BLH provides you with the latest NHL news, rumors, and speculation featuring Jack Eichel (BUF), Clayton Keller (ARI), Evgeny Kuznetsov (WAS), and more!
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NHL Rumors and Speculation
The Athletic: Recently asked their NHL staff to evaluate their team’s level of interest in Eichel and what they could offer in a package. Here’s the short version of what they said,
- Rangers – The Rangers have a whole stocked cupboard of young talent from which to deal, but they’re scared off a bit by Eichel’s injury now, combined with his cap hit.
- Coyotes – Eichel is right in the wheelhouse with the rest of the young talent the Coyotes have. Give up Clayton Keller to make this happen? Again we ask, why not?
- Bruins – Boston could offer Jake DeBrusk, a first rounder in 2021 or 2022, and one of Mason Lohrei or Jakub Lauko. Pastrnak and MacAvoy are untouchable.
- Flames – I don’t see a move happening that doesn’t include Matthew Tkachuk going to Buffalo in return for Eichel.
- Blue Jackets – The Blue Jackets have three first-round draft picks, either Joonas Korpisalo or Elvis Merzlikins, and some prospects like Alexandre Texier, Emil Bemstrom, or Kirill Markchenko who could be part of a package.
- Red Wings – The Red Wings have the cap space, draft capital and farm system to put together a highly competitive offer for Eichel, who is a high-end No. 1 NHL center with elite scoring, but it’s not a great fit between two rebuilding teams.
- Kings – They have those assets and the salary cap space to get it done, but it would probably take Quinton Byfield to get talks rolling.
- Wild – Matt Dumba or Kevin Fiala, Jordan Greenway, their first(s), but I don’t see how the Sabres trade a No. 1 center without getting at least a center or top center prospect back.
- Flyers – Philadelphia’s best offer would most likely be more of a quantity-over-quality offer, though, and I’m skeptical it would be enough to top the packages likely to be offered by other clubs.
- Capitals – It all depends on what happens with top line center Evgeny Kuznetsov. Colleague Pierre LeBrun reported last week that the Caps’ patience is running thin and that they would consider dealing the 28-year-old this summer. Is there a deal to be had?
- Ducks – Do they have enough assets outside of Zegras and Jamie Drysdale in what will be a monstrous package necessary to offer? And will the financial losses from this season cause ownership to slash its internal budget for 2021-22?
- Avalanche – Colorado might have prospects to entice Buffalo, but adding a $10 million cap hit would take some Olympic-level gymnastics. Plus, with Nathan MacKinnon on the team, Eichel would not be able to the top-line center.
- Canadiens – The Canadiens have a wealth of good, young assets, even very good, but no real great ones to entice the Sabres. They could offer quantity, but probably not the quality…
- Predators – The problem is that the Predators have $16 million in cap space committed to Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen, both of whom are basically immovable. There is no room for Eichel’s $10 million cap hit.
- Sharks – While they have a solid center under a team-friendly contract in Tomas Hertl, the system is devoid of blue-chip prospects that would make such a trade feasible.
- Blues – They don’t have the necessary assets or cap space, but the reason that makes them less of an option to me is they have Ryan O’Reilly (two years left), Brayden Schenn (seven years left) and Robert Thomas (21 years old) up the middle.
- Lightning – I don’t think the Lightning will be seriously in on Eichel (no cap space). But this is also the same cap-strapped team that went after John Tavares, Erik Karlsson and Joe Pavelski in recent years.
- Canucks – With Hughes and Pettersson’s second contracts to get done, honestly, it’s impossible to see how the fit with Vancouver makes much sense for either side.
- Golden Knights – Vegas doesn’t have enough space next season to even re-sign its pending UFAs, which should rule the Golden Knights out of the Eichel sweepstakes. However, I caution against counting Vegas out because Kelly McCrimmon has been in on nearly every big fish over the past three years.
- Hurricanes – The Hurricanes have their guys down the middle in Sebastian Aho, Vincent Trocheck and Jordan Staal. They have no need for help at center, nothing to offer that would make sense, and virtually no cap space with looming contracts to take care of.
- Blackhawks – The Blackhawks are rebuilding. Eichel’s addition would obviously accelerate their plan, but I don’t sense they’re at that stage yet. Plus they probably don’t possess the cap space or assets to be real players for him.
- Stars – The Stars simply don’t have the cap space to entertain acquiring Eichel. They have too much big money tied up in their forwards such as Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Joe Pavelski. Additionally, their first order of business this offseason will be to get an extension done for Miro Heiskanen.
- Oilers – With the NHL’s top-two scorers, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, usually taking up the Nos. 1 and 2 center spots — not to mention $21 million in annual cap space — it’s hard to envision how and where Eichel would fit with the Oilers.
- Panthers – Eichel just doesn’t fit a Panthers team that’s already deep down the middle with close to $70 million in cap space committed for next season.
- Devils – The Devils need all the great players they can find, but they already have Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes at center. Can’t imagine the Sabres trading Eichel to New Jersey without getting one of them plus other assets back.
- Islanders – No cap space and no need for another high-end center.
- Senators – To trade for Eichel could disrupt their trajectory and would likely cost them multiple young players.
- Penguins – The Penguins can negotiate new contracts for center Evgeni Malkin, defenseman Kris Letang and winger Bryan Rust. That is more than enough for GM Ron Hextall to handle in his first offseason.
- Kraken – Ron Francis has shown in the past he believes in building from within. It is why the Kraken do not appear to be a team that could enter the Eichel sweepstakes.
- Maple Leafs – Cap space will be tight for the Leafs again this offseason. Plus they’re a division rival, and they’re already dedicating huge money to two centers, including John Tavares, who has a no-trade clause.
- Jets – While Eichel would instantly become Winnipeg’s top skater, the Jets are set up at center with Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois under team control.
BLH’s Thoughts: It wouldn’t shock me in the least of it was the Capitals that wins the Eichel sweepstakes. They could offer Kuznetsov, a future 1st-round pick, and a couple of prospects like Connor McMichael, Hendrix Lapierre, and/or Brett Leason.
Would Buffalo want that package though? One has to assume they would prefer to avoid another 5yr plan, right? Now it’s time to build around Rasmus Dahlin and Sam Reinhart.
If I were them, I’d see who could give me a top-four defender, an NHL-ready grade A forward prospect, and a top-six forward. Could that team be the Kings with Byfield, Kempe, and a defender like Walker or Roy? What is Kale Clague’s ceiling?
Either way, the Sabres have to decide how quickly they want to get this train back on the track.
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