Quoting: Saskleaf
What's wrong with having 2 franchise players?
Why not get Eichel if he only costs a little bit more (a couple good prospects maybe) than one of Zegras, Drysdale, or the 3rd overall pick, and he has a much better chance of being the better player?
Because having FOUR franchise players doesn't guarantee you even a first-round victory, as you well know. I'm not a big believer in the Super-Stars-and-Spear-Carriers theory of hockey asset management and team building. I'd really rather keep building quality throughout the lineup with at least the assets we already have in the system. (I'm perfectly willing to concede that we won't get Eichel without giving up that third overall pick this year.) I understand that Jack EIchel would immediately become the best player on the Ducks. But I'm not willing to concede becoming Buffalo West. Eichel is no good if there aren't really good players around him.
The problem I have with trading away two of those three prime assets is that the price is too much per se. And the problem I have with trading away even one of them is that the proposed deal also always includes at least one of our A prospects with NHL experience (Comtois and Terry) and one of our A prospects in the farm system (Tracey or Perreault). plus some additional useful asset(s). To me, the price isn't worth it. In short, Anaheim definitely could use Eichel, but doesn't have the disposable surplus assets likely required to land him.
Los Angeles, it seems to me, is in the exact opposite situation: the Kings have plenty of extra high-quality assets, but with Byfield, Turcotte and Vilardi already aboard behind Anze Kopitar (who's good for at least three more seasons), they don't have nearly the need for Eichel that Anaheim does.
My chief antipathy for either of my two crummy local teams acquiring Eichel AT THIS TIME is the uncertainty of his medical condition. I honestly believe that it would be GM malpractice to make any but the most affordable deal for Eichel before seeing him play at least half a season. And I'm always very suspicious of sales pitches that start out "And if you ACT NOW, . . . "