Quoting: Mike_Gartner
*IF* Eichel asks for a trade, Buffalo losses their position of power in negotiations - the offers will be watered down.
Buffalo only maximizes return if they move him before he publicly asks.
Not necessarily. As I said, he still is a top ten player in his prime who is under contract. Players of Eichel's calliber typically do not come available that often. It rarely happens, and hell top line centers rarely come free.
Someone above referenced the Rick Nash and Phil Kessell trades. Nash was traded for a 28yo Brandon Dubinsky, a 25yo Artem Anismov, prospect Tim Erixson, and a first, and that was in his contract year. Kessell with Tyler Biggs, and ironically Tim Erixson with some retention on Kessels salary was traded to Pitt for Kasperi Kapanen, prospect Scott Harrington and first and third rounders.
Matt Duchene got Colorado a first, second, third, Vladislav Kamanev, Shane Bowers, and Samuel Girard in his contract year. And of course that ended up being a bigger steal because Colorado ended up with the 4th OA pick.
Jack Eichel is only 24, has plenty of term although his cap hit is high, every GM in the league views him as a franchise center and a guy you build your team around. Eichel also doesn't have a NTC or NMC.
I agree that there is a huge disconnect from what Sabre fans think Eichel is worth and from what he will really get. Sabre fans think he's Byfield, Turcotte, a roster player and multiple firsts or if we are talking the NYR, Lafreniere, Chytil, Kappo and mutiple firsts. And if you're LA and NY, you want Eichel to pair with Lafreniere or Byfield long term, not to trade one of them away
Eichel will likely get a top prospect, a young u 23-25 roster player, a third prospect, maybe a throw in veteran salary dump for salary purposes , a first, and a second, maybe a third