The last story on Jack Eichel until he is traded

Face it, if a news organization or website wants to generate buzz, all they have to do is talk  about a team targeting Jack Eichel.  With the NHL Entry Draft less than a week away, we’ve seen a number of stories and tweets about him. No other topic on Blue Line Station has generated as much controversy.  Love him or hate him, it drives conversation about the New York Rangers.

We can speculate all we want about a trade, but until it happens, it is all nothing but speculation.  So, as we declare a moratorium on Jack Eichel rumor stories. Until then, here is where we stand.

The cost

The rumor mill has Buffalo General Manager Kevyn Adams asking for the equivalent of six first round picks for Eichel. There’s a belief that if he gets that kind of haul the Sabres could retain some of his $10 million Average Annual Value (AAV).

Can they get it?  The Rangers have the assets for a deal like this, but it’s a heavy price to pay and blows a big hole in any progress they have made towards controlling their salary cap.

His health

This is a simple issue.  Eichel has a herniated disc in his neck, an issue that is relatively uncommon for a hockey player.  He wants to undergo surgery and the Sabres don’t want him to do it.   If they finally do the surgery, he could be out anywhere from six to nine months and there is a slim chance that it won’t work.  With the multiple medical opinions about treatment and long term consequences, it is buyer beware.

The Rangers have been down this road before. Remember Eric Lindros and Pat LaFontaine and their concussion history.  Pavel Bure’s chronic knee issues. When it goes bad, there is no recourse, it is just a lost cause.

A trade for Jack Eichel is a roll of the dice.  The question is whether Chris Drury is a gambler.

How good is he?

Let’s put the “Eichel is overrated” discussion to an end.  When Jack Eichel is at his best, he is one of the top players in the NHL.  It’s not his fault that he landed in the NHL’s disaster area known as the Buffalo Sabres.  He’s the best player on an awful team and truly meets the criteria of being a “generational player.”

Again, the question for the Rangers is whether he can be the Jack Eichel of 2019-20 with 36 goals and 78 points in 68 games or is he the player who scored only two goals in 21 games this season. It’s a question of health.

The timing

One thing is certain. Eichel wants out of Buffalo. While he was a fan of coach Ralph Krueger, he doesn’t have the same feelings for his replacement, Don Granato and he has a tepid relationship with GM Kevyn Adam.  One thing is clear, the Sabres aren’t giving him away and they protected him in the expansion draft.  He does have a No Movement Clause in his contract,  but it doesn’t kick in until 2022-23.  Then, he can dictate where he would go if traded.  So, Adams has two years to find any taker who is willing to pay his asking price.

If the Sabres don’t get what they are asking for, they won’t trade him.  In reality, it may be a better idea to wait for the salary cap to go up when teams will have the money to spend and there will be fewer questions about his health.  There’s nothing to prevent the Sabres from waiting.

An informal poll

We posted a poll on the Blue Line Station Twitter account asking if a trade was going to happen, who would you want to trade for with the options being Eichel, Vladimir Tarasenko, Sean Monahan or Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Despite the controversy around him, the player of choice is clearly Eichel.  Of course, this is completely unscientific and doesn’t specify what the cost would be.   He is the best of the four and the fans know it.

Ouch

We can hear the comments already.  “Why do another Eichel article if you are sick of them?”  “Just more clickbait.”  “So, what else is new.”   You’re right, but if we’re going to declare a moratorium, you do have to say it.   So, unless there is something definitive when it comes to trade news, we will stay away.

In the meantime, feel free to vent one more time, pro or con, about a trade for Jack Eichel.