How the Minnesota Wild could get Jack Eichel from the Buffalo Sabres

Jack Eichel is as close to being gone from the Buffalo Sabres as he’s ever been, and here’s how the Minnesota Wild can get him.

The Buffalo Sabres had another miserable season, with a league-low 37 points (15-34-7 record). Misery didn’t have quite as much company though, as star center Jack Eichel only played 21 games and didn’t play after March 7 due to a herniated disc in his next. In those appearances, he tallied 18 points (two goals, 16 assists).

Via the Buffalo News, Eichel spoke to the media on Monday. He cited the handling of his injury as a point of disconnect with the Sabres organization. He wanted to have surgery as soon as possible, with an eye on getting healthy as soon as possible. But the team, in their true bumbling fashion, vetoed that and wanted him to have surgery as a last resort. Rib, abdominal and ankle injuries also limited Eichel before his neck injury ended his season.

“For sure, I would say I’ve been a bit upset about the way things have been handled since I’ve been hurt. I would be lying to say that things have moved smoothly since my injury,” Eichel said. “So yeah, I think there’s been a bit of a disconnect I think from the organization and myself. It’s been tough at times.

“But right now, for me, I think the most important thing is just trying to get healthy and figure out a way to be available to play hockey next year, wherever that might be.”

How the Minnesota Wild could trade for Jack Eichel

On Wednesday, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Eichel has not asked for a trade. But that may be semantics, as Eichel’s unhappiness in Buffalo is not new. The biggest question is if he’s part of the long-running problem in Buffalo or simply a product of the problem. Still only 24 years old, with nearly a point-per-game average for his career (355 points in 375 games), a bet on his being a product of the problem could pay off handsomely.

Two of the most plugged-in NHL insiders, on a team or national level, have pointed to the Minnesota Wild as a possible suitor for Eichel. Some early odds have the Wild high on the list of destinations for him as well.

As Pierre LeBrun suggested, the Wild would have to make money work to get a deal done for Eichel. Contracts for Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek are coming soon, and the remainder of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s deals hangs over their cap sheet That said, Parise has been less and less useful this season, and he could be gone this offseason if the Wild are willing to eat some money.

It won’t be done cheaply, but here’s how the Wild could make a deal for Eichel.

Via the Jason Zucker trade a little over a year ago, the Wild have extra first- and third-round picks this year. Dumba lingers as a trade candidate, and he’s the only prominent Minnesota defenseman not under contract for more than two more seasons.

Rossi was the ninth overall pick in the 2020 draft, but his season was knocked off the rails by COVID-19. Kahkonen has contributed to the Wild’s success this season, and he finally gives them a young, long-term possibility between the pipes. Maybe Rossi is the one to send to Buffalo to get Eichel, with another top-end prospect in the system who’s a center (Alex Khovanov). But Kahkonen should not be untouchable if he is Buffalo’s preference, and it’s definitely him or Rossi, not both in any trade scenario. As much as it might draw some ire from fans, Kevin Fiala could be a player sent to Buffalo in an Eichel deal instead of someone else.

The Wild have some players/prospects who should appeal to the Sabres, with an extra first-round pick they can sweeten the pot with. The history of Buffalo’s recent front office iterations says they’ll be selling Eichel for pennies on the dollar. But the Wild have the ability to pay what would be full price, and it’s easy speculate that a change of scenery will spark a young star.