The Athletic - Boston Fluto: If the Bruins want Jack Eichel, they need to act fast for the Sabres’ disgruntled center

[The don godfather]

Resign dk for 2 years and sign hall for 3 years forget this nonsense.

 

[The National]

for sure.
I was just using The Bruins as an example. Mostly was meant as - if The Sabres want to fix their team and have to trade him - that's what I'm targeting. Personal opinion. Just what I would do if I was The Sabres GM. Just aim for 3-4 solid but not spectacular decently young NHL players.

Yeah for sure I agree, adding Pasta doesn’t really get the Sabres anywhere. I think they need fix the FO before anything, Pegulas need to get the hell outta the picture and let the hockey minds do their thing. They need a massive culture change.

But yeah get some young prospects that haven’t really felt what a sound NHL organization feels like yet so they don’t realize what a shit show it is.

Mcavoy would probably be easier to build around then Pasta, but both would be miserable and want out. Sending them there would be a real kick in the nuts to either of them.

 

[Caper Bruins fan]

Not sure why we are even talking about Eichel with the playoffs starting on Saturday. f*** Eichel right now .

 

[Baddkarma]

Pasta, Carlo straight up

I would have done this before the neck injury, now I wouldn't.

 

[JoeIsAStud]

If Eichel wants out and is traded - and this isn't just for the Bruins... the worst thing the Sabres can do is aim for a top-flight guy plus a bit as they've been running them into the ground. A one-for-one trade for Pasta just means Pasta will be miserable there also. And they suck at drafting.

Build your organization. Build professional depth. Look at a good team that develops well and try to change your room.

From Boston - if I'm the Sabres - I'm not asking for picks - I want 3-4 of your best young players or prospects.
Smith, Ritchie, Lauzon, Frederic, DeBrusk, Zboril, Studnicka, Grz, Beecher, Vladar, Swayman, Kuhlman, etc - not in order. I'd personally be asking for 3 or 4 of those guys.

As much as I love Swayman and think he is the goalie in Boston for the next decade. He is the best piece in that deal. But no number of those other pieces added to Swayman gets you Eichel

Pastrnak is the piece who would have to go to make a deal possible. But honestly given the contract, I would not add anything of value to Pasta, and not sure I would do it straight up. There is no way I'd even consider McAvoy

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

The problem is, your #1 center will be 36 next year, #2 is 35 and you have nothing ready to assume either spot. Getting a top line center isn’t easy and it will definitely cost you.

I'm ok with tanking once Bergeron and Krejci are out of gas. no need to trade guys like Pasta and McAvoy only to end up being bad anyway

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

Not sure why we are even talking about Eichel with the playoffs starting on Saturday. f*** Eichel right now .

because it's a slow news week and Fluto has a mortgage

 

[Aussie Bruin]

I can't see any way Eichel ends up in Boston any time soon. To paraphrase Lincoln, 'that contract won't scour'. Jack got greedy signing such a big deal with a dud team. Really limits his options, and puts him almost certainly beyond the Bruins. He's a good player, and I'm not against him being a Bruin at some point, but right now the mechanics of it just don't work.

 

[DaStinger]

Yuck!

 

[Ivo]

Would be nice to add him, but the Bruins don’t have the assets to make it happen. Well, they do, but I wouldn’t trade McAvoy/Pasta. Carlo+DeBrusk+picks/prospects probably doesn’t move the needle for Buffalo*

*unless they hire Peter Chiarelli as GM

 

[DKH]

Would be nice to add him, but the Bruins don’t have the assets to make it happen. Well, they do, but I wouldn’t trade McAvoy/Pasta. Carlo+DeBrusk+picks/prospects probably doesn’t move the needle for Buffalo.

They have the asset ~ Pastrnak
McAvoy ain’t going ~ zero chance
DeBrusk & Studnicka etc lol 0.0

That gets it done

both players NMC don’t kick in till 2021-22

 

[inactive user]

At this point if we can re-sign Krejci then I don’t see a fit for Eichel. Too much cap to take on imo.

