Rumor: Rangers working on Jack Eichel trade

TSN's Bob McKenzie dropped a huge rumor before the conclusion of the Stanley Cup final that the New York Rangers have made calls to the Buffalo Sabres in hopes of landing Sabres captain Jack Eichel. The day before the rumor went public the Rangers traded long-time Ranger Marc Staal along with a 2nd round pick to Detroit for future considerations. Rangers GM Jeff Gorton cleared $5.7 million in cap space and now may be preparing to use those savings to make a blockbuster with Eichel coming to the Big Apple.


Any deal between the Rangers and Sabres involving Eichel would surely involve the top pick in next weeks draft. The New York Rangers shocked the league earlier this summer when they surprisingly won the draft lottery for the top pick, expected to be Alexis Lafreniere. The Rangers have coveted a true number one centre for what seems like decades, but New York is loaded on the wings. Lafreniere is a winger and is considered to be the best prospect overall since Auston Matthews in 2016. The flat-cap and economic beating that some owners have taken during covid has caused many teams to try and cut costs, that does not mean that GM's will just give away top talent. I don't think that the first overall would be enough for the Sabres to trade their captain. Gorton is going to have to give Buffalo a deal they cannot turn down, such as throwing in Igor Shesterkin or Alex Georgiev. The Sabres haven't had a quality goaltender since Ryan Miller left town, that was a long time ago. It is not going to be easy to pry away Eichel from the Sabres, it may come down to who Buffalo may think will be the better overall player in the next three years. Personally I think captain Jack stays in Buffalo, but it is 2020 after all.


photo credit: Janine Leech