The Vegas Knights have been plagued by injuries through just three games. Is it time for the Knights to pull the trigger on Jack Eichel?
The Vegas Knights have been plagued by injuries through only three games. Mark Stone is out, Max Pacioretty is out, Alex Tuch is out, and now Alec Martinez could be heading to the IR. It’s hard to win when your core is hurt, and that adversity is exactly what the Knights are currently facing. They did get lucky that while the stars were going down, they were able to get William Carrier and Nicolas Roy back, but those two won’t be able to fill the voids of Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. So is it time to call the Sabres about Jack Eichel?
The Knights are in win now mode, and sometimes in order to achieve greatness, you have to take extreme measures. Given the current circumstances that the Knights are facing, could a trade for Jack Eichel be a key ingredient?
Jack Eichel history
Jack Eichel was considered a top prospect throughout his years in the juniors and was on just about every team’s radar. After being eligible for the draft in 2015, he was then taken second overall. Now for those of you that don’t know, Eichel was taken second overall because, well unfortunately for Eichel, Connor McDavid was eligible for that draft as well. So with that being said, yeah, Eichel was taken second that year by Buffalo.
Since that point Eichel has played in 375 games in which he has totaled 139 goals, 216 assists, for 355 total points. So, for those of you who are new to hockey or don’t really follow it that closely, the Buffalo Sabres are notorious for being one of the most egregious organizations in the NHL. However, since 2015, Eichel has been considered the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, Eichel isn’t satisfied with losing and want’s out of Buffalo.
Eichel to Vegas?
Jack Eichel got hurt last season that is going to require surgery. With all the drama that has been going on with Eichel and Buffalo though, he hasn’t actually received the surgery. So with that being said, Eichel would likely be out for some time while he’d rehab from his herniated disk. However, could it still be worth it?
If you look at the Knights roster, there are a couple weak points on the roster, but center is definitely the weakest. If you take a look at most rankings, Chandler Stephenson, and William Karlsson aren’t even ranked in the top 100. When you are looking to build a championship team, having a star in the center of the ice is going to be vital. Looking ahead, obviously they will be without a lot of talent until Eichel recovers, but it could definitely be worth it.
According to the Hockey Writers, the Vegas Golden Knights are yet once again being mentioned as a prime landing spot for Eichel. Currently the biggest problem is that the Knights are not willing to move star prospect, Peyton Krebs, as part of the trade. When trading to an organization that is currently in rebuild mode, they are going to want top prospects and picks for their star player. So if the Knights want to pursue Eichel, what would a trade look like?
Mock Trades for Eichel
Vegas Golden Knights Receive: Jack Eichel
Buffalo Sabres Receive: Three First-round picks, and this year’s second
- This mock trade is a way to work around giving up any of your top prospects you currently have but give up a big part of your future. The Sabres have a large asking price for Eichel and given their search for young talent, they will be looking for prospects or picks.
Vegas Golden Knights receive: Jack Eichel
Buffalo Sabres Receive: Brendan Brisson, Ivan Morozov, and a 2023 First-round pick
- The Sabres have made it clear about their stance with Eichel, and their asking price. They are currently unwilling to move Eichel for anything less than a big package. If the Knights propose this one, I doubt it will get accepted, but could be a good starting point.