Buffalo Sabres Trading Jack Eichel Makes No Sense

The Buffalo Sabres are, at least on the face appearing to be not happy about losing the draft lottery this weekend, despite the fact that Jack Eichel is just as big a prize as Connor McDavid.

Tim Murray voiced his displeasure in an interview after the announcments were made, courtesy of Sabres.com:

As disappointed as we are for not having the No. 1 pick, we’re extremely happy to be able to pick 2 still.

So we don’t get Connor McDavid who will join three other first overall draft picks in Edmonton. Say what you will about the Edmonton Oilers, but they now boast a roster that includes Nail Yakupov (2012), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), and Taylor Hall (2010). If the Edmonton Oilers choose to take him with the first overall draft pick.

They most certainly will, but for a team that spends an awful lot of time in their own end, could disrupt the draft order by taking Noah Hanifin with the first overall draft pick. Hanifin might not be as NHL ready as the top two in the draft, but he is the highest ranked defenseman in this draft class.

Don’t get your hopes up too much though, Jack Eichel will still be a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

As high as the organization was on Connor McDavid – there is a very loud noise from the Sabres fans that are encouraging and possibly looking forward to the Buffalo Sabres putting a package together to entice the Edmonton Oilers to swap with the Buffalo Sabres and give them the first overall pick.

Let’s take a look at how this could go down.

The Buffalo Sabres would obviously have to give up their first round draft pick. That moves the Edmonton Oilers into the second overall position. The Sabres would also need to give up one of their defensive blue chips, either Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov, or Mark Pysyk.

You will probably need to sweeten the deal as well with a second round draft pick (hockey heaven knows we have enough of those).

This is overpaying for a player in the pure sense of the word. There is no other way around it. You are basically telling the Edmonton Oilers that you think they will be better off with Eichel, a few draft picks and the rest of the roster they already have in place.

If that is the case, why can’t you be just as well off with Jack Eichel and the other pieces you would need to give up to get Connor McDavid. Simple answer: you are better of picking Jack Eichel than trying to trade for Connor McDavid.

Of course, the Edmonton Oilers could choose to make a stand at the podium in June and work the rosters to get themselves into a very good position than just selecting first overall. Imagine the haul they could get from the Buffalo Sabres to swap first and second overall.

Now enter the Arizona Coyotes into the mix. Just like the Buffalo Sabres, they are at the bottom of the league and looking to make a quick rebound. They could turn around (if they truly wanted to go with Hanifin) and package the second overall draft pick to the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona would then get Jack Eichel, and order would be restored to the draft order once again.

It isn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility, and it would put Edmonton in a position to leap into elite team status. The only problem is, they would need a smart hockey mind to pull it off and put it together, and hockey intelligence is not something that is showing in Edmonton right now.

The NHL would win in this situation as well – by putting the top two prospects in a better marketing scheme.

The Buffalo Sabres don’t need to make a trade for the number one pick – and will be in just as good a position with Jack Eichel on the team. Until Tim Murray lets out that the team will be picking second for sure, or the draft happens, I am sure we will here plenty of trade options for Buffalo to move into first.

Next: Sabres Lose Draft Lottery - So Does McDavid

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