Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres announced they've traded defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for defenseman Robert Hagg, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft on Friday night and a second-round pick in the 2023 draft.

Anthony SanFilippo of CrossingBroad.com had first reported the deal. ESPN's Kevin Weekes added details about the draft picks involved in the swap.

It's a stunning trade based on Ristolainen's long-term struggles to handle a top-pair role in Buffalo.

The No. 8 pick in the 2013 draft was thrust into a key spot in the Sabres lineup as a 19-year-old, and he hasn't proved capable of that level of responsibility across eight seasons.

Micah Blake McCurdy of HockeyViz provided a statistical breakdown of the Finn's career, which shows a negative impact both offensively and defensively:

It's worth noting Ristolainen, who's scored 245 points (46 goals and 199 assists) in 542 games, was miscast as a No. 1 defenseman from the start by Buffalo. It's possible he'd be more valuable lower in the lineup in five-on-five situations while being featured as a power-play quarterback.

Yet the exorbitant price paid by the Flyers suggests they're planning to use him as a high-volume part of their defense corps. That's a risky decision based on his past results and his $5.4 million cap hit for the 2021-22 season.

Meanwhile, Hagg, 26, has also struggled across four-plus NHL seasons, as highlighted by JFresh of EP Rinkside:

The Swede is under a more team-friendly contract for next season ($1.6 million cap hit) and should take on a less prominent role within the Sabres defense than Ristolainen, though.

The main part of the deal for Buffalo is the draft picks, led by the 14th pick Friday that will actually be No. 13 because the Arizona Coyotes have forfeited the No. 11 selection. The Sabres also own the first overall pick, with Michigan defenseman Owen Power being the presumptive top choice.

It's part of the latest rebuilding effort by the Sabres, who own the NHL's longest playoff drought at 10 seasons. The next highest is the Detroit Red Wings at five years.

Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart are among the other notable players who may be moved by Buffalo either leading up to the draft or throughout the remainder of the offseason.

The Ristolainen trade is the first concrete sign that the team's lineup will look a lot different by the time the new season kicks off in October.

The Buffalo Sabres removed the interim tag from Don Granato on Tuesday, making him the 20th head coach in franchise history.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN reported Granato's contract will be for three years. He took over as interim coach on March 17, leading the Sabres to a 9-16-3 record.

The veteran coach initially joined the Sabres under Ralph Krueger during the 2019-20 season. Buffalo fired Krueger after less than two seasons.

The Sabres have not reached the playoffs since the 2010-11 season. Granato will be tasked with improving a roster that recorded just 15 wins in a 56-game season, though most of those came under his tutelage.

"He made all the young guys play very well," defenseman Rasmus Dahlin told reporters of Granato. "He made us feel confident. Every day we came to the rink we were in a good mood. We always knew he had our back and that's a huge key for having success."

The young locker room's confidence in Granato is likely what won him the job. The 53-year-old understands working his way up through the system after having done it himself as a coach, beginning with the USHL in 1993 and then transitioning to the CHL and AHL before finally getting his chance at the NHL level.

The Buffalo Sabres are reportedly seeking "at least four pieces that would be equivalent of first-rounders" in order to move star center Jack Eichel in a blockbuster trade.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported the asking price Monday, and noted the New York Rangers are among the interested NHL teams and have had "preliminary talks" with the Sabres about Eichel, but they're awaiting further medical information after he missed the end of the 2020-21 season with a neck injury.

In his season-ending press conference, Eichel expressed frustration about how the organization handled the treatment of the herniated disk in his neck. His side preferred a surgical procedure, while the Sabres wanted to take the more conservative route of rest and rehabilitation.

"My No. 1 interest and my No. 1 goal is Jack Eichel,” he told reporters. "... You've got to look after yourself, you've got to look after what you think is best for yourself, and the organization has a similar job to do, but it's to look after what's best for the Buffalo Sabres."

He added his main goal was "just trying to get healthy and figure out a way to be available to play hockey next year...wherever that might be."

In turn, the trade rumors that had already started to circulate during the Sabres' struggles en route to their 10th straight playoff-less season kicked into overdrive following the three-time All-Star's comments.

Trying to determine fair value for Eichel could prove difficult for Buffalo and interested teams, though.

