Jack Eichel’s Night
from Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News,
When Jack Eichel was traded to Vegas in November, he had to immediately be thinking Stanley Cup. In the madness of March, Eichel and the Golden Knights better have a completely different thought.
They're no sure thing to even make the playoffs. The Sabres fans who crushed Eichel with boos Thursday night in KeyBank Center will be rooting for his new team to lose the rest of the way out of spite – but it could actually help the Buffalo rebuild, too.
The first postseason miss in Vegas franchise history would sure be one delicious bit of irony in the eyes of Buffalo fans, and don't forget about how that would impact the Sabres come summer at the NHL draft. The Sabres own Vegas' first-round pick, and the Golden Knights missing the playoffs could land the Buffalo pick in the Nos. 10-15 range, when you were reasonably thinking Nos. 25-32 the day the trade was made.
(It should be noted the pick is Top-10 protected, something you never thought would be relevant in November. The Sabres would have to wait until 2023 to make the pick if Vegas lands in the top 10).
The atmosphere in Thursday's return game was toxic from the second Eichel took the ice for warmup.
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Below catch the game highlights and Eichel post-game....
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