It appears there's not much hope for Sabres captain Jack Eichel to return to Buffalo next season.
Amid reports that the Sabres aren't sure what to do with Eichel this offseason, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said during an appearance on Buffalo's WGR 550 that the club is ready to "move on" from the Massachusetts native.
Friedman - At the end of the day, I don't think the #Sabres want to bring back Jack Eichel. They want to move on. #LetsGoBuffalo
— WGR 550 (@WGR550) June 10, 2021
Eichel has five years remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $10 million. He'll earn a no-move clause after next season, so Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams needs to make a decision quickly.
The Sabres don't have much leverage in trade negotiations, especially because Eichel and Buffalo management got into an argument over how to handle his herniated disk injury.
In his season-ending media availability, Eichel made it clear that he would be willing to play somewhere else next season.
"I think the most important thing is just trying to get healthy and figure out a way to be available to play hockey next year, wherever that might be," he said, according to The Canadian Press (h/t Yahoo Sports).
The 24-year-old was drafted second overall by Buffalo in 2015. He has notched 139 goals and 216 assists in 375 games played.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, teams are already beginning to call the Sabres with interest in acquiring Eichel. He'll have no shortage of suitors.
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