Golden Knights to Explore Possibility of Adding Jack Eichel Via Trade

“I’d be surprised if the Golden Knights and the Sabres haven’t had a conversation regarding Eichel,” hockey insider Darren Dreger said on WGR550. “I can’t imagine they won’t explore this.”

What the team would have to move to make that happen or how the Vegas Golden Knights would free up the necessary cap space to add a $10 million forward is another question, especially when you consider the organization already hovers around the salary cap ceiling every season.

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There’s talk that the Golden Knights might be open to the idea of moving goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, but that won’t get it done alone. And, when you consider there are a number of pending unrestricted free agents that require the team’s attention, unless GM Kelly McCrimmon is happy enough to just walk away from names like Alec Martinez, adding Eichel doesn’t come without its challenges. Alex Tuch was mentioned as a player the Sabres should target it talks get more serious and they should try to extract him as part of any package, but again, it would take more than that.

The Golden Knights certainly have a need to fill at the center ice position. Their weakness down the middle was highlighted in their series loss to the Montreal Canadiens. As such, it makes sense, as Dreger points out, that Sabres GM Kevyn Adams has had numerous conversations, knows what he wants in any deal his team absolutely feels it needs to win, — the rumored ask is as many as six different pieces — , and is waiting for a big spender like Vegas to hop into the mix.

There Are High Expectations in Vegas

Speculation surrounding Eichel started the moment the Canadiens sent Vegas packing. It was a series the Golden Knights weren’t “supposed to lose.” And, with a very competitive owner in Bill Foley who is known to be aggressive and with higher expectations, expect the team to go big-game hunting, yet again. Head coach Pete DeBoer said there’s an expectation to win and his owner spends to the cap every year with a willingness to do whatever it takes.

"It's really hard to win, it's really hard to get to the top of that mountain."

Peter DeBoer recognizes the disappointment for the team this year but shines a light on some big moments for Vegas this season. pic.twitter.com/QlxARvil3f

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 26, 2021

Eichel would definitely fall under the category of doing “whatever it takes”. Is it feasible? Who knows. If there’s a team that seems to be able to pull trades out of nowhere and spend money no one figures they have, it is Vegas. In other words, if any organization can find a way to add a $10 million player when they only have about $3 million in cap space, it’s the Golden Knights.

Next: Tkachuk Trade Not Imminent, But Certainly Possible Says Insider