Jack Eichel is wasting no time establishing himself as an elite playoff performer.
The Golden Knights are currently in the Western Conference Final, battling with the Stars for a spot in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. It's Eichel's first time playing in the postseason, and he has played a major part in Vegas' run so far.
He has been exactly the kind of player that Vegas expected to get when the team brought in Eichel in the fall of last season. The 26-year-old had a rocky end to his tenure with the Sabres that led to the trade with the Golden Knights.
Looking back on the trade now, the deal has worked out quite well for both sides. Eichel is ripping it up with the Golden Knights, playing top minutes and coming through as one of their best forwards.
Meanwhile, the Sabres had their best regular season in over a decade and the pieces they gained in the Eichel deal are going to play a prominent role in the club becoming playoff contenders.
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But how is it that Eichel ended up on the Golden Knights? The Sporting News revisits the Golden Knights and Sabres deal that ended up with the star center in Sin City.
Why did the Sabres trade Jack Eichel?
Eichel was once seen as the savior of the Sabres, selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft to lead the team out of the dark ages. Nothing went according to plan.
A dispute over neck surgery is ultimately what was the final nail in the coffin for the Eichel saga in Buffalo.
Just 21 games into the 2020-21 season, Eichel collided awkwardly with Devils forward Nico Hischier during a game on March 7, 2021. It later was announced that Eichel had a herniated disk that would keep him out of the remainder of the season, and he was placed on long-term injured reserve.
In May 2021, Eichel met with the media to discuss the injury. It was then that he first expressed a "disconnect" between himself and the organization over the treatment of his neck.
"I've been a bit upset about the ways things have been handled since I've been hurt. I'd be lying to say that things have moved smoothly since my injury. There's been a bit of a disconnect between myself and the organization. It's been tough at times. Right now, for me, the most important thing is just trying to get healthy, figure out a way to be available to play hockey next year, wherever that might be."
Eichel wanted to get disc replacement surgery for his neck, but the team's doctors were advising against it, suggesting instead that he go for fusion surgery. The disagreement created a rift between the two sides that was never resolved.
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The star went the summer without any operation on his neck. As a result, he was not ready for the 2021-22 season, and the Sabres stripped him of his captaincy after he failed his physical. A few months later, the trade with the Golden Knights was completed.
It was speculated that Eichel had requested a trade from the Sabres, but it wasn't until after the deal went through that the center confirmed that he had in fact asked to be traded.
Jack Eichel trade details
- Golden Knights get: F Jack Eichel, 2023 third-round pick
- Sabres get: F Alex Tuch, F Peyton Krebs, 2022 first-round pick, 2023 second-round pick
The deal was seen as a win-win for both sides. The Golden Knights got the best player in the deal and a franchise center, while the Sabres got rid of an injured player who wanted out for a bonafide top-nine forward, a promising prospect and a first-round pick.
Eichel struggled last season coming off of the neck surgery, but he has flourished in his first full season in Vegas. The center put up 66 points in 67 games, leading the team in the regular season in points and finishing second in goals, despite missing 15 games.
He has elevated his game even higher during Vegas' postseason run. Eichel has performed exactly like the top-line center that the Golden Knights thought they were acquiring a little over a year and a half ago.
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Tuch was set up to be a fan favorite before he even got to Buffalo, and he's been exactly that. A native of Syracuse, Tuch grew up a Sabres fan, and finding players who actually wanted to play for the Sabres, at the time of the trade at least, was scarce.
His style of play has resonated with the fans, finishing this season with 79 points in 74 games. He trailed only Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner in points while finishing second behind Thompson in goals with 36. Tuch has quickly become one of the leaders of the team and feels like the prime candidate to take over as captain whenever Kyle Okposo retires or leaves the team.
At the time, Krebs was considered to be the Golden Knights' top prospect. The 2019 first-round pick has since turned into a really nice piece for Buffalo's young core, skating in a bottom-six role this season. Krebs had 26 points in 74 games, but at 22 years old, there is still plenty of development for him.
The first-round pick ended up being a lot higher in the draft than expected. Vegas shockingly missed the postseason last season, so Vegas' pick was at No. 16 rather than late in the first round as was expected. The Sabres used the selection on Noah Ostlund, a Swedish prospect who isn't expected to come over to North America until 2024-25, at the earliest.
Jack Eichel contract
Eichel is wrapping up the fifth year of his eight-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Sabres in 2018. His deal carries a cap hit of $10 million per season.
His contract carries a no-movement clause that kicked in this season. The Golden Knights center won't be a free agent until the summer of 2026.
| Year | Cap Hit |
| 2023-24 | $10 million |
| 2024-25 | $10 million |
| 2025-26 | $10 million |
| 2026-27 | UFA |
