Buffalo tells you to kick rocks if you think they’re going to retain a dime on a five-year contract.

Let alone for that return... if the Rangers don't include at least K'Andre Miller (unlikely to part with Laf and KK), I can't see anything working. Strome is so overvalued, he's not a big part of any deal going to BUF.

And the last thing Buffalo needs is another left-handed defenseman, they have too many already. They are also probably drafting Owen Power, who is another left-handed defenseman. Without adding the Young Forwards Buffalo wants the Rangers just don’t have the pieces to make a trade for Jack Eichel.

Lol

I could be wrong, but if a player is traded away from a team they cannot be traded back to that team for a year

Buffalo needs talent, and has not drafted Power yet. Who knows, they could trade down and grab Beniers if they load up on wings and defensive prospects in a deal, The trade here lacks actual talent and is just a Ranger fan throwing out nothing that truly hurts.

Curious to know what the future plan would be. I quickly put this together, so the numbers may not be completely accurate, but IMO, adding Eichel and Gourde is a dangerous game to play.

-22/23 commitments: $65.887.
-Bonus carryover that will count against 22/23 cap: $4.987 mil
-Updated 22/23 commitments: $70.874 mil.
-Players signed for 22/23: 13.
-Max cap for 22/23: $82.5 mil.

Somehow managing to sign 9 players, including a backup goalie with $11.626 mil would be hard enough to do, let alone those players including Fox, Kakko (won't be overly expensive unless he goes off this year), Zibs (Guess that's a no), and whoever else.

Keep in mind that the following year, you'd have Laffy and Miller as your main guys to sign, with very little money being shed at that point either, aside from the small deals 1 year deals that you'd have to use to fill the roster original roster.

You're right, which is why I included Hunter Skinner who is a RHD prospect. I also included Kravstov, who was a top 10 pick so they are also getting a young forward. Strome is a strong 2C who Buffalo can extend or flip for a first at the deadline. Plus Georgiev and all of the picks. You're entitled to your opinion that this isn't enough but I don't think Buffalo has any leverage and that this is a solid package.

I had it about 60 mil in commitments for the 2022-23 season but you pose fair questions for sure. A big hope for the long term outlook here is that Chytil continues to develop so that if Zibanejad doesn't or can't be re-signed, they can go Eichel-Chytil-Gourde down the middle. I'm not too concerned about them locking up their key RFA's (Kakko, Fox, Miller, Laf) I more so worry about all the depth behind that so I'm hoping that a few of their later round picks from the last couple of years can hit as bottom 6 forwards or 3rd pair D. Overall I'm hoping the Rangers can get Zib to re-sign to a longer term, lower AAV contract akin to RNH. If not though I feel that core can compete long term even without him.

There isn’t a trade you can offer that would convince the Sabres to retain a dime on a five-year contract. Aside from that I am not convinced this is necessarily what’s the Sabres should be looking for in return for Eichel.