Buffalo Sabres must ignore critics praising only Jack Eichel

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 23: Jack Eichel #9 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on February 23, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 23: Jack Eichel #9 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on February 23, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The Buffalo Sabres traded Jack Eichel and received a ransom of two key players and draft picks in return. 

Despite the Buffalo Sabres acquiring first and second-round picks besides two key contributors in Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs in the Jack Eichel trade, many hockey writers and critics claim Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights won out, while the Sabres lost.

So, three points in three games with the Knights, and you’re already crowning Eichel as the new King of Las Vegas? While Eichel and the Knights are in definite contention to earn the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, there is no way you can confidently say Eichel and the Knights are the clear winners here.

Jack Eichel’s Trade Could Benefit Vegas AND the Buffalo Sabres

What really jumped out at me is that, in the article linked above, the writer must not have paid close attention to Krebs’ evolution from AHL standout to full-time NHL forward. And a productive one whose game continues to improve.

And what about Alex Tuch? As it stands, and this can change at the drop of a puck, but Tuch’s averaging more points per game than the former Sabres forward, at 21 in 19 games. So the notion that the Sabres lost this trade while Eichel won is the product of little to no research on the Sabres behalf.

Besides, the trade gave the Sabres a third first-round draft pick for 2022, assuming they don’t trade the pick away. So the possibility they may gain even more than two productive young forwards is likely.

And really, Eichel did what in Buffalo, exactly, in his six years with the franchise? Sure, he averaged at least a point per game, if not more. So there’s no taking away from Eichel’s production. He’s a brilliant forward and he always will be.

But his presence never attracted players to the franchise. They never once earned a playoff berth with Eichel taking the starring role. He was a valuable player, and when relations broke down between him and the Sabres, he became valuable trade bait. The Sabres yielded just as, if not more effective results, at least in the short-term, as the Golden Knights.

So no, Eichel isn’t the only winner here. At the absolute least, both the Sabres and Golden Knights benefitted, and the sports media needs to step up and acknowledge that.

(All statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)