5 NHL teams that should make an offer for Jack Eichel

Potential Jack Eichel suitor: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning are one of the best and most talented teams in the NHL, so they don’t need a lot of help. But if they fall short in the playoffs again this year, a big move to shakes things up a little could land on the radar in the offseason ahead of what is in line to be a shorter 2020-21 season.

Imagine coach Jon Cooper coming at opponents with Eichel and Steven Stamkos as his top two centers, with Brayden Point (92 points last year, 64 points this year) as the No. 3? Or a No.1 line of Eichel/Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson? Point could also be offered to Buffalo get Eichel, on the note of “you have to give up something to get something.”

Tampa Bay will have to give up someone notable to get Eichel, if only to make salaries match up. But a move to extend an all-in window, and add one of the best players in the league to a talented squad, puts every option on the table.

Here are a couple offers Tampa Bay could make.

Johnson does have a no-trade clause, but perhaps he could be persuaded to waive it. Or, Buffalo would not be on a list of teams he’d block a deal to should he asked for such a list, as a matter of good faith by the Lightning.

At worst, Tampa Bay makes an offer for Eichel and gets rejected quickly (as other teams might). But it will be worth a try.