Buffalo Sabres: Will we see progress towards a Jack Eichel trade?

It appears the Buffalo Sabres have re-engaged with teams on a potential trade for Jack Eichel but will there be enough time to get a deal done before the season?

With weeks until NHL teams take the ice for preseason action, the Buffalo Sabres don’t appear to be any closer to a resolution with captain Jack Eichel.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Thursday that the Sabres met with Eichel’s new representatives and talked with teams that were interested in the star forward. Does this mean that general manager Kevyn Adams is more inclined to move Eichel than he was back in July?

It really depends on the teams that want to acquire the 24-year-old because there are many risks to be considered both his injury and contract. For Buffalo, they are not in a win-now mode so they could just sit on the right deal for Eichel but it’s tough to say when that will come.

This is a critical time for Adams as he does not want the Eichel trade to be one that he regrets if he doesn’t get enough. At the same time, will the teams that are interested in him decide that they cannot wait forever and ultimately decide to look elsewhere? There aren’t many players like Eichel on the market so you can see why the Sabres are willing to wait for the best offer.

Which NHL team will make best trade offer to Buffalo Sabres for Jack Eichel?

Right now, there probably aren’t as many teams with the available salary cap and assets to acquire for Eichel but with some creativity, someone will do what it takes to get a deal done.

Since the trade saga involving Eichel began, teams like the New York Rangers,  Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames,  Minnesota Wild, Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks were among the obvious destinations. How many of those teams remain is unknown but with trade talks picking up, there could be more clarity on that.

If we were going to guess on the likely destinations, the Golden Knights always seem to be in on every player and could find a way to get a deal done while the Flames have players that could help Buffalo now and going forward.

What this all comes down to is whether the Sabres want more players with the potential down the road or players that can help the young core they have right now.

What do you think about the Sabres situation? Can they get a deal done with Eichel before the season starts? Let us know in the comments below.