 

[bbfan419]

I am not trading McAvoy or Pastrnak for Eichel. Sorry. He's a 80 point player and is having intrusive neck surgery. He's making f***ing $10 million a year for 6 or 7 more years now.

We don't have to acquire every last local product who went to BU.

I'm sorry, but I want nothing to do with this unless you can hoodwink the Sabres into retaining 40-50%. But even then I'm not giving up McAvoy under any circumstances and I think I'd rather just keep Pasta and the additional pieces it would cost.

Agree completely and who knows how Eichel will be with that injury. Now if it were MacKinnon sure lets talk, but for Eichel, not interested unless it is like a Seguin type trade.

 

[bbfan419]

The problem is, your #1 center will be 36 next year, #2 is 35 and you have nothing ready to assume either spot. Getting a top line center isn’t easy and it will definitely cost you.

Rather take my chances at a UFA in 2022 than trading a bunch of top assets for Eichel. Rather have Reinhart from the Sabres and he would come a lot cheaper.

 

[BruinsFanSince94]

Pasta, Carlo straight up

Puke inducing.

 

[kjpm]

Unless the Sabres get worked over like they did in the O'Reilly deal, I just don't see how the Bruins could make it work. I think there must be something to this since Fluto has written about Eichel to Boston previously so somebody in the organization wants it out there. If he was healthy, he's an absolute elite center so he'd solve a lot of their upcoming problems, but the list of injuries is extensive and some are pretty concerning, like the neck and abdominal issues.

I don't think there's any way they'd move McAvoy to do it. The defense would be in shambles if you do that. Pastrnak... maybe? I could see the argument that an elite play-driving center is more desirable than an elite finishing winger, and Eichel is a bit younger. But then who does he play with on his right side? Not sure that would be all that helpful, especially with how much they struggled getting quality wingers for Krejci for years and no one in the system coming up. And how would the fan base and the team take it? Pasta is beloved. It would be a hell of a risk for a move that doesn't necessarily improve your team immediately.

I really don't know what to make of it. If you can get him without giving up a McAvoy, Pastrnak or Swayman then 100% let's do it but if you aren't giving up those pieces LA or NYR should be able to easily beat any offer the Bruins can put together. Just doesn't add up on the face of it unless there's more going on.

It will be interesting to watch, that much is for sure.

 

[inactive user]

Unless the Sabres get worked over like they did in the O'Reilly deal, I just don't see how the Bruins could make it work. I think there must be something to this since Fluto has written about Eichel to Boston previously so somebody in the organization wants it out there. If he was healthy, he's an absolute elite center so he'd solve a lot of their upcoming problems, but the list of injuries is extensive and some are pretty concerning, like the neck and abdominal issues.

I don't think there's any way they'd move McAvoy to do it. The defense would be in shambles if you do that. Pastrnak... maybe? I could see the argument that an elite play-driving center is more desirable than an elite finishing winger, and Eichel is a bit younger. But then who does he play with on his right side? Not sure that would be all that helpful, especially with how much they struggled getting quality wingers for Krejci for years and no one in the system coming up. And how would the fan base and the team take it? Pasta is beloved. It would be a hell of a risk for a move that doesn't necessarily improve your team immediately.

I really don't know what to make of it. If you can get him without giving up a McAvoy, Pastrnak or Swayman then 100% let's do it but if you aren't giving up those pieces LA or NYR should be able to easily beat any offer the Bruins can put together. Just doesn't add up on the face of it unless there's more going on.

It will be interesting to watch, that much is for sure.

You trade away Pastrnak and you're just creating another hole.

 

[kjpm]

You trade away Pastrnak and you're just creating another hole.

Exactly haha. Doesn't sit right with me.

 

[BruinDust]

If Adams wants either Pastrnak or McAvoy for Eichel it had better be straight up because the B's would be the team taking on the risk, not the Sabres. The Sabres get back an age-comparable franchise young player one way or the other.

