Buffalo Sabres: Time to close book on the Jack Eichel chapter
There was a mixed reaction from Buffalo Sabres fans when Jack Eichel made his long-awaited return, now fans and the team need to move on.
I’m sure Jack Eichel knew exactly what he was getting into when he made his return to KeyBank Center for his first game against the Buffalo Sabres since being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights.
He didn’t exactly leave on the best of terms after making his displeasure about his situation. To be fair, the Sabres didn’t help matters at all by not allowing Eichel to pursue the operation he wanted and refusing to trade him, further delaying the inevitable.
It’s also tough to blame Sabres fans for the mixed reception they gave the former captain. They thought the organization was moving in the right direction with Eichel as the centerpiece only to see the team go back to the starting line again.
Some of that could be blamed on the influence Eichel had on team decision but he hasn’t been here for the entirety of the disfunction the Sabres suffer from. Eichel was committed to the team’s vision of putting their struggles behind them.
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In a way, he provided the organization with a chance to move forward as they didn’t get fleeced in the trade with Vegas. This is not a team one or two moves away from competing but got great building blocks and the chance to start fresh.
They decided to move on from other players like Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Ristolainen and Brandon Montour. Now the goal should be to supporting the young core that has players with a lot of potential.
Fans should now be focused on proving Eichel wrong after he took a shot at the crowd. In a way, fans have been trying to send a message to ownership about the team’s incompetence by not selling out the building.
The only way fans should hope for a better future is if they get rid of the baggage the franchise has been holding onto. The players showed that by stepping up and getting a win over the Golden Knights and that should be what’s important to the fanbase.
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Are you ready to move on from the Eichel situation or will it take some time? Let us know in the comments below.