For months now, there has been an expectation that the Sabres and Jack Eichel would be parting ways. The center was shut down in early March due to neck issues with the two sides disagreeing on the best course of action. Eichel’s camp wanted an artificial disk replacement which is something that hasn’t been done on an NHL player, a request Buffalo’s doctors balked at. Instead, they recommended a 12-week conservative treatment. That has come and gone and the issue hasn’t gone away.
There hasn’t been any progress made in terms of a new plan to fix the problem while Eichel remains with the Sabres. Late Friday, his agents Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli released the following statement to various reporters and outlets including Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News:
The process is not working. As previously stated, we fully anticipated a trade by the start of the NHL free agency period. After the agreed upon and prescribed period for conservative rehabilitation lapsed in early June 2021, it was determined by the Sabres medical staff that a surgical procedure was required. The recommendation by Jack’s independent neurosurgeon, other spine specialists consulted, and the surgery Jack feels most comfortable having in order to correct a herniated disk in his neck is to proceed with artificial disk replacement surgery. A further point of concern is that our camp was initially under the impression that the Sabres specialist was in agreement with the artificial disk replacement surgery until that was no longer the case.
What is being left out of the discussion is that Jack would be able to play in the NHL for the start of the season pending medical clearance if he were allowed to have the surgery he desires even as of this date. Repeated requests have been made to the Sabres since early June to no avail. This process is stopping Jack from playing in the NHL and it is not working.
While this was clearly done to try to expedite the trade process along, the claim that Buffalo’s staff is in agreement that surgery is needed is also noteworthy even if there remains a disagreement on what that procedure needs to be. While Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is right to put a high price tag on his franchise forward, the fact that surgery is needed should, in theory, help to get a move done as if the process continues to drag out, he could miss time next season which is a scenario that’s not ideal for any side.
For his part, Adams has been firm in his assertion that they’re in any rush to get things done, telling reporters that in a press conference on the opening day of free agency (video link):
I think what’s critically important to make sure is clear is that we’re in control of this process, we have a player under contract, we don’t feel any pressure. If there’s a deal out there that we feel is the right thing for the Buffalo Sabres, that we feel is going to help us improve, whether that’s improve right away or improve down the road – those are all the things we weigh – we’d be open to it.
Eichel has five years remaining on his contract with a $10MM AAV but the perceived pressure point was next summer when his no-move clause kicks in. However, this disagreement over how to deal with his neck injury has seemingly escalated that timeline. At this point, it feels like only a matter of when a deal gets done and for Eichel’s agents at least, they believe the wait has already been too long.
Wow. Scary neck injury, $10 million x 5 cap hit, limited production in only 21 games.
Could go on to be perennial top 10 scorer, but also a host of other outcomes, including a short, non productive stint before going on ltir.
Tough trade.
Part of the problem in trading him is simple: if I was a GM, I’d see $10 million/5 years as what a preeminent superstar gets. And other than 2020 — with a shooting percentage half again over his career high otherwise — Eichel just isn’t that. He’s not produced at a McDavid/MacKinnon/Draisaitl/Marchand level. So I’m not going to blow a hole through my salary cap situation to pay him like a superstar, and I’m not going to give the Sabres a package like I was trading for a superstar.
Another part is also simple: there are few teams left that can afford him without shedding significant salary. Which teams can? Detroit. Ottawa. New Jersey. Minnesota. Anaheim. Seattle. Nashville. Columbus. Vancouver. Each and every one of them a rebuilding team, some of which are obviously staying clear of huge contracts, and none likely to give away the farm for a player who’s already KNOWN to be exasperated with rebuilding. Eichel’s going to be a malcontent for any team that isn’t a contender, and the only contender with the cap space to fit him is the Islanders … and they’ve only got $17 mm of cap space to sign six more NHL contracts.
The Rangers can fit him easily as they currently have close to 15 mill in cap space so obviously you must be leaving them out for some reason.
True, if they don’t extend Mika. Many Ranger fans, like me, would rather have Mika than a highly questionable Eichel
There undoubtedly will be salary retained, and contracts moved in any Eichel trade. Also you didn’t mention Montreal, who actually can cover the contract with a little creativity, and have a boatload of prospects to deal. And there is real interest and discussions taking place.
The Islanders quietness so far has me thinking they may be taking a look at Eichel as well.
Vancouver won’t have cap space when they sign their RFAs
I dont think the Sabres need to worry about Eichel’s no-trade clause kicking in next year…its obvious the guy would do anything to get out of Buffalo, lol, so I dont expect he would balk if a trade happened after the no movement clause kicked in.
Yeah and the dumb ass agents Jack has is just making it worst. It’s like they are saying for hun he doesn’t want to be here. Which could be the case but honestly this doesn’t make Jack look any better. Or save face for that matter. What team would wanna deal with the drama Peter & Peter seem to make weekly. Seems a bit fishy here!
I see it as his agents are doing the right thing. They did it the teams way and it didn’t work. He wants to get back to playing hockey and the team is more concerned with a risky surgery that will affect his trade value.
TrUsT tHe PrOcEsS
Good bye what little leverage Buffalo had
Seems to me that a team would need to see how Eichel recovers from that surgery before trading for him. But it also would seem that the Sabres need to drop the asking price if they if they want a team to take on a risk like this.
