Jack Is Back: Eichel Returns To Buffalo And It Is Not For The Wings! The Best Soap Opera Episode In The NHL Has Come Full Circle
Jack Eichel makes his return to Buffalo for the first time since the well documented breakup with the Sabres. After a long and contentious standoff Eichel made his way to the Golden Knights after having successful surgery. This strange journey started in 2014-15 when the Sabres were actively tanking to try and get the star of McJesus in the draft. The Sabres fans were openly cheering when away teams would score and win games in the hope of getting that first pick. This was a strange revelation since the Sabres a few years before had a great run in the playoffs and a great nucleus of players. But that is where the ownership decided to take the team. Side note: Biz's Coyotes didn't understand how to tank back then either!!
Deep down lifelong Sabres fans knew that even after the season they had something that would not work out for them and that is exactly what happened. Buffalo lost the lottery at the end and McDavid went to Edmonton. But there was still hope as the number 2 on the board was an absolute stud. This playmaker was a can't miss prospect with the only worry that he went to BU like our own Ryan Whitney . He would have been a consensus number 1 pick every other year after the show he put on in college. The Sabres wasted no time running the pick up to the podium and finally the Sabres had that marquis superstar that would be the face of the franchise for the many years to come.
This was believed to be the watershed moment where Buffalo would be on its way to the promised land.
Eichel has always been productive no matter the team that was being built around him… but not even superman could get this team on a winning track. I could listen to Rick Jeanneret call goals all day long.
Fast forward to the final blow when Eichel needed neck surgery and spent the time to do the diligence on what would be best for his future in the NHL. The Sabres and their medical staff believed they knew best and advised against it to the point that it was a standoff. Will the details come out after his career is over? I hope so. But with Eichel back and playing well this sure makes the Sabres look somewhat stupid. Here is great interview with Jack and the Chiclets Crew the day the trade went down!!
The trade to Vegas gets done and a team that was already a wagon now has even more to cheer about with a top 5 center making his way to the fortress. Vegas allowed him to get the surgery he wanted and the team was patient with what was predicted for a few months of recovery.
Vegas has not won every game by 4-5 goals like many thought when they added him, but he will eventually get back in game shape and mesh with his new teammates. A return to Buffalo against his old friends and teammates might just be the game that he needs to break out offensively with a huge game and a huge win, so the chiclets crew put together a boost to make the game even more interesting.
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