The Buffalo Sabres are a hot mess right now. As of Sunday afternoon, they currently have a record of 5-7-2 with only three regulation wins and 12 points. They sit at the bottom of the MassMutual East Division and are the sixth-worst team in terms of points percentage. This slow start has many people wondering if the Sabres are going to be moving top player Jack Eichel soon. Today, I’m going to look into why they could and what potential deals are in play for the 24-year old.
Will the Sabres be a Winning Team?
It doesn’t look like they will in 2020-21 as they’re seven points back of a playoff spot. Before this season, the Sabres had 179 wins since Eichel entered the league in 2015-16. That’s the second-lowest win total for a franchise with Vegas only having 133 wins. And they didn’t join the league until 2017-18 (missing two full seasons)! It’s why rumours have been floating of Eichel wanting to leave since Buffalo drafted him.
Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams has critical decisions regarding the future of his team. They don’t have their third-round pick (traded for Jimmy Vesey in 2019) or fifth-round pick (traded for Wayne Simmonds almost a year ago) for the 2021 NHL Draft so they could look to improve their draft capital. Additionally, six of their eight defensemen are either free agents after this season so keep an eye on those players.
I can’t see the Sabres contending within the next two seasons. For that to happen, they’ll need more contributions from their bottom-six depth and younger players. It would help if Buffalo could find a number one goalie, something they don’t have at the moment. Lots of decisions to make for the team in Western New York.
Would Eichel Want to Leave?
I don’t think he’s opposed to the Sabres trading him. I believe the most important thing for Eichel is being on a winning team. If Buffalo isn’t planning on winning, they should look into trading Eichel. Beating the Devils on Saturday makes it a little better but still.
Originally a native of Chelmsford, Massachusetts (30 miles north of Boston), Eichel grew up a Bruins fan. I’m not sure the Sabres would trade him to a division opponent, considering how often they would battle one another. Not that I think the Bruins could afford his cap hit anyways, but it’s an interesting trade proposal.
One team that I keep coming back to for a potential Eichel trade is the LA Kings. They have all the necessary items to make a move possible. The Kings have plenty of cap space ($8.7 million right now), draft picks (nine 2021 picks), and quality players to send back to Buffalo. Plus, Eichel can play in a big-market and be not only a face in LA but for the league to market around.
Would I Make This Trade?
From the Sabres perspective, I wouldn’t trade Eichel yet. He’s the guy you trade for to make your team better, not trade away so you can get someone like him. Plus, I don’t think Eichel’s value is deteriorating because everyone knows it’s the team who’s struggling, not him.
From Eichel’s perspective, I would wait to see what moves Adams does over the offseason. The Sabres spent close to the cap this season (approx. $1 million under according to Cap Friendly) and will have nearly $36 million to work within the offseason. There are around 6-10 guys who I’d want to bring back next year but a flat cap in 2021-2022 will impact the likelihood of those players returning.
If the Sabres can find a way to move Jeff Skinner, that’ll be even more helpful for the future of Eichel and the franchise. Skinner makes $9 million against the cap until 2027 and for someone who hasn’t scored in 14 games this season, it’s looking like an awful signing. That’s why, if I was Eichel, I would be patient for at least one more year and wait to see what moves this team makes.
Final Thoughts
Yes, I wouldn’t trade Eichel yet but I understand if the Sabres decide to move him. They have several needs and with Eichel being a young star in the making, they could get a pretty penny for him. The Eichel/Sabres partnership has not gone well and if things don’t improve in a year from now, then I’m expecting a move to be made.