Would Eichel trade make sense for Flames, Golden Knights?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Jack Eichel trade rumors are once again heating up. According to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, the latest frontrunners in a Jack Eichel trade are the Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights.
Crucially, Kaplan reports that both the Golden Knights and Flames would allow Jack Eichel to pursue his preferred neck surgery (artificial disk replacement) in the trade process. Indications continue to point to the Sabres refusing to retain salary in a Jack Eichel trade.
Let’s dive into how a Jack Eichel trade might work for the Flames and Golden Knights. Before we do that, though, a caveat. This Eichel trade process has been bumpy, and there have been plenty of setbacks. Dallas Eakins said it well when asked about rumors of Eichel possibly getting traded to the Ducks:
So, sprinkle the requisite grains of salt. Or something like that. Anyway …
Should Flames trade for Eichel if Tkachuk is part of price?
Kevin Weekes tweeted out something that raised plenty of eyebrows:
If nothing else, that hypothetical Matthew Tkachuk – Jack Eichel trade proposition really lights up the imagination. But dig into it more and, while it’s still intriguing, you can also mislead yourself. Consider a few factors.
-
“Former first-round pick” lights up the imagination. But ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski notes that the Flames have some less-than-stellar potential options. Ultimately, that part of the package is vague.
-
Matthew Tkachuk’s the real deal. However, he’s also a pending RFA who could cost a pretty penny. His current cap hit ($7M) isn’t cheap, and his qualifying offer would be $9M.
So, there are some caveats.
But … considering the sort of bind the Sabres seem to be in while trying to trade Jack Eichel? That seems pretty intriguing. It’s also perfectly plausible that the Sabres could just flip Tkachuk for more assets after trading away Eichel.
At 23, Tkachuk is in the meat of his prime. Still, who knows how long the Sabres rebuild might…
Source : yahoo
