Him asking for a trade this early into his career would send bad signals to a lot of teams. If he would ask for it, the universal response from everyone in the hockey world would be "suck it up you big baby, you have 10 million reasons to shut your dirty mouth"

Those 3 1st round picks could be the next mxdavid lr Matthews, no team is that desperate .

carolina would have to absolutely bomb it, and even if they are the worst 5 teams in the league, they have under a 20 percent chance to win the lottery. I understand your view on it, but Carolina would have to have everything go for them to have the right picks to make that happen.

No way would I ever give that up for Eichel. Not happening.

even if 3 1sts gets him? he is a star and will continue getting better. Carolina needs a true 1C. Tavares is going to resign with the Islanders now that they got a stadium. Sticking with Staal and rask is not going to improve Carolina. Plus they are not going to get top 5 picks for their 1sts either.

I'm personally not a fan of Eichel. I never thought he was going to be as good as people hyped him to be. So yeah, I wouldn't. If anything if I'm Carolina I'd package 2 firsts to move up further in a draft. Plus, they have enough good, young D they can move up to the top 5 if they really wanted to.

Nope. You sign a guy to a contract like that it becomes almost untradeable. Eichel is Buffalo now, so he better figure it out

Ownership will just keep firing people for him. He's likely okay with that. Just thankful he's not my team's problem.

To put it in perspective.... Boston got two first for Kessel... so eichal would definitely be worth more. But there’s no way he’s getting moved

The rfa compensation would be 4 firsts if a team had signed him to his current deal. So this is probably the right ballpark. Its a monster risk for buffalo. I think of some of our recent not top 10 first rounders- pysyk, ennis, armia, kassian- these werent the straight up busts, but these are just guys on a team. To say eichel isnt worth it is ridiculous.

"Could Eichel want to be traded?" You bet. IMO, he had "signers regret", the moment he inked that contract. Not that I blame for taking 80m, but the reality is it looking bleak for the Sabres for the next four years. And then it still means that the Sabres will have to develop their next group of young players well to make a step towards playoff contention.
Not too many players have the "courage" to do what Trouba did two summers ago. Turn down a long term deal, and take a very modest two year deal. Leads to being a UFA, four yeas after his expiring ELC.
The trade: I don't think he would get all that, though it only takes one team to make the deal. Why? There aren't many good teams that have 10m cap space. So now you're looking at poorer teams, lottery teams, who might not want to risk so many high picks for one player. But here is the biggest reason why I think the trade won't fly. You aren't taking any money back in a trade. So a team could spend 10m in free agency, and still keep all it's draft picks. To me that could be a lot better (though maybe not) that spending 10m on one guy. Two 5m UFAs isn't as good as Eichel likely, but keeping the three first rounders and more, if I'm a GM I'd want want.
As you described why it's beneficial to the Sabres "but gets 3 1sts, 2 2nds and a 2C to really help the Rebuild." The exact same reason, why another team wants their picks, and the 10m cap space.
It's the same reason why don't see many RFA offer sheets. Teams have to spend to the players value and give up four first rounders for a premier players. Isn't to better just to spend that "premier player "money elsewhere and keep your four first rounders?

Not. Going. Anywhere. Enough said.

Yeah I don't see him being traded either. It is worth the discussion though. I don't see a "bottom feeder" or frugal...to be nice... team trading for him for exactly what Palhal said. They have to give up quality picks that'll be on ELCs forever...etc... Where things get a little more complicated is taking money back. Stay on the crazy train with me for a minute...but...if team were to send salary back...like PIT for example could send Geno and picks. PIT could rebuild on the fly. I'm actually not suggesting PIT needs to rebuild, back to back cups speaks for itself AND I'm certainly not saying Geno specifically would approve this trade...but anything is possible and this is just an example, but again, I think BUF would HAVE to take a large cap hit back.

Taking a good player thats earning a respectable salary is one thing, but anything that remotely looks like a cap dump is out. We wouldn't be sweetening any deal.

Sabres89. I 100% agree. If it were Geno and a 1st rounder...I'd still say BUF's getting the raw end, but these contracts are too big to move without salary coming back or retention. I'm a Hawks fan...and for what it's worth...I HOPE that when ownership truly decides that it's time for a rebuild...they purge AND eat salary while a rebuild is going on because A.) You'll get more pieces back in a trade B.) More team options to trade to (appeasing NMC) and C.) you're already going to stink so get better draft picks with your own selections.