The Buffalo Sabres are a disaster. Recently, the organization not only fired their general manager, but they also fired pretty much everybody. Terry and Kim Pegula cleaned house. We’re talking about a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs in a decade. Everything is ugly when it comes to the Sabres… except for Jack Eichel.
Eichel is the one superstar player the Sabres are holding onto. Could this be the time where Buffalo really blows it up and dangles Eichel in an effort to kickstart a rebuild? If so, there’s one team that needs to make the trade happen. It’s time to bring Jack Eichel back home. It only feels right for Eichel to come home to Boston.
The Bruins have a lot of players from the Boston area. Charlie Coyle and Chris Wagner are just a couple of examples. Eichel was born in Chelmsford Massachusetts and was collegiate teammates with Matt Grzelcyk at Boston University. Eichel will have no problem fitting in with the Bruins.
Add in the fact that Eichel is tired of losing. It’s very possible if rumors start to swirl that he starts pushing for a trade:
“Listen, I’m fed up with losing and I’m fed up and I’m frustrated,” said Eichel, who has missed the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of his five NHL seasons since jumping into the NHL as an 18-year-old kid. “It’s definitely not an easy pill to swallow right now. It’s been a tough couple of months, it’s been a tough five years with where things have [gone].
“I’m a competitor. I want to win every time I go out on the ice. I want to win the Stanley Cup every time I start a season. I’d be lying if I said that I’m not getting frustrated with where things are going. it’s been a pleasure working with (Sabres coach) Ralph (Krueger) and he does so much for our group every day. There are tough times and he does an amazing job of bringing us back in and narrowing our focus and getting us back to where we need to be mentally. But yeah, I’m definitely not in the greatest place with where the last little bit went and it’s definitely worn on me.”
What’s a better landing spot than the best team in the NHL? The Bruins have more points than any team in the NHL this year and are obvious title contenders. This is a team he won’t have to worry about whether they’re competitive or not.
I have no idea what a trade could possibly entail. former first round pick John Beecher, Jake DeBrusk, and some picks is maybe a start. Who knows? Could someone like Brandon Carlo be a centerpiece? Boston would also probably have to dump David Krejci to make a trade work cap wise. I’m not saying it’s easy but Don Sweeney has to pick up the phone and try.
More than anything, Eichel gives the Bruins a hometown superstar to build the franchise around moving forward. The David Pasternak, Brad Marchand, and Patrice Bergeron front line is already the best in the NHL. Imagine adding a monster like Eichel to pass the torch too as Bergeron ages? The Sabres center just finished eighth in the NHL with 38 goals and 10th with 78 points in 68 games.
Eichel, 23, is one of the best young players in the league. Given what’s going on with the Sabres, it’s hard to imagine they won’t at least listen on their best player to try to completely start over. Pick up the phone, Don, and bring Eichel back home.
