Buffalo Sabres

After a summer standoff, Jack Eichel reported to Buffalo Sabres camp this week, promptly failed his physical—as we knew he would—and was stripped of the captaincy. It was an extremely petty move by an organization that can't seem to figure out this whole rebuilding thing. 

And yet, it seems as if there is no way forward for the Sabres and their star center. It's an embarrassing situation that has spanned an entire offseason, and neither party wants to budge. It's also cast a negative light over the team as it prepares to open the 2021-22 season. 

Eichel, Buffalo's franchise cornerstone and a top-10 center in the NHL, has a herniated disk in his neck and wants an artificial disk replacement surgery. The Sabres were hoping he could avoid surgery altogether, but the neck is still a problem, as the failed physical shows. The club wants him to have a disk fusion surgery. 

It's a mess, but it's a mess of the club's own creation. 

Eichel will start the season on long-term injured reserve. Delaying any surgery keeps him off the ice longer, which makes the Sabres worse this season and will likely affect Team USA in the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

The debate in question is whether Eichel should follow the recommendations of team doctors or have the surgery he desires.

Artificial disk replacement surgery has never been performed on any active NHL player, which is why the powers that be in Buffalo are advising against it. It's a relatively new surgery that uses more current technology, and if successful would allow for greater mobility of the neck. The disk fusion surgery could require another procedure in the future and could limit the mobility of the neck. It might greatly affect his quality of life.

But the team views it as a safer bet since it has been performed on NHL players in the past. 

In the last collective bargaining agreement, the players relinquished the right to choose their final injury treatment, so Eichel does not get much of a say in his rehab. Even worse, he can't get out. Eichel even changed agents, moving to Pat Brisson of Creative Artists Agency in an attempt to leave Buffalo, but he's still a Sabre. 

General manager Kevyn Adams overplayed his hand. He negotiated with teams as if Eichel were healthy, asking for an NHL-ready center, an NHL-ready defenseman and one or more first-round picks. It was an unreasonable ask for a player in need of major neck surgery.

What is it the Sabres are trying to accomplish? Your guess is as good as mine. Eichel is still under contract for $50 million over the next five seasons, and a no-trade clause kicks in next season, though it would appear as though he would more than happily waive it. The rebuilding club thinks Eichel is key to returning to contention, but only a healthy Eichel has any benefit.

Instead, he's shelved and will continue to be until someone ends this stalemate and he can undergo some sort of surgery. He's drawn a hard line and says he will only have the disk replacement surgery. 

Thursday morning, Adams addressed the media at the start of camp. He said he has not ruled out fining Eichel for refusing the prescribed treatment. It's a bold move that would certainly test the limits of the CBA. Adams has said ownership, Terry and Kim Pegula, are in support of him and his decision-making. 

But what does Buffalo have to gain from this? Sure, a first-round draft pick and maybe a couple of prospects, but the club has done little to accrue any goodwill from its fanbase, and this debacle is doing little to improve the product on the ice. The fact that Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen each declined to deny they made trade requests before being dealt recently is telling of the situation's toxicity.

Buffalo's rebuilding efforts have been futile at best. But, hey, next year's draft class will be loaded, and since the Sabres already drafted Owen Power at No. 1 this year, maybe they'll get lucky in the lottery again and get to replace Eichel with Shane Wright. There are better, less embarrassing ways to tank, though, if that's what they're after. 

Eichel's value is limited, but for the betterment of both the club and the player, the Sabres need to trade him for whatever they can get. It's unfair to keep him in this position where he is worried about his health and the future of his career. Another organization can address the controversial surgery decision. 

For his part, Eichel has said he will continue to rehab away from the team so he won't be a distraction, per Adams. Even if he succeeds in his efforts to keep the spotlight on the ice, there is a void without him. 

Dylan Cozens, a 2019 first-round draft pick, is slated to take over Eichel's spot on the top line, which is a big ask for a 20-year-old. Buffalo has a history of rushing prospects, and clearly it hasn't worked out well. 

Casey Mittelstadt will have to play a bigger role this season on the second line. And then the depth drops off significantly. Rasmus Asplund could center the third line, and Cody Eakin will likely center the fourth. The depth is thin. Coach Don Granato got a lot out of a bad roster last season, so at least there is leadership behind the bench, but this isn't a team that will win a lot of games with the way the roster is constructed. 

