Will Jack Eichel Be Traded? Odds on Which Team Could Land the Sabres Star
Updated: Thu, Jan 28 2021, 12:44pm
Just how tough are things for Buffalo Sabres fans right now? The Sabres haven’t made the playoffs since the 2010-11 season, and in a year in which 24 teams were invited to participate in an expanded playoff format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Buffalo failed to make the cut.
Jack Eichel has been one of the lone bright spots for the Sabres since the club drafted him in 2015, but the superstar center has been rumored to be unhappy with the only team he’s ever known.
On May 30, Eichel said: “Listen, I’m fed up with the losing and I’m fed up and I’m frustrated. 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’m on the ice. I want to win a Stanley Cup every time I start a season.”
The rumor mill started churning on September 28 regarding Eichel’s future with Buffalo, and oddsmakers have responded. Online sportsbook Bovada is offering odds on which team Eichel will play for in the first game of the 2020-21 campaign.
Here’s a look at the book’s full list of odds:
Which Team is Favored To Land Jack Eichel?
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Sabres | -300 |
| New York Rangers | +300 |
| New Jersey Devils | +1000 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1500 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +1500 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +1500 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | +1500 |
| Montreal Canadiens | +1500 |
Odds as of September 29 at Bovada
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Sabres GM Speaks Out About Eichel
While the hockey world was already busy preparing Photoshops of Eichel in their favorite team’s jersey, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams poured some water on the rumors surrounding his team’s franchise player.
“I think it is something I want to make very clear, we have no intentions and we’re not shopping Jack or talking to teams looking to do anything with Jack,” Adams told WGR 550 in Buffalo. “People call and ask questions and you have conversations.”
Adams was responding to a report in which Eichel’s agent, Peter Fish, told TSN’s Bob McKenzie that Eichel wanted to remain in Buffalo. That came on the heels of McKenzie initially reporting that Eichel might have requested a trade.
Rangers Reportedly Came Calling
The New York Rangers are in a great position right now after landing the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and the right to select Alexis Lafreniere, and it appears the Blueshirts are exhausting all options to improve their roster.
New York was reportedly one of the teams to seriously inquire about Eichel. Given the wealth of young talent on the Rangers’ roster, it makes sense for them to be a potential trading partner. The Rangers were the lone team to be named in McKenzie’s reporting about the Eichel situation.
It doesn’t sound like Eichel is going anywhere, but we’ve heard plenty of GMs across all sports leagues backtrack on their comments to the media before. I don’t think it’s going to happen before next season, but if a trade does go down, it seems like the Rangers make the most sense as a trading partner for their interstate rivals.
