If I were Rob Blake

Kings will be set at center within the next few seasons (Kopitar, Byfield, Turcotte, Vilardi, JAD, Kupari, Thomas, Madden), Eichel definitely puts the Kings in contention faster but will cost them losing center prospects to the cap squeeze. I think Blake will take measured moves to improve the team without giving up what he has built in the rebuild years.

1 in the hand, 2 in the bush.

The kings have so many center prospects that inevitably some of them will either have to be moved to the wing or traded to other teams for wingers for those other centers to play with. Admittedly it’s a nice problem to have, but you have to ask yourself who on that list of prospects has the capability of being as good as Jack Eichel is right now? It’s a much shorter list. The kings will probably be fine either way, but it might be worth the cost to acquire a top level center right now for the remaining other players to learn from. Kopitar can’t play forever.

The second Blake trades for Eichel he is on the hot seat if he doesn't make the playoffs, I think he's only in on Reinhart.

That being said, theoretically, I think the Kings would do the trade above, but I think it will be beaten by a team more desperate at the position.

I've heard this a lot, the Kings can easily move several of their center prospects to wing, Turcotte played on Byfields wing this season with Kaliyev (likely our top line one day). Eventually, the Kings will move on from some of their prospects, but they need to give them a shot at the NHL level.

My chief concern with Buffalo is the Kings become inflexible the moment they sign Eichel. Three players on $10+M contracts, and an impressive prospect pool that will eventually demand fair contracts of their own will make continuing to build this team difficult. Eventually the Kings could realistically pay Byfield $10M+, and they are basically Toronto or Edmonton, priced out of building depth.