It's not fair to Eichel to leave him in limbo with his health; it's not fair to the team to leave this hanging over the players' heads all season; and it's not fair to the fans. The only solution is to trade him, even if he's not going to get the mega-return desired. 

A divorce between Eichel and the Sabres is best for all involved. 

Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams announced Thursday that star Jack Eichel was removed as the team's captain after failing his physical because of a neck injury.

"From our perspective, the captain is your heartbeat of your team," Adams said. "And we are in a situation where we felt we needed to make that decision."

Eichel, who's been the focus of trade rumors throughout the 2021 NHL offseason, and the Sabres have been at odds about the treatment he should receive.

Eichel preferred to have an artificial disc replacement surgery, which hadn't ever been performed on an NHL player before. The Sabres, however, disagreed with the recommendation of Eichel's neurosurgeon and withheld their approval for the procedure in favor of a fusion surgery.

The 24-year-old center was limited to 21 games in 2020-21 as a herniated disc ended his season in April. 

Because of the delay in making a final decision, his availability for the start of the 2021-22 season was thrown into doubt.

The saga led many to feel a separation was inevitable.

Prior to the herniated disc, the 2015 first-round pick had been playing the best hockey of his career. He posted 160 points (64 goals, 96 assists) in 145 games between 2018-20 and had two goals and 16 assists through 21 appearances last season.

The Buffalo Sabres made a move Wednesday to lock up a future star.

Defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who was drafted No. 1 overall in 2018, agreed to terms on a three-year contract to remain in Buffalo. The deal has an average annual value of $6 million.

At 21 years old, Dahlin has already established himself as a key player for the Sabres. In his first season in 2018-19, he led all rookie defensemen with 44 points and was named one of three finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

In his first two seasons in the NHL, Dahlin accumulated 84 points, the second-most in league history by a defenseman under the age of 20.

Dahlin's production dipped slightly in 2020-21, as he played in 56 games and accounted for 23 points. He managed to average a career-high 21 minutes, 36 seconds of ice time, and he led the Sabres with an average ice time of 23:26 over the final 19 games of the season.

The Sabres have missed the playoffs for 10 straight seasons, the longest active drought in the NHL. Last season included an 18-game winless streak, which set a new NHL record. Captain Jack Eichel was limited to 21 games because of a back injury.

Buffalo head coach Ralph Krueger was fired in March and replaced by Don Granato, who was promoted from interim coach to head coach in June. Dahlin said he enjoyed playing for Granato and gave him a strong endorsement after the season.

"His way to play was how I learned to play hockey," Dahlin said of Granato. "But the thing I felt was that he trusted me as a player. He really saw what my potential was, and I felt comfortable playing out there. I wasn't thinking too much."     

The Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Buffalo Sabres in the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on March 13, the NHL announced Thursday.

The outdoor game will take place at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario, mostly known for being the home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League.

This will be the sixth Heritage Classic dating back to 2003, with the last one taking place in 2019 between the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets. Toronto was the only Canadian team yet to take part in this event, while Buffalo will be first United States squad included.

Both teams still have experience with outdoor games, with Buffalo competing at the Winter Classic in 2008 and 2018 while Toronto won the 2014 version against the Detroit Red Wings. The Maple Leafs also appeared in the 2017 NHL Centennial Classic and a 2018 game at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. 

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams discussed the upcoming battle:

It's an honor to play in the Heritage Classic game. It will be an incredible atmosphere and we are thrilled to be able to play the Maple Leafs in this special event. Many of us fell in love with hockey while playing on the pond or in backyards, so this will give us a chance to get back to our roots while celebrating the game of hockey.

The stadium atmosphere and local rivalry will keep things exciting for this battle, which will help as Buffalo continues its long-term rebuild. 

The Sabres finished last season with the fewest points in the NHL (37 in 56 games) and missed the playoffs for the 10th straight season. It was the fifth time in this stretch they finished last in their division.

Toronto has been much better in the regular season but continues to struggle in the playoffs, losing in the first round to the Montreal Canadiens last season. The squad hasn't advanced beyond the first round in any of the last five tries. 

Owen Power, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL draft, reportedly won't play for the Buffalo Sabres this season. 

Per Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News, Power will return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore year. 

A 6'5" defenseman, Power rose to the top of draft boards during his freshman campaign with the Wolverines. He scored 16 points in 26 games and was named to the All-Big Ten second team. 

