Patience is key for Adams in Eichel vs. Sabres standoff

Jack Eichel is a generational talent that can change the outcome of a hockey game. But his elite abilities won’t give him the power to win the game of chicken that is coming with the Buffalo Sabres and GM Kevyn Adams.

So far, Adams has stubbornly rejected every trade proposal involving Eichel, despite mounting pressure and numerous reports that he is asking too much in return. The longer the drama lasts, the more pressure he gets. Despite that, he has remained patient.

And why shouldn’t he? Eichel has five years remaining on his contract.

If Eichel continues to demand a trade and goes so far as to refuse to play for the Sabres when his neck heals, then Adams should be able to dare him to go ahead and sit out for all five years that are left on his contract. It seems unlikely, if not absurd that Eichel would sit out all five years. He would come across to the rest of the league as a petulant child, especially if the new younger version of the Sabres has any success on the ice without him.

The only way Adams loses in that scenario is if Eichel is angry enough to really sit for five seasons and then walk because Adams will then get nothing in return when he leaves.

Assuming Eichel does decide to play once he is healed, Adams can hold on to him and let him stay with the Sabres at least long enough to show the rest of the league that he is healthy and still has world-class skills. At that point, the trade proposals should be more appropriate than what has been offered up to this point and a fair deal can be consummated.

There is concern that if Adams waits too long and lets Eichel’s no-movement clause kick in next Summer, that it would make it tougher to get a proper return on a trade. But it can also be argued that it won’t matter because Eichel will still be motivated to leave. It may not be in his best interest to veto a trade that includes a fair return because he would just be prolonging his pain.

Adams has the better hand here and so far he has played it nicely by staying patient and demanding a fair return. Shame on him if he blinks first and accepts a mediocre return in a trade. He has come too far to let that happen. If the return for Eichel is similar to the return Jason Botterill got for Ryan O’Reilly, then Adams should clean out his desk the very next day.

There is one more scenario that nobody has suggested. That is Eichel plays for the Sabres, scores 50 goals, and sets up Jeff Skinner and Victor Olofsson for 50 more and the team takes a giant leap forward. Maybe then he would want to stay. That seems far-fetched but a fan can dream, can’t he?