Superstar center, Jack Eichel, will finally be traded this off-season. Buffalo has been one of the worst teams in the NHL for the last couple seasons, and so it appears they will officially be in rebuild mode. Eichel, being their only true piece they have, is going to be the piece they will look to get value off of.
The Buffalo Sabres announced earlier today that they will be naming, Don Granato, their coaching going into next season. Granato was promoted to Head Coach March, 17th after replacing Ralph Krueger. In Granato’s first six games as head coach the Sabres finished 0-5-1. However, after that six game stretch he was able to lead the Sabres to finish the season 9-11-2. There was definitely a spark with Granato at the coaching position. However, with the rebuild process around the corner, I wanted to lay out some teams that could be going after Jack Eichel.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are said to be hitting the free agent and trade market hard this off-season as they are ready to become a true competitor. They have struggled majorly due to their inability to claim a superstar to their roster, and that could all change with one call. Adding a superstar center like, Jack Eichel, could be exactly what they need to help their turn around. The Kings have a lot of budding stars, and one of the strongest prospect pools in the league, but adding Eichel could cause some damage to that pool. The Kings have came out and said they are looking to add a proven star on their roster, but with the idea of trading away their prospect pool could damage their future. However, with careful trade negotiations both teams could find a way to the top in only a couple more years.
Las Vegas Knights
The Knights have been a name that has gone under the radar thus far into the Eichel sweepstakes, but shouldn’t be a team you can discount out. The Knights came very close to making it back to the cup this year, but the lack of stardom at the center position was a very big hole. The Knights have a lot of depth on their roster, and with the ability to move some money around within the trade, the addition of Eichel could be exactly what they need to become one of the most feared teams in the NHL. Eichel, the former second overall pick, has had a fantastic career but is looking to get moved to a team that can compete for the Stanley Cup. The Knights have the value that the Sabres are looking for, and have the need for another elite goal scorer like, Eichel.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks have been a team mentioned in multiple reports that they are keeping eyes on the situation with, Jack Eichel. The Anaheim Ducks have a bright future ahead of them, and are projected to make a big move this off-season. The Ducks have been tied to multiple different players, however, Eichel seems to fit better than some of the other name’s that have been mentioned. Adding a well developed player like Eichel could speed up their rebuild process and help them compete within a year or two. As for most teams, the Ducks will be at the mercy that they will have to give up a lot to get Eichel and it could hurt their rebuild process.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are in a little bit of a tough spot right now given they don’t have a star center to help elevate their team. They have the budding star, Kirill Kaprizov, on the wing, but they need to complement him with a star center, Jack Eichel. Eichel would complement the game of Kaprizov extremely well and help elevate the Wild’s game. They are right there as far as competing, but they have a big void at center that needs to be addressed. If they can build a first line with Jack Eichel and Kirill Kaprizov, they will be making a much bigger run towards the cup.
New York Rangers
This one here could end being the most exciting fit out of all the teams I had mentioned above. The Rangers underperformed their roster this past season, but with Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin, they have a great start to their roster as they are looking to continue to build. With a lot of great pieces on their roster, being able to add Eichel into their rotations could be everything they were missing this past season. Adding a dominant offensive threat like Eichel, could put the Rangers over the top.