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams told reporters after selecting Power with the top pick that the team believes his all-around game will translate to the NHL: 

“The way he handles himself on the ice and in all parts of his game, with the puck, his poise, the defensive reads he makes with a great stick, his hockey IQ -- I love that. I love his length and love his skating. Just an all-around good player that we really think is going to continue to get better and better. And he’s a really high character kid who is excited about being in Buffalo.”

While it is unusual for a No. 1 pick to delay his NHL career, it's not unheard of.

Erik Johnson, the first pick in the 2006 draft by the St. Louis Blues, played one season at the University of Minnesota in 2006-07 before going to the NHL.

The move didn't appear to hurt Johnson's development, as the Minnesota native posted 33 points as a rookie with the Blues during the 2007-08 season. 

Michigan has legitimate national title aspirations in 2021-22 with Power returning. Matty Beniers and Kent Johnson, who were both selected in the top five of the 2021 NHL draft, are also considering returning to college next season. 

The Sabres are still in the early stages of a rebuild after finishing with just 37 points last season. They can afford to wait for Power to join them as they continue to build a young roster capable of competing for a future playoff spot.   

Representatives for Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel released a statement blaming the team for failing to trade the center ahead of free agency.

After Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams told reporters "we're in control of this process", Eichel's agents, Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli, wrote that "the process is not working" and Eichel is awaiting medical clearance to have the surgery he needs to be ready for the start of next season.

“What’s critically important to make sure is clear is that we’re in control of this process,” Adams said Thursday. “We have a player under contract. We don’t feel any pressure. If there’s a deal out there that we feel is the right thing for the Buffalo Sabres, that’s going to help us improve—whether that’s improve right away or improve down the road, those are all the things weigh—we’d be open to it. But we’re not in a position where we feel we’re just going to do something to do it. That doesn’t make any sense.”

Eichel is under contract in Buffalo through 2025-26. 

Fish and Donatelli noted both the Sabres medical staff and Eichel's independent doctors required surgery, however, the agents claim Buffalo now disagrees with the procedure the center prefers.

Adams said the front office continues to have conversations with multiple teams about a deal for Eichel. However, he'll remain patient when it comes to moving the Sabres captain. 

“I take the emotion out of it," Adams said. "We look at what is best for us moving forward, and if there’s something that makes sense, we’ll do it. But what I can’t say is, ‘It has to be this time or that time or any sort of pressure point.’ If it’s the right time and the right deal we'll do it. I feel very strongly about that.”

Eichel is still just 24 years old and should have a long career as a No. 1 center ahead of him once he gets healthy enough to return to the ice. Yet he played just 21 games in 2020-21 after finishing with fewer than 70 games played in three of his previous four seasons. 

A $10 million average annual salary isn't easy to move in the best of circumstances, but the lack of medical treatment—to say nothing of a lack of urgency by the front office—only seems to delay the inevitable. 

Eichel wants out of Buffalo, and he needs to be healthy to continue his career. His agents believe the Sabres are the reason neither issue has been resolved. 

Trade talks surrounding Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel are "dead quiet," per TSN's Bob McKenzie.

John Vogl of The Athletic relayed McKenzie's remarks.

Eichel had two goals and 16 assists in 21 games during an injury-shortened 2020-21 campaign. Eichel missed more than half the season with a herniated disk in his neck.

The Sabres captain and the team have been at odds on how to treat the injury. Eichel prefers surgery, and he told reporters in May that he feels there's a "disconnect" between him and the team regarding the issue, per the Associated Press.

Per general manager Kevyn Adams (h/t The Athletic), Sabres doctors prefer a "conservative rehab approach."

On July 1, John Wawrow of the Associated Press relayed remarks from Peter Fish, one of Eichel's agents, who provided optimism that the two sides were nearing an agreement on how to handle the injury.

That's a notable factor in regard to any potential trade.

The same goes for Eichel's contract, with five years remaining on the eight-year,  $80 million extension. Eichel will be a free agent after the 2025-26 season.

There's no denying Eichel's incredible talent, however.

The No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL draft put together a 36-goal, 42-assist campaign over 68 games in 2019-20.

He's been nothing short of productive when healthy and could be a building block for a contending franchise.

However, the Sabres have not made the playoffs since 2011 and bottomed out this past season, finishing with a league-worst 37 points. Buffalo may be best suited to finding a taker for Eichel and starting another massive rebuild.