You can debate whose the better player between Eichel and Pasta (fact is Pasta has LED this league in goals, what has Eichel accomplished)? Centers are more valuable in general on the ice however Eichel's play without the puck is concerning for a No.1 center, I find he floats around a lot waiting for his teammates to get him the puck, which may work for a goal-scoring winger like a Pasta or OV, but ain't gonna fly for a top end center at the NHL level. Defensively he's in the bottom third of No.1 centers.

A center today HAS to be competent in his own end and at least be willing to compete for loose pucks. Then factor in Pasta's infectious attitude vs. Eichel's display as a Sabre, and that tips the scales for me. Keep Pasta.

Meanwhile, from everything I've seen of Eichel, and everything I've seen of McAvoy, I can't possibly see how the Jack Eichel we've seen since he broke into the league would be more impactful on-ice than McAvoy. McAvoy is so impactful all over the ice, both with and without the puck. His ability to prevent teams from gaining the zone is among the best in the sport. He does a lot of little things (like a Bergeron) that don't wind up on the scoresheet but are impactful in terms of success.

Conversely, Jack Eichel without the puck is borderline useless.

 

[Top Shelf Wrister]

It doesn’t work. Sure pick up a center but what about your #1 d you just traded? Or #1 winger? It’s like switching recipes cuz you don’t have an ingredient only to find out the new recipe is missing the same ingredient

 

[inactive user]

If Adams wants either Pastrnak or McAvoy for Eichel it had better be straight up because the B's would be the team taking on the risk, not the Sabres. The Sabres get back an age-comparable franchise young player one way or the other.

You can debate whose the better player between Eichel and Pasta (fact is Pasta has LED this league in goals, what has Eichel accomplished)? Centers are more valuable in general on the ice however Eichel's play without the puck is concerning for a No.1 center, I find he floats around a lot waiting for his teammates to get him the puck, which may work for a goal-scoring winger like a Pasta or OV, but ain't gonna fly for a top end center at the NHL level. Defensively he's in the bottom third of No.1 centers.

A center today HAS to be competent in his own end and at least be willing to compete for loose pucks. Then factor in Pasta's infectious attitude vs. Eichel's display as a Sabre, and that tips the scales for me. Keep Pasta.

Meanwhile, from everything I've seen of Eichel, and everything I've seen of McAvoy, I can't possibly see how the Jack Eichel we've seen since he broke into the league would be more impactful on-ice than McAvoy. McAvoy is so impactful all over the ice, both with and without the puck. His ability to prevent teams from gaining the zone is among the best in the sport. He does a lot of little things (like a Bergeron) that don't wind up on the scoresheet but are impactful in terms of success.

Conversely, Jack Eichel without the puck is borderline useless.

 

[Gee Wally]

You trade away Pastrnak and you're just creating another hole.

Bingo!

 

[Blowfish]

My Eichel concerns?

- Something tells me his last injury will be problematic
- $10 million sucks
- Injury history
- Who do the bruins give up for Eichel?

Just too many ??? for this fan and I want Krejci back!

 

[Shroud of Orrin]

Charlie is the player other teams fear. No way we trade him. He's a lifer.

I cannot see this org paying a player 10M per. At least not within the next 4 or 5 years. It's not a fit. It could potentially destroy a big part of this culture. If I had my druthers, I'd bring back this exact same team next year or just upgrade a spot or two. I think we're just beginning to gel. We are consistently outplaying the opposition right now. I hate to give Sweeney credit but he delivered.

As for Eichel, the Winged Wheel makes all the sense in the world to me. If I was to bet, my money would be on Yzerman jumping on the opportunity. He has the space, need, knowledge and assets. Eichel's faith in Yzerman to accelerate that program may be enough. They need a superstar.

 

[Estlin]

Literally terrible.

Damn, I was hoping that it would be figuratively terrible.