The 24-year-old Boston University product is one of the NHL's best centers when healthy. He's tallied 355 points (139 goals and 216 assists) across 375 games since the Sabres selected him with the second overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft.

Eichel has compiled those numbers despite playing on some lackluster Buffalo teams, and there's a real chance he could take his game to an MVP level alongside more talented teammates.

On the flip side, he's coming off an injury that caused him to miss the final two months of the 2020-21 campaign and still doesn't have a definitive treatment plan or timetable for a return to full strength. Opposing general managers will probably also point toward his own remarks to suggest he may want out of Buffalo.

The other factor is his eight-year, $80 million contract. The Sabres will argue teams are acquiring an elite center under team control through 2025-26. Interested front offices will say his $10 million cap hit each season is difficult to navigate in the NHL's uncertain financial waters coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eichel is the Sabres' most valuable asset by a considerable margin. If the team ultimately moves him, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams' opportunity to turn the struggling franchise around will likely hinge almost entirely on the return he gets for the team's current captain.

The equivalent of four first-round picks—the same compensation as the maximum possible via a contract offer sheet to a restricted free agent—is a fair baseline value for a player of Eichel's caliber, but the surrounding circumstances make it unclear whether teams will meet that asking price.

If not, the Sabres may have to grapple with the question of lowering their expectations or asking a clearly disgruntled player to return for the 2021-22 season with no guarantee the team as a whole will be prepared to take a significant step forward.

A resolution figures to come before the 2021 NHL draft on July 23, where Buffalo will make the No. 1 overall pick in a year without a consensus top prospect.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are not in "hot pursuit" of Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel at this moment, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic:

"There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s get this part out of the way first: after talking with numerous sources in recent days, it doesn’t appear that the Blue Jackets—at least as of today—are in hot pursuit of Eichel, one of the premier centers in the league.

"Has Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen had conversations with his counterpart in Buffalo, Kevyn Adams? Yes. That’s what high-ranking executives call 'due diligence.' Earlier this week, Kekalainen said he spoke with 'six or seven' GMs in a single day."

Eichel, 24, has 139 goals and 216 assists in six seasons for the Sabres, who selected the forward with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft.

Eichel only played 21 games this year, posting two goals and 16 assists for a Sabres team that finished with the fewest points in the NHL. His last game was on March 7.

The Sabres announced on April 14 that he would miss the remainder of the season with a herniated disc in his neck.

Trade rumors circulated around Eichel as the Sabres floundered, and the young star expressed his frustration with the organization in May while keeping the door open for a potential fresh start elsewhere.

Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News provided the remarks:

"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. 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."

Of note, Eichel wishes to have surgery to handle his ailment, while the Sabres believe that surgery should be a last resort, per Lysowski.

The Blue Jackets have a lot of questions to ponder after finishing last in the Central Division with 48 points. It was a decidedly disappointing result for a team that had made the playoffs each of the past four years, and now Columbus must regroup. Of note, defenseman Seth Jones appears on his way out after he informed the team that he won't sign a contract extension, per Portzline.

Eichel doesn't figure to be in the Blue Jackets' picture for now, but his contract (five years remaining on an eight-year, $80 million deal) would certainly play a factor for any team willing to acquire him. Still, Eichel is a fantastic point scorer when healthy, notably racking up 36 goals and 42 assists in 68 games in 2019-20.

Buffalo Sabres star Jack Eichel could be on the move this offseason, and TSN's Darren Dreger has identified three teams that are "in the mix" to land the 24-year-old.

In an appearance Friday on WGR 550, Dreger said the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings are among potential landing spots for the forward. The Sabres captain said last month that "there's been a bit of a disconnect" between him and the organization that drafted him at No. 2 overall in 2015. 

Eichel appeared in 21 games in 2021, scoring two goals and logging 16 assists before a herniated disk in his neck ended his season prematurely. 

According to Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post, Eichel wanted to have surgery to repair his neck injury—which he suffered on the ice on March 7—but the Sabres did not support that decision. 

"I have a lot of thinking to do in this offseason," he said in May. "I think that there’s a lot that I have to consider. But for now, obviously, I’m here." 

The center has five years and $50 million remaining on his current contract, with a no-trade clause in effect in 2022. 

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported Monday that the Sabres were having conversations with other teams and those negotiations were "getting more intense and serious."

