Well for starters I had given the caveat that Anaheim capitulates to giving up Zegras. Eichel > Zegras. Zegras does not have Eichel levels of talent because he doesn't have some otherworldly skill like Eichel's speed. He definitely has potential to be a great player but Eichel will always be superior just based on his skating speed.
Quoting: OlegP
LOL Sabres will never get close to that deal. You realize his value is going down with the 2022 NMC clause approaching and still no surgery?!?
Again, how many time must I explain this... if Eichel wants out the NMC is meaningless. Regardless if he wants to go to specific places the Sabres are under no requirement to deal with those teams. If the Sabres have an offer from Vegas and Anaheim, for instance, and he wants to go to Boston. Eichel's only choices are to stay in Buffalo or waive his NMC for Vegas/Anaheim. He isn't a guy who if we fail to move him by 2022 we will be getting zero assets for him. We technically have zero real NMC pressure until 2025 when his contract enters his final year. Otherwise he's stuck in Buffalo.
A NMC is meant to aid a player in staying on his present team or if team wants to get rid of him can allow him some or complete choice over destinations. Since Buffalo is not in anyway hampered by eating Eichel's contract for, at minimum, the next two years there is zero pressure on Buffalo to lessen their demands.
If Anaheim wants Eichel, Zegras is a requirement; if they don't want to trade Zegras then they should not bother asking about Eichel. It is as simple as that.
The sad part is Buffalo is better off letting him have surgery, having it "fail" forcing him to retire as although the asset vanishes; Buffalo looks good on the medical side and it would then be impossible to lose or be shafted via trade thus creating further fan outrage. Strangely in that situation, the fans would likely side with the team seeing as the team vocally didn't want him to have the surgery.
Reply
CapFriendly
CapFriendly