That taker doesn't appear to be the Minnesota Wild. Per Michael Russo of The Athletic, the team backed out of trade talks.

There is clear interest in Eichel, though. Darren Dreger of TSN reported Friday that the New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings were "potential fits." Dreger also wrote that the Montreal Canadiens "could be in the mix."

Eichel's agents, Fish and Peter Donatelli, expect a deal to happen soon.

"Our expectation is that Jack is going to be traded in the near future, and all of our discussions have been centered around that issue," they told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman on Sunday (h/t Jared Greenspan of the New York Post).

The 24-year-old Eichel has posted 139 goals and 216 assists during his six-year career.

The Buffalo Sabres selected Michigan defenseman Owen Power with the No. 1 pick in Friday's NHL entry draft. 

Power entered the draft as the consensus top-ranked North American skater, according to NHL Central Scouting. The 6'6", 213-pound native of Mississauga, Ontario, posted 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) in 26 games for the Wolverines last season and added another three assists in 10 games for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships in 2020-21. 

Corey Pronman of The Athletic agreed with the NHL's ranking, putting Power in the top slot of his predraft rankings in mid-June:

"Power had a great freshman season as one of the best defensemen in his conference while also one of its youngest, and played a key role for Canada in its gold medal run at the world championships. Power's offensive toolkit won't jump out immediately to you, but a 6'6" defenseman who can skate at the NHL level and move the puck well is a major asset. His skating isn't explosive, but his stride and edgework are excellent, and he can evade pressure very well. Power's offense comes from a great first pass and an ability to find seams in the offensive zone well. ... In a sentence, Power projects as a star all-situations NHL defenseman who won't land on highlight reels but will play tough minutes and drive play."

Power becomes the latest Michigan defenseman selected with a top-10 pick in recent years, following the likes of Quinn Hughes (No. 7, 2018) and Zach Werenski (No. 8, 2015). 

He's also the school's first No. 1 overall pick and the 26th alum selected in the first round. Previously, Jack Johnson was Michigan's highest draftee, going No. 3 overall in 2005, but the Carolina Hurricanes picked him before playing in Ann Arbor. Goalie Al Montoya (No. 6, 2004) is the Wolverines product who was selected the highest following his college career. 

The selection is a win for college hockey, too, as the NCAA produces its first No. 1 overall pick since the New York Islanders took goalie Rick DiPietro out of Boston University in 2000.

In June, Power said he was leaning toward a return to Michigan after the team's run to the Frozen Four was cut short by a COVID-19 outbreak ahead of the NCAA tournament. 

"I think right now I'm probably leaning more toward going back to school," Power told NHL Network (h/t  MLive.com's Ryan Zuke). "It's something I'd like to do, trying to get the true experience of playing college hockey. At the end of the day, it obviously depends on what the team wants and what everyone around me thinks is best. I don't think there's really a bad option, but I'd say I'm leaning a bit more toward going back to school right now."

With defensemen typically taking longer to develop into NHL stalwarts, the biggest factor in Power's decision may be whether or not Buffalo decides he's ready to play in the league right now or if his long-term plan includes a trip to the minor leagues.  

Jack Eichel has never played for an NHL team outside of the Buffalo Sabres, but that could change before the 2021-22 campaign.

According to Darren Dreger of TSN, the New York Rangers, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings have all emerged as "potential fits" for the center. What's more, Dreger noted the Montreal Canadiens "could be in the mix" as well.

Eichel is just 24 years old and under contract through the 2025-26 campaign. However, the Sabres have never made the playoffs since they selected him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NHL draft and could accelerate a rebuild by moving him for a number of pieces.

That so many teams are apparently interested is no surprise and could help Buffalo if a bidding war takes place.

The 6'2" center should provide offensive firepower as a three-time All-Star who posted 56 or more points in each of his first five seasons in the league. That changed when he played just 21 games because of a disk injury in 2020-21, but the Massachusetts native is still considered one of the best young playmakers in the NHL.

The Boston University product tallied 78 points and a plus-minus rating of plus-five during the 2019-20 campaign after finishing the previous season with a career-best 82 points.

The right-handed shot is the type of player who could immediately transform an offense for a contender, especially one like Montreal that just went to the Stanley Cup Final.

For as impressive as the Canadiens were throughout the playoffs, they didn't have the firepower to keep up with the Tampa Bay Lightning with the championship hanging in the balance. Eichel is someone who could close that gap for Montreal and a number of other teams.