In addition to Los Angeles, Anaheim and Columbus, LeBrun tabbed the Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers as possible destinations, noting that he thinks general manager Kevyn Adams is hoping to land a first-round pick in this year's draft in exchange for Eichel. 

With the draft coming up on July 23, that puts any interested team on the clock, something that was reflected when WGR 550's Jeremy White said Thursday that he expected a move to be made within "days."

Trade talk surrounding Buffalo Sabres superstar center Jack Eichel is reportedly starting to heat up.

According to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, negotiations between the Sabres and teams interested in acquiring Eichel are getting "more intense and serious."

LeBrun theorized that if the Sabres are going to move Eichel this offseason, general manager Kevyn Adams would like to get a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft as part of the package, meaning a deal would have to be struck by July 23, the first night of the draft.

After putting up the best numbers of his career in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, hopes were high for Eichel entering the 2020-21 campaign, especially after Buffalo signed winger Taylor Hall in free agency.

The signing didn't work out, as Hall (19 points in 37 games) was traded to the Boston Bruins before the deadline, and Eichel was limited to only 21 games because of injuries.

The 24-year-old didn't look like himself even when he did play, though, finishing with only two goals and 16 assists for 18 points, while posting a disappointing minus-nine rating after being a plus-five the previous year.

The team captain was on the shelf with a herniated disk in his neck, and he recently admitted to the media that he wasn't a fan of the way the Sabres handled his treatment.

Last month, Eichel told reporters the following regarding his injury status, and he seemed to suggest he was open to a trade as well: "There's been a bit of a disconnect from the organization a bit and myself. It's been tough at times. Right now, I think for me 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."

Frustration had seemingly been mounting even before the injury situation, as the Sabres have not reached the playoffs during Eichel's six-year NHL career. Their last postseason berth was in 2011.

The Sabres finished with the worst record in the NHL this season, which helped them land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft. They also fired head coach Ralph Krueger during the season.

Those factors give the Sabres a chance to have a fresh start, and trading Eichel could contribute to it, even though it would mean Buffalo losing its best player.

Eichel, who signed an eight-year, $80 million contract extension prior to the 2018-19 season, should be highly desirable on the trade market since he is a young, productive player under contract for five more seasons.

Taking the injury-riddled 2020-21 season out of the equation, Eichel was a player on the rise with 28 goals and 54 assists for a career-high 82 points over 77 games in 2018-19. He followed up with a career-high 36 goals to go along with 42 assists for 78 points in 68 games the next season.

Eichel, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft after the Edmonton Oilers took Connor McDavid first overall, has all the tools needed to be one of the top players in the NHL and a perennial Hart Trophy candidate.

Because of that, the Sabres should be able to secure a massive package of picks, prospects and players should they make the difficult decision to part with him.

LeBrun reported that the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers are perhaps the best fits for Eichel.

The Ducks (third), Blue Jackets (fifth) and Kings (eighth) are picking high in the draft, which could make them the most desirable trade partners for the Sabres.

Should Buffalo take defenseman Owen Power with the No. 1 overall pick and then use one of the aforementioned picks from an Eichel trade on one of the top forwards in the draft, the Sabres will have a lot of talented pieces in place for a proper rebuild, which may be the only way to get the floundering franchise back on track.

The Buffalo Sabres are getting calls from teams looking to trade for their captain, Jack Eichel, according to Darren Dreger of TSN.

Eichel is one of several Sabres players drawing interest from around the league, and conversations are expected to increase heading toward the draft, which gets underway July 23.

The centerman missed most of the 2020-21 season after suffering a herniated disk in his neck, finishing the year with just two goals and 16 assists in 21 games. Buffalo suffered without him and ended the season with the fewest points in the NHL (37).

After 10 years without a postseason appearance, the Sabres could be looking at another rebuild, especially after landing the No. 1 pick of this year's draft. Moving Eichel could help the process, as trading him should bring back a nice haul of assets.

The 24-year-old has proved to be a quality talent when healthy, contributing 139 goals and 216 assists since being drafted No. 2 overall in 2015. He had 82 points in 77 games in 2018-19 and 78 points in 68 games during the shortened 2019-20 campaign.

Eichel finished eighth in voting for the Hart Trophy last season despite playing for a team with a losing record.

A trade could give him a chance to shine for a contender and take the next step toward superstardom.

