Quoting: Caniac2000
It had never been done in the NHL, but it had been done in hockey. There was proof it was better than the alternatives.
You can make the case any player is one bad hit away from being on the operating table. It's a fast game played on ice that encourages physicality. There's going to be serious injuries, as much as we wish there weren't. It's the reality of the sport.
Eichel played most of his career in Buffalo with Zemgus Girgensens and Kyle Okposo on his wings... I think I'd rather have Dach... Not to mention, Eichel is a C. That's indisputably a more valuable position. While Eichel does make 10 mil per for the next 4, Cats deal is up at the end of next year, and there's no telling how much he'll get right now.
Yes, Eichel had the injury. But he's also a significantly better player than cat at a more valuable position.
I'm not going to argue the merits of a ADF vs. ADR; being a patient I know more about the procedure, outcome and living as a spine patient then the vast majority of people. Bottom line, it brings a much higher chance of career ending risk, ongoing pain, additional surgeries, performance drops post op, then most most players face with surgical procures. Easiest way to think about it is having a knee replacement or hip replacement (even those have much higher success rates surgically speaking) and expecting the athlete to come back and perform consistently over the long term (given his young age) in a very physically demanding sport; it's unknown and the outcomes have proven in other sports to having impacts on the athletes either immediate or longer term or in some cases ultimately ending their careers aside from a bad hit. Those that don't understand the mechanics of the spine and neurology and how muscle works, probably think this is like getting a torn tendon repaired or repairing a broken bone with pins....it's not remotely close.
There is no question given the type of surgery/injury that it reduced his value on the market and there's not disputing that some teams aren't willing to pay $10M a year to take on that risk and all will not pay top dollar to do so in terms of giving up assets. Add to is a public stalemate with Buffalo and Eichel wanting out, UFA status in 4 years, and Vegas got Eichel at a discount and rightfully so. Would Matthews, McDavid, MacKinnon, etc. get more...1000% yes and again for good reason.
Cat is a RFA and a year younger and healthy...massive difference so to compare the two in trade value is a fool's errand.