All that being said, if reports are true that the teams considered the leading contenders for Jack (Kings, Ducks, Rangers, Knights and Wild) have all pulled out of those trade talks, the Preds could step into that breach. They’ll have more than enough cap space to absorb Eichel’s contract and can make a good offer to Buffalo as well. Something like a 2022 1st round pick, one of either Fabbro, Myers or Farrance on defense, Cody Glass and any other forward prospect not named Tomasino.
Not that Poile possesses the creativity to do something of consequence like that. :/
Dude…you need THREE overpaid centers with no heart down there?
Sure, Duchene makes Eichel seem like Mark Messier, but…
Eichel, provided his neck gets fixed, is a premier talent.
But if he ends up on LTIR, the problem is in paying out real dollars, not cap space like Duchene and Johansen are taking up. If a team can afford the cash risk, it’s a risk worth taking, IMO.
Well, trade value is going to be a hard one to argue for. I’d suspect if anything Buffalo deals him to get the contract off their books.
A scathing statement indeed.
Bring “the process” to Raleigh,boys. We have a Dougie-sized gap in our salary cap!
Given his contract and uncertain health the sabres need to either pull back from trade talks and let him reestablish his value, or be realistic about the return the will accept.
I have a friend in the Columbus front office who told me Buffalo wanted Oliver Bjorkstrand, Zach Werenski, one of the goalies and all three first round draft picks for Eichel- the discussions ended right there. Eichel should kick back, collect his $10 million and show the world how stupid Buffalo’s management and ownership really is.
Never hurts to ask, right? LOL!
This is where having inexperienced management really comes back to bite a franchise. Imagine the return the Sabres could’ve gotten for Eichel just a year ago?! And it’s been apparent for at least that long that the two sides were gonna part eventually.
Kid could care less that he’s destroyed his value to the franchise and is perfectly content to pout his way out.
Good luck to whoever pays a fortune to make him their franchise player.
“I demand to be traded immediately regardless of the return. Also FYI to my new team, I’ll be having head transplant surgery soon but my doctors assure me the head transplant will go fine and I’ll be ready for camp. Don’t worry.”
If they’re preventing him from having a surgery he feels he needs he has every right to do this. At the end of the day this is a business and his best interests should be put first. It is totally unfair to hold that against him in my opinion.
I picked my sarcasm for a reason. No team has approved this surgery. No player has had it.
If he was confident in a head transplant, would that be OK, too?
If the surgery goes awry and his career is ended, the Sabres are left with nothing. He’s under contract and he’s still cashing the checks. And his contract is guaranteed, so if they approve the surgery and his career ends, they still have to pay him the rest of the deal.
If Eichel’s serious, he should go to the NHLPA and see if Fehr and Bettman can work out a deal where he gets the surgery but can be cut NFL style if his team decides he can’t play any more.
That would allow the Sabres to green light his surgery and the piece of mind another team would need to pay a high price to get him…thus giving him what he wants. Would he risk the money? I doubt it.
But, he wants everyone else to assume all of the risk to make him happy.
The conservative approach to his injury didn’t work. What would you have him do, just keep following the same ineffective treatment course he’s been following?
Top surgeons are telling him to get the surgery. Do you know better than them on this?
Wow this might be the first time I agree with anything you said! Interesting.
Saying that I do agree it’s a business but common sense needs to apply and if top doctors are at odds at what is the best course of action regarding fixing this injury I really think both sides should and could have worked this out already and come to an amicable agreement putting the players health and long term career first.
The Sabres want him to have a conventional surgery. He wants to have an experimental surgery.
His contract gives the Sabres final say.
, “they recommended a 12-week conservative treatment. That has come and gone and the issue hasn’t gone away.”
Where in the story does it say anything about conventional surgery?
The Sabres doctors say he needs surgery, but not this artificial disk surgery…what does that leave?
Maybe the Sabres medical team should give us the answer to that. So far the only thing they’ve been specific about is a 12 week rest period.
Actually not really for his agents! Airing it out publicly almost EVERY WEEK is hurting his chances of being traded. He still has 5 years left on his contract so really Adams hasn’t lost any leverage. And they don’t need to ship his contract as they can sit his ass on the long term IL! Man can people think before they post poop!
LTIR.
And for his next trick Jack Eichel will make the little bit of leverage Kevyn Adams had DISAPPEAR! But joke’s on him, Sabres actually need his salary to reach the cap floor so without any real trade offers and most of the potential suitors moving in other directions this statement from Jack’s agents virtually guarantees he’ll be a Sabre opening night. Nice work!
Maybe insisting on having a surgery team doctors are against is holding up any trade. If buffalo is leery, wouldn’t a team that’s about to give up the farm to trade for him be concerned as well?
They certainly would, but I’m sure any interested team will have their own medical staff evaluate the situation.
There would be many surgeons who said you are never going to play NHL hockey again after a neck disc replacement or fusion. It’s dangerous for such an operation to be subjected to large forces. There’s something that’s not adding up here. If Eichel has this surgery he is out for a minimum of one year recovery before it’s decided if he should play again .
The noose has to be tightening on the Sabres. They need to move him in a contingency deal that if the surgery is a bust, then they get a whole lot less than if it’s a success.
Good point. Draft picks have to be contingent on how many games he plays.
This is now an untradeable asset. This is a risk similar to Lindros and Lafontaine. For $10? If you are offered a 2nd round pick,I would latch onto that tree branch in that raging river.
You can attach conditions to the picks,but once he dresses for a game,your cap will be compromised. Find an NHL club that can stay $10M under the cap.