He already gave indication in May that he is ready for a move based on how his injury was handled this season, per Greg Wyshynski of ESPN:

I've been a bit upset about the ways things have been handled since I've been hurt. I'd be lying to say that things have moved smoothly since my injury. There's been a bit of a disconnect between myself and the organization. It's been tough at times. Right now, for me, the most important thing is just trying to get healthy, figure out a way to be available to play hockey next year, wherever that might be.

Eichel apparently wanted to get surgery to fix his neck injury, but the team decided against it. Though he is signed through the 2025-26 season, a split could be coming this offseason.

The Buffalo Sabres were an absolute dumpster fire this season. They have a chance to put out that fire with the first overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft.

The Sabres were awarded the top pick in the upcoming draft Wednesday night when the lottery set the draft order. Buffalo, the worst team in the league in 2021 with a 15-34-7 record, had the best chance to receive the first overall pick at 16.6 percent.

But as for their chances to keep star center Jack Eichel? Those still seem slim. This top pick could force the Sabres into rebuild mode, and the club might be better off trading him and bringing in some significant assets that could help get the moribund franchise back on track.

This year's draft could produce another star in the same mold as Eichel, but it's unlikely. This is a strange draft; it's not that it's lacking talent, but there is no consensus No. 1 pick. There probably isn't a game-changing player who could make an immediate impact for a team like Buffalo.

Whether it's defenseman Owen Power, his Michigan teammate Matty Beniers or Swedish winger William Eklund, most of the players in the 2021 draft class are going to need more time to develop before they're ready to play in the NHL.

"We will not rush players," general manager Kevyn Adams said on a Zoom call with the media following the lottery announcement. "If we think a player is absolutely ready to step in [to the NHL] and help our team, then we will use him. If not, then we have no problem—whether it's the No. 1 pick or someone later in the draft—we have no problem saying, 'OK, let's just slow it down and do what's right.'"

Beyond just the assets the Sabres would receive for the 24-year-old center, trading Eichel would allow the organization to start over with a blank slate and a blank check if they can get all—or at least some—of the $50 million left on Eichel's contract off the books.

There is too much bad blood between Eichel and the Sabres to continue this relationship. Last season, the two parties were arguing whether Eichel should get surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck.

The feud became public when Adams told reporters Eichel and his camp wanted a surgery that has never been performed on an NHL player and the team's doctors were not comfortable with that. Eichel said there was a "disconnect" between him and the club.

The club asked him to rest and rehab for 12 weeks, and he's about in that 12-week range. Adams expects to have more information soon, but the next steps forward are still unclear.

Eichel and the Sabres appear to still be at odds with one another, with Adams saying in his Zoom call with reporters that they still do not want Eichel to have the procedure.

Center Sam Reinhart also wants out of Buffalo, saying he didn't want to go through another rebuild in his age-26 season.

To be fair, it's not another rebuild. It's still the same rebuild that featured Reinhart and Eichel as part of the very foundation of the franchise. Reinhart was drafted second overall in 2014, and Eichel was the second pick in the 2015 draft. They were the result of tanking, and they were supposed to keep the Sabres out of the lottery and get them to the playoffs.

Instead, Buffalo won the lottery again in 2018. They chose defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who made great strides in his development this season, finally showing some signs of progress.

But there has been nearly no other progress made in this rebuild over the past five years, so it's time to let go of Eichel and Reinhart—a pending restricted free agent—and start over again.

Start stockpiling picks for 2022 and 2023, when the draft classes are expected to be deeper and more impactful. Hang on to Dahlin and team him with Power. Or maybe draft Beniers, a center, to replace Reinhart.

The best player available is Power. His size, skating and defensive acumen separate him from the rest. Adams said he's inclined to take the best player available, but above all he wants a passionate group on the ice that can grow together.

"To me, this is about putting together a group of together that really care about each other, that really, truly love this organization, that love that jersey, that love this city," Adams said. "I know I've said this now for a year is that there has to be a connectivity to this organization, between our team that goes on the ice and our fanbase."

Yet the "disconnect" remains.

As painful as it is to part with a player of Eichel's caliber and to get rid of someone who once represented hope for the future of the franchise, the Sabres will be better off in the future without Eichel. And Eichel will be better off elsewhere.