Speculation involving the Anaheim Ducks
John Vogl and Eric Stephens of The Athletic: (the two recently had a back and forth about Jack Eichel)
Stephens said he could for sure see Jack Eichel fitting in nicely with the Anaheim Ducks. He’s exactly what they need. They’d be set with Eichel and Trevor Zegras down the middle. The Sabres may want Zegras but the Ducks aren’t trading him for Eichel.
Vogl adds that Eichel to the Ducks makes sense as they aren’t in a win-now mode this season and can live with Eichel being out for the majority of the season.
The Ducks have the salary cap space and possibly more depending on what they do with pending UFAs forward Rickard Rakell, and defensemen Josh Manson and Hampus Lindholm.
So who could the Sabres potentially get if Zegras and Jamie Drysdale aren’t available? Stephens thinks that 2021 NHL first-round pick Mason McTavish would come up in talks and it might be someone the Ducks would consider. Maxime Comtois and Troy Terry might be brought up. The Ducks 2022 first-round pick would be asked about, and a Ducks may want to attach a condition to it as they are likely a lottery team.
The Ducks may be two years away from winning, and Eichel is sick of losing. Would he want to play there? Vogl thinks Eichel would it love it and thrive in the market.
Speculation involving the Vegas Golden Knights
Owen Krepps of Vegas Hockey Now: The Vegas Golden Knights are off to a slow start and are dealing with a bunch of injuries.
The Buffalo Sabres are looking for a first-round pick, a top prospect, a top-six forward, and a defenseman under 25-years old for Jack Eichel.
Talks between the Sabres and Golden Knights have heated up of late, and you can include the Calgary Flames as well.
Salary cap concerns are there for the Golden Knights and they’d need to move salary to the Sabres and possibly elsewhere.
Shea Theodore’s name has been speculated, but Nic Hague may be a better possibility. Theodore has three years left on his deal at $5.2 million.
Reilly Smith ($5 million) and Alex Tuch ($4.75 million) could make some sense up front. Tuch grew up in Buffalo. Smith is a pending UFA and may not interest the Sabres.
The big issue for the Golden Knights is that they are wanting to be a contending teams and losing a two top-six forwards and a top-four defensemen make it harder to even make the playoffs.
Peyton Krebs has also come up in trade speculation. Could the Sabres be okay with a package including Theodore, Krebs, and maybe Evgenii Dadonov instead of Smith?