjork was a good pick up for Buffalo but again, not a huge piece for a rebuild.
Eric Staal had a similar situation, in fact, Montreal was specifically on his list of teams he would not accept a trade to. Alas, he altered it which may have resulted in less of a bargaining chip. This leaves Brandon Montour who I'll go ahead and say doesn't match the value of a first round pick. However, he is a right handed shot defenseman which for whatever reason teams oftentimes put a lot of value in. Sure trading him straight up for a first probably wouldn't have happened but if you included a second or third rounder in that package you could've at the very least gotten a late first from a playoff contending team looking to stock pile their D-squad.
So what does this have to do with Eichel? Since the Sabres didn't really get much from selling the assets they had, they're going to want a huge return for Eichel and this is a big reason why I'm starting to think the Rangers are better off on passing on acquiring him. Personally, if I'm running the Sabres, I'm not moving Eichel unless I'm getting BARE MINIMUM a first round pick, a second, an NHL ready top player, and two young promising guys, at least one of which being NHL ready. So again, assuming I'm taking off my Rangers hat and playing Sabres GM right now, my asking price is Strome, Buchnevich or Kravstov, Lundkvist, a first and a second for Eichel and some other depth type player Buffalo wouldn't miss.
Rangers fans can argue that even at that high of an asking price it would be worth it for Jack Eichel. We have a surplus of defensive prospects, a surplus of talented wingers both young and older, plenty of draft picks and talent to make up for draft picks, why not do it? Lets truly assess the situation here. Why do the Rangers want Eichel? Well, he's an elite, potential franchise centerman, former second overall pick and wants to be in New York. There's been somewhat of a desire to improve our depth at the center posistion and with all the young talent and everything, it could be time to make a big move like this. But before we do anything rash, lets really assess that asking price for Eichel.
People forget Ryan Strome was a former fifth overall pick. Sure that was less recently than Eichel being picked second overall but still, a top five pick is a top five pick. Strome was drafted in 2011 and by 2015, had his first 50 point season. He would struggle the next season, even spending some time in the AHL, only mustering up 28 points. One more season with the Islanders would lead to him being dealt to Edmonton where he would spend two seasons before being traded to us for Ryan Spooner. (Highway robbery) In 63 games, Ryan Strome achieved 33 points in his first season on Broadway but then something big happened. Artemi Panarin big.
With the bread man by his side, Strome put up a career high, 59 points, more than enough to buy him a two year extension with the Rangers. He is currently a point shy of 40 in 43 games, that's pretty damn good and what makes it even more impressive is a lot of those points came when Panarin was on hiatus. For the last couple seasons, pretty much since Zibanejad became our number one center people have longed for a number two center. Despite doubts and the ignorant assumption that he only produces because of Panarin, Strome may have very well become that number two center. The Rangers need to take a real long hard though about what they should do next with Strome and their second line center role.
Now for the rest of the asking price, Vitali Kravtsov and Nils Lundkvist are very high valued prospects. Kravtsov has looked great since coming over from the KHL and is one goal away from potentially going off. Nils Lundkvist just had a career year in Sweden and was acknowledged as a top player in the league. Again, I'm aware of the surplus of prospects we have but at the end of the day, are these the two we really want to give up? Pavel Buchnevich is the only one I could justify giving up in a deal for Eichel but again, he's been a solid player ever sense establishing himself on the KZB line, if he's willing to stick around for another 2-3 years on an average of two, three maybe even four million dollars a year, would it be wise to hang on to him? We have the cap space for it, potentially.
And that brings me to the last reason for staying away from Eichel, free agency and cap space. There's going to be options for the center ice position at this years free agent frenzy and the Rangers are going to have some spending money. Another name that's been linked to the Rangers in the past is Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. I would MUCH rather throw 10 million dollars at RNH for like, the next two seasons than to trade the farm for Eichel. Granted, that's less of a safe bet, the player might want a longer term deal or to simply just play somewhere else but like I said, there's options. Phillip Danault being one, I hate the Bruins with all my heart but David Krejci is another, even Paul Stastny just for some depth but on top of all that there is STILL something else to consider. Filip Chytil is only 21. Morgan Barron hasn't even gotten a call up yet, these are guys that could breakout next season and with Strome still around? That's a solid center pool.
Now don't get me wrong, Jack Eichel is Jack Eichel. In his last two seasons prior to this year he's averaged 80 point seasons. He is an elite player and for the Rangers, could be a franchise guy, and a one two punch of Eichel and Zibanejad can be absolutely lethal. But does the result outweigh the cost? At the end of the day it all depends on the cost, what will the Sabres be willing to take in exchange for their star center? If it's nothing short of a package involving Lundkvist and Kravtsov on top of picks, it might be worth exploring other options. If I'm Jeff Gorton, its Buchnevich or Strome, Di Giuseppe, Robertson, a first and a second or some variation or similar offer or no deal. Hold on to your young guys, prepare for the dynasty.
Chris Feldman
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