Report: Flames, Golden Knights finalists in Eichel sweepstakes
The Jack Eichel sweepstakes is down to two.
The Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights are the two remaining finalists to acquire the Buffalo Sabres superstar, sources told ESPN's Emily Kaplan.
Additionally, the Flames and Knights are both OK with Eichel getting his preferred artificial disc replacement surgery, according to Kaplan.
Eichel missed the second half of the 2020-21 campaign due to a herniated disc in his neck. He's been adamant about having the artificial disc replacement surgery, but the Sabres have denied his preferred method as they want him to have a fusion surgery. ADR is a relatively new procedure that hasn't been performed on an NHL player before.
This disagreement caused significant friction between the two sides, leading to several trade rumors throughout the offseason. Ultimately, no deals came to fruition over the summer. Eichel showed up for Sabres training camp but failed his physical due to the injury and was stripped of his captaincy in the process.
Eichel wouldn't be cleared to play for at least three months following the artificial disc replacement surgery, Kaplan added. The ADR's recovery timeline is two months shorter than the fusion surgery's.
The 25-year-old would fill a massive hole for the Golden Knights, who lack a bonafide No. 1 center. Elias Lindholm has emerged as a catalyst down the middle for the Flames, but Eichel would give them a dynamite 1-2 punch.
Eichel has five years left on his contract with an annual cap hit of $10 million. Buffalo is reportedly unwilling to retain any salary in the deal. Both the Flames and Golden Knights are up against the cap, so a significant contract or two would have to go the other way in order for either team to swing a deal.
The Sabres selected Eichel second overall at the 2015 NHL Draft. His best season came in 2019-20 when he racked up 78 points in 68 games.
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