It’s been almost four years since the Buffalo Sabres traded star center Jack Eichel. The Sabres, in turn, acquired a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 second round pick, Alex Tuch and prospect Peyton Krebs. The Sabres used their newfound pick to draft Noah Ostlund, who made his NHL debut for the Sabres last season.
Eichel, traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, went on to win a Stanley Cup in 2023. The Sabres have finished 24th, 20th, 22nd and 26th, respectively.
“The price was high for him, obviously, in terms of what we have sent to Buffalo. But, at the same time for a player of this ilk, it should be high,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said in a news conference following the trade. “For me, when you look at what an NHL contending team should look like, he’s really an important piece of that.”
Eichel’s Time Since 2021
Eichel has had a resurgence since his artificial disk replacement surgery. He made his debut January 2022 and went on to put together 25 points in 34 games with the Golden Knights. Four seasons later, he’s now a mainstay on the roster, with 100 goals and 153 assists for 253 points in 241 games.
Eichel won the Stanley Cup in 2023. He’s now eligible for an extension and, by all accounts, the Golden Knights are ready to lock him down. Danny Webster, Golden Knights beat reporter for the Las Vegas City Journal, had this to say:
“[Eichel] is now eligible for an 8-year contract extension to make him the highest-paid player in Golden Knights history. Might not happen today, but both sides obviously want to get it done.”
Eichel is the first line center for the Golden Knights, flanked by Pavel Dorofeyev and newly-signed Mitch Marner. They’ve quickly become one of the top teams in the NHL and, with Eichel’s help, look to fight for another Stanley Cup.
Sabres Acquistions Still Panning Out
Of the four assets acquired in the Eichel trade, Alex Tuch is far and beyond the best addition. Tuch, an alternate captain for the Sabres, is a mainstay both on and off the ice. Only Tage Thompson has scored more for the Sabres over the last four seasons than Tuch. In — games with the Sabres, Tuch has 106 goals and 137 assists for 243 points in 281 games.
Peyton Krebs, 24, hit career highs last season with 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points in 82 games. Krebs, originally drafted in the first round by the Golden Knights in 2019, has yet to live up to his draft position. With that said, however, there’s still time for him to grow into a serviceable depth role.
As mentioned earlier, Ostlund made his NHL debut in the 2024-25 season. With that said, however, he remained scoreless in just eight games. Having said that, at 22 years of age, he still has time to develop. Opportunity for a full-time NHL should come his way with the Sabres this upcoming season.
Last but not least, the Sabres traded the 2023 second round pick to acquire forward Jordan Greenway, who ended last season with eight points in 34 games.
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