Lets all be honest here, Boucher is Brady's replacement in a couple of years if he even makes it to the NHL, many annalists are saying OTT got no NHL player in this last draft with how badly they blew it.

We can all dream of OTT get a 1C like eichel or someone similar but lets be honest there is no chance OTT would trade of sign one, everyone here has way way way to much faith in melnyk and dorion to be considered rational thinking, melnyk has done nothing to prove he is anything but a cheap ass owner who wants the cheapest team in current era to be able to just barely make the playoffs so he can cash in on the playoff cash, that is why Brady wont sign a long term deal, he is no fool. OTT is the coyotees of the north. Hell the Jets who are a market half as big as OTT tries to build a contender.....the smallest market in the NHL gives more of an effort to win a cup then OTT....
- Mithos

If management is thinking Boucher will be Brady's replacement then this franchise is in real trouble, just saying. I do see where you are coming from though as it seems this owner makes the fanbase think this way due to past moves.

Does not matter. Leafs are history. Toast. Peaked 3 years ago and unlikely that they have any idea of how to fix the mess they are in.

Huge starting games for Sens against the Leafs. If Sens sweep both games there will be total panic at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

Leafs might be most fragile team NHL. Ottawa played them pretty well last year and the huge Sens comeback foreshadowed the Leaf collapse in the playoffs. Losers are what losers do. Chokers are what chokers do! I would not be surprised to see Leaf get frozen out of playoffs this year and they become sellers at deadline. At that point somebody other than Dubas will be calling the shots.
- spatso

Oh yes, oh yes!!

Hard to fathom the trade you are suggesting without a higher end piece, when you would receive a high end piece.
- BluemanGuruu

Damaged goods number one, plus he wants out, every GM knows it, Buff not dealing from any position of strength.

Which means you have until then before you have zero chance at trading for Eichel.

Colin White being included in the deal means you need to add even more then in a deal that didn't involve him, based on his contract and production.
- kingcong39

As I said to a few posters on here, his injury is a massive risk, he clearly doesnt want to be in Buff and now has changed agents too. All of this adds up to no leverage if you are Adams the GM!

When your stated asking price is 4+ first-round equivalent talents, you're effectively making it a quantity deal. Brannstrom is as high-end a piece as I've heard being realistically considered, and if people think including White in the deal is an issue, just wait until they see what other teams have to do to add $10M to their payroll. And if Buffalo is now under pressure to resolve this by training camp, they'll only be able to pick from offers that are actually on the table... not fantasy suggestions.

It really is reminiscent of the Karlsson trade. You'd hear a team like Dallas was involved and everyone immediately thought Heiskanen... then found out the offer was actually based around Julius Honka. When the entire league knows you have to sell, you're immediately at a major disadvantage... factor in the risk of the surgery, the public mess the situation has become, and the NMC in his contract that will make it very hard to reclaim value in the last year of his deal, and you have multiple factors that will erode the trade return.
- khawk

The Dallas comparison is gold! Like you said, the day physicals started EK gets traded, they had too, they had no choice and Buff is going down this road too!

Me too. This is why I feel there should be two draft picks involved, once of which is a 2023 pick conditional on how many games/point JE scores in next two years.

Eichel is actually what the Sens need imo...a true number one center...and haven't have since prime Spezza.
- GrimmdaGoalie

Yup its been awhile, Spezza, man those were the days! But yes agreed on the conditional pick too, based on his injury, any team trading him is taking a big risk!

It's also my line of thought. Why invest salary $$ and give away picks for a guy who may not even be able to play at 100%?

Too many unknowns at this point, and that's why I'd steer clear. The only way I'd make an exception is if the dude expressly said he wanted to come here.
- Panzer_IVA

That is what is being discussed behind closed doors as we speak. Management is gauging this through the some of our young core now. Getting some of them to see Eichel's temperature when it comes to playing in Ottawa. When you are looking at making a trade of this magnitude as you are coming out of your rebuild, all areas need to be checked off before pulling off this trade. There is a lot of time and energy being put into this possible trade, I wish people realized how serious Ottawa is about Eichel.

In the past 20 years, how many US centers really played an impact winning a cup? How many of them are top 2 centers on a cup contender? Only guy that comes to mind is Nick Bonino; and that was with Crosby AND Malkin on the team. Other than that, what else is there? I thought Bolland was from USA for some reasons but he isn't.

Eichel isn't Mike Madano. I don't see him winning a cup and if he does, he will need a top 2 center with tons of heart to do it. Thus, I wouldn't trade for him
- AlfieisKing

Good point!

Ottawa should steer clear of a malcontent and injured Eichel. He would be the wrong type of player to have around their young, impressionable draft and develop kids that are going to be on the team in the next 2/3 years.
- islansjet

You could be correct, but management is seriously looking at making a move for him!

Do people forget that Marner was 4th in the league in scoring last year at 24? 11mill is too much, but it’s not like the guy is an anchor. I hope the leafs trade him because I think it will hurt their team.

I don’t get why Matthew’s gets a pass. If had to move one of their big four, it’s that guy.
- CooCooKaChoo

They are definitely looking at moving him, he has been a playoff no show every year!

New blog will be up by 4pm!

new blog up!

You could be correct, but management is seriously looking at making a move for him!
- Kevin Francis

I hope the Sens aren't looking at trading for him. With all the young kids coming up is Eichel the type of roll model for them to follow? Giving up so much for a player like him is crazy.

Eichel would be an ideal acquisition. An elite centreman is almost essential for success. As much as the Sens lack such a player or prospect, a deal between the Sens and Sabres seems unlikely. Some names being thrown around, such as Norris, are impractical from the Sabres perspective, they have no interest in third liners. Eichel is rated as an elite centre, and young elite centres do not come cheap.

Despite the injury, a prospective Eichel deal will require a huge ticket. As a minimum the package will include a highly talented youngish player, a top prospect and a high pick. Someone will pay this price. Examples of possible packages might be Stutzle, Sanderson and a first, or Tkachuk, Pinto and a first. These are the variety of offers Buffalo will entertain. I cannot see Dorion risking a trade of this magnitude, and many fans would be disgruntled.
- Jackie Daytona

A happy, motivated, mature Eichel would be a great add. Right now we see no evidence he is that guy. What we have seen evidence of is his ability to become disgruntled with a team or organization. How long until he doesn't want to be in Ottawa with that ownership. Sens have accumulated some good young players, I think ultimately it may be a step backwards to go after Eichel.