Even in division, hard to say no.

Seriously, another “here’s a pile of ****. Is that enough?“ trade. Between division rivals, I very much doubt a franchise player is getting traded in either direction.

I’d have a hard time believing Buffalo can’t get a better return. This is really blah

This comes down to how the Sabres view studnicka and Vaakainanen. I know a lot of GMs thought these guys were high end talent a year ago. If the Sabres feel that way, they very well may agree. If they don’t feel that way, then they think this trade stinks and theres no chance.

Quality > Quantity

Ritchie and Moore are nothing to Buffalo. Boston likely doesn't want to move multiple 1st round picks knowing that they're gonna have to restock soon. DeBrusk has been highly inconsistent and can't be the centre piece of any massive deal. Studnicka and Vaakanainen are hit or miss. Might have been high valued last season but not so sure anymore.

I'd say something more like Carlo, Debrusk, Studnicka, 1st and a 3rd for Eichel and Thompson

A franchise player with a serious neck injury that wants surgery no other hockey player has ever had. All Buffalo fans conveniently forget that part. My question is why would Boston, or ANY TEAM, give up ANYTHING for Eichel until he is proven to be healthy? Not assumed to be healthy or assumed he will become healthy, but actually healthy?

He wants a surgery that he has zero medical backing for. Even the second opinion that he went out and got agrees with the professional medical staff of the Buffalo Sabres that the surgery is not necessary, and the current course of action and rehab is the best. There has been no indication that he won’t be healthy for training camp. If the injury were truly as serious as non-Sabres fans want to make it sound it would’ve been known to be career threatening from the very beginning. This type of chatter serves only as an attempt to drive down the value of a franchise player so you can trade for him for peanuts. Spare parts and lottery tickets don’t get it done, especially not to another team in the division.

That is exactly why he likely comes back next year and proves he is healthy before a deal is made

There is also no indication that he will be healthy come training camp PLUS, there is EVERY indication he wants out of Buffalo (and who could blame him). He is at odds with the team and not happy, so you think the Buffalo GM has leverage over other teams when they talk trade? Think again. His neck injury is serious, and until proven healthy, he is damaged goods. The market for him is dwindling as is any return they will get for him.

Good, that's what should happen. I like the kid and I hope he comes back fully healthy and scores 100+ points next year. If he's healthy, then Buffalo should get a lot for him. Until then, it's crazy to even consider.

The thing you’re not remembering is Buffalo still has all the leverage. Eichel has a five-year contract that he can’t get out of. He’s not going to retire, sit out his prime, and forgo $50 million just because he doesn’t want to play in Buffalo. Unless the Sabres get the offer they want in return for him they are under no obligation to trade him regardless of what he wants. Once he is cleared to play he is expected to show up and play, or be in breach of contract and then being sued for more than the money he’s earning. You’ll say “what about his no movement clause that takes affect next year?“ The Sabres can tell him to waive that no movement clause (if they get a good offer from somewhere he doesn’t want to go) if he wants a trade or he isn’t going anywhere. It’s not ideal, but Jack Eichel doesn’t have any leverage.

You're so right!

Unless it's for Pastrnak.

There isn’t one high end piece that Boston is offering here that makes me say yes. I don’t think Boston has the assets

Exactly! People think Eichel has all the leverage, he really doesn't. Buffalo does NOT have to trade him unless they get a very good offer.

These are points that can't be shouted loudly enough (since pretty much everyone in the media is ignoring them in favor of the lazy narrative that gets clicks). The Sabres don't actually have to trade him now. They might not want to wait but they can if the return isn't there. NMC kicks in after the season. Plenty of time even if the deal is tougher to pull off in season. Or they can just not do it and make him suffer. Not like any free agents are signing in Buffalo anyway.

The media has been kicking up this storm to keep getting headlines. All Friedman said was that he thinks the Sabres want to move Eichel. First, that's clearly an opinion (albeit an informed one). Second, to quote the philosopher Jagger: you can't always get what you want. They don't get the right return, they don't move him. That's business.

