Omg no. Why? Why trade EVERYONE for just one player?

Here's why we SHOULDN'T trade for Eichel:

1.) It makes no sense to trade the entire farm system for just one guy. It takes a whole team to win a cup.
2.) Even if we do trade for Eichel...we'd have no money for our other players. So might as well trade them too...

Gretzky didn't get the Oilers a return this good.
Joe Thornton didn't return this for Boston.
I just don't see it and Eichel probably doesn't go anywhere until offseason.

"gReTzKy DiDn'T gEt ThAt BiG oF a ReTuRn!". That's such a tired argument. Check out the Lindros trade return, and he certainly wasn't Gretzky.

Not that I'm saying this isn't a massive overpay, because it is, but everyone needs to stop with the whole Gretzky trade thing. The Gretzky trade was 100% financially motivated, because their dumb@ss owner needed money to fund his other companies.

I agree the Gretzky trade was financially motivated. Gretzky is just the greatest player ever by most accounts so we all use it.

True, but there are multiple examples of lesser players being sold for much more.

Hilariously though, it's been a while since I actually looked at the Lindros trade. DEAR LORDDDD Philly.

Philly receives:
Lindros (HOF career, that would have been even better had Stevens not been a f*cking goon...)

Quebec receives:
Forsberg (6 OA)
Chris Simon (25 OA from previous season)
Steve Duchesne (6 year vet who averaged 20+goals/40+A per season leading up to trade...point per game player during his one year in Quebec )
Mike Ricci (4 OA from previous season)
Kerry Huffman (Bottom 6 fwd)
Ron Hextall (Whose numbers are surprisingly bad considering the hype...I guess it was the offence in those days?)
1993 1st (Thibault, 10 OA)
1994 1st (Nolan Baumgartner, 10 OA).

Insane.

I think Wild could be a dark horse to get Eichel, they have interesting assets, and it would not have to sell the entire farm for this. Although Eichel will probably not be sold until the summer anyway.

Here's my problem with this being a "massive overpay." Buffalo fans want more than this. Less than this would be me removing Khovanov and the 2022 first. I don't think there's any midpoint to this argument, but I keep trying to find it.

Also, I didn't realize that Eichel got hurt. That's awful.

Other than being an absolutely insane overpay, have fun extending Kaprizov, Fiala, Ek and signing 5-6 other skaters you'll need next year with $16m in cap space.

Any Eichel to Minnesota trade will involve Kaprizov more so than cap dumps like Rask, Johannsen and Bjugstad.

I think it's a pretty emotional time all-around for Sabres fans (Not meant as a personal slight to the group).

Yes.

Kaprizov? C'monnnn man. I don't disagree on the Rask, Mojo and Bjugstad statement, but there isn't a chance in hell that Kaprizov gets moved.

Then Eichel is not going to the so-called "State of hockey".

In all likelihood, he'll be traded to the LA Kings before his NMC kicks in.

I'm trying @sabres89 and @Jdfitz77 but it doesn't look like this works either.

You did your best. Were just gonna have to give him to the rangers for a prospect that they found in their couch cushions and some toaster leavins'.

Future cap space is definitely a concern, but how much of an overpay is it really? If we aren't going to trade existing NHLers for him, then I think something like this works.

Now, we could fix the cap space problem by going Fiala, Boldy, 1st, 1st. But what does it actually take to be fair here? In my prospects model above maybe we remove Khovanov and the 2022 pick, but still if we're giving up only prospects and picks for an Eichel it's going to hurt.

I haven't seen a design yet that both MN and Buffalo fans thought was fair.

Because Buffalo fans seem to think they'll somehow win an Eichel trade. Guessing the massive haul they got for O'Reilly gave them that idea.

The most I'd offer? Blue chip prospect (Rossi or Boldy), B+ prospect (Khovanov, Beckman, or Khusnutdinov), 1st round pick and Rask to help with cap. But honestly I'd just rather not. The Wild are in a great place right now, so if Guerin can navigate th expansion draft and the Parise/Suter landmines they'll be set to compete for awhile. Not much incentive to give up all that for a $10m contract with the flat cap we'll likely see the next few years.