Buffalo Sabres: 3 favorable results from the Jack Eichel Trade
The Buffalo Sabres, at least in the short-term won big on the Jack Eichel Trade from November 2021 that brought Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs
Fans of the Buffalo Sabres rejoiced on March 10th when Alex Tuch stole the puck from Jack Eichel and scored an empty-netter in the waning moments of the ex-Sabre’s homecoming to the KeyBank Center.
What made this victory even more special was the fact that the Sabres were coming off of two straight losses where opponents outscored them 9-1. Obviously, the contending, or supposedly contending Vegas Golden Knights were supposed to run away with this game.
Instead, it didn’t happen, and the Sabres have enjoyed a 13-6-3 record (29 points) since that evening. Meanwhile, the Knights ended up missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
So, it’s not fun being Jack Eichel right now. Not only has Eichel’s former team meshed in recent weeks and will head into the offseason with momentum regardless of what happens in these final two games, but the Knights seemingly regressed since his debut on February 16th.
And yes, the Buffalo Sabres faithful has every right to rejoice. They have gotten far more out of Alex Tuch than what Eichel gave them in 2020-21.
Then there is Krebs, who could easily make The Jump next season, much like Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson managed this year. Especially Thompson, who we will talk about in the following slides as one of three positive results that stemmed from the Jack Eichel Trade.
In the short-term, if you are a Sabres fan, you can further rejoice that your team has won out. And since the Sabres (probably) have the Knights 2022 first-round pick this season, the wins may not be over yet.
Tage Thompson eclipses Eichel’s career-high
Flash back to September 2021 for a second. Tage Thompson was a borderline afterthought who most believed was a draft bust. Eichel, on the other hand, was still a member of the Sabres, although the team placed him on injured reserve and stripped him of his Team Captain status.
Fast-forward to April 2022, in which Thompson is threatening to score 40 goals. And his 37 on the season surpassed Eichel’s career-high of 36, which he set in 2019-20. Now, to be fair, Eichel was on-pace for 42 goals before the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the Sabres regular season.
But let’s not spoil the fun. A final statistic is a final statistic, no matter how you look at it. Thompson’s 37 goals this season is more than what Eichel had ever scored in a blue and gold uniform, and that’s what will go down in Sabres, and NHL, history.
So, kudos to Tage Thompson, who effectively redeemed his career this season and solidified himself as Eichel’s replacement. What a difference a few months make.
Sabres most likely get a top 16 pick
The Sabres also acquired a first-round pick in the Jack Eichel Trade, which they will most likely use this season. The pick is top-ten protected, so it will go to Vegas if they wind up picking in the top ten via the NHL Draft Lottery. However, those chances are slim.
Besides their own draft pick, which will most likely fall in the top ten, the Sabres may enjoy TWO picks in the top fifteen. And with an influx of talented young players already playing at the NHL level and over in Rochester, the rich will get richer. Because it’s highly unlikely general manager Kevyn Adams is blowing these picks.
Let’s not get too cute, but we can realistically fantasize that the Sabres might just have a potential Team of the Decade brewing if they can continue to nail their many draft picks. So the positive benefits regarding the Jack Eichel Trade may not be over yet.
But even if the Sabres don’t reach such lofty expectations, odds are, they will end up being regular contenders. Which is more than what they have been in a long time.
Sabres got value in Tuch, Krebs
Earlier, I talked about the sheer value the Sabres got in Alex Tuch. With 38 points in 48 contests, Tuch has more than proved his value. Even sweeter, he has mainly seen time on the Thompson line but has most recently been playing on the second line with Peyton Krebs and Casey Mittelstadt.
Tuch’s move to the second line was not necessarily a demotion. It was a move head coach Don Granato made given Victor Olofsson’s breakout campaign that started in mid-February. Olofsson continued to contribute well, and Tuch showed he can build chemistry with players on any given line.
Krebs has not seen the same amount of ice time as Tuch, but he made the most of his opportunities. Averaging 14:53 of ice time, Krebs scored seven goals and 15 assists, posting a 15.2 shooting percentage.
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If there are any early indicators, it is that both Tuch and Krebs will be long-term contributors for the Buffalo Sabres. Trading away one quality player for two high-end players has definitely put the Sabres in a far better position than they were this time last season.
(Statistics courtesy of Hockey-Reference)