Trust me, its an easy no. Those are all pretty low quality pieces

NO to BOSTON

You're saying a player that is guaranteed $10 million a season for 5 more seasons has NO LEVERAGE? Really? Keep in mind, the guy has to show up and play to get paid, but he doesn't have to play well, and he doesn't have to be a positive force or influence in the room, and he doesn't have to do anything at all but show up. You want your captain.....leader of the team....to be forced to stay in a place he doesn't want to be rather than trade him and get what you can for him? You want another Jeff Skinner contract. Ok, force him to stay and see how that works out. See what his trade value is after another season of missing the playoffs.

Watching this kid play for the last five years, it’s not in his DNA to not try. I would think he knows if he plays like crap and obviously does not care that’s going to limit the amount of teams that are going to even call about him. One of the last things he said in his press conference that started all this crap is “I’m still this team’s captain.” That says to me if the plan is he comes to camp next season ready to play and prove he is still an elite player and that is what he plans to do.

Its not about him not trying. It's simply human nature that an unhappy person/employee typically doesn't perform as well as a happy person/employee. When someone doesn't feel appreciated or like they get treated the way they deserve, its natural for them to underperform. He doesn't like the way they have handled his injury and I'm sure he doesn't like being 5 years into a 10 year contract at 24 and he has never played in a playoff game. And with the way the team looked this year, do you think he feels like that is going to change any time soon? It's not like he would be the first player(s) to want out of Buffalo. This year Hall and Staal must both feel like they won lotto getting out of there. At least they got to play in the playoffs. Ristolainen is in the same boat. You think he doesn't want out of Buffalo? Do you think other GM's around the league might know this? Of course they do. Eichel has a serious neck issue and he's not happy in Buffalo so Buffalo's GM does not have any leverage in trading him. Every team in the league would want a healthy Jack Eichel, the problem is, he isn't healthy, so there is no serious trade market for him and especially not at the level of compensation Buffalo fans think.

Any player that does that would be done in the league. Anyway Eichel is too competitive to basically quit on his team. The reason why he's so unhappy is his team sucks and he's losing. If you surround him with actual talent and good coaching he'll be happy!

So your saying Buffalo hasn't had enough talent or good enough coaching over the past 6 years since Eichel came into the league? I can't say I agree with that, but lets assume its true for the sake of argument.....ok, what's going to change in these regards over the next few years to right the ship so they make the playoffs and Jack gets happy? Jack has seen nothing but losing for 6 years....what do you say to him, if you could, to assure him that is going to change in the near future?

Adding talent, which the Sabres lack. And yes the coaches they had sucked. It was reported that Eichel and other players didn't like Bylsma, Housley was a great player but not a great coach. Honestly I think Krueger is terrible, the guy lasted 1 year as the head coach of the Oilers and a year an a half with the Sabres.

I think they have had some very good hockey players on their team, enough to be a playoff team, that's for sure. But I think there is a much bigger problem which is upper management and ownership. From what you say, they don't get enough good players and they keep hiring bad coaches. But lets consider this.....they have had high draft picks almost every year for the past 8 years. Since Eichel was picked 2nd overall in 2015, they have had the 8th pick in 2016, the 8th pick in 2017, the 1st pick in 2018 (Dahlin), the 7th pick 2019, and then the 8th pick in 2020. Lets not forget Ristolainen was 8th overall in 2013 and Reinhart was 2nd overall in 2014. That is 8 years in a row with top 10 picks with two being number 2 overall and one being a number 1 overall. And you say they lack talent? They added Okposo, Skinner and this year Hall and Staal, and still did nothing. They have talent and keep in mind NONE of the high draft picks they took have ever played in a playoff game. Their coaches are not THAT BAD. Bylsma is not THAT BAD. Something else is going on in Buffalo. Perhaps lack of leadership (Eichel)? Perhaps bad team chemistry? Perhaps bad owners/GM that keep making the same mistakes over and over? I don't know what it is, but I don't think it's a lack of talent and all bad coaches. I don't buy that excuse. With all the recent picks they have had and a superstar like Eichel on the team, they should be a playoff team, plain and simple. But they are not. Not even close. Even more telling to me was how happy Staal and Hall were to be traded out of there at the deadline. They are not selfish players, so there has to be something wrong going on with the team. Just my opinion mind you, but it's not a lack of talent and bad coaching.