Jack Eichel Trade Rumors: Rangers Among Teams to Call Sabres About Star

TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Monday that Buffalo Sabres star Jack Eichel may have requested a trade, and the New York Rangers are one of the teams interested in acquiring him.

Eichel's agent attempted to put the rumor to rest when McKenzie inquired about them.

"I hear that trade talk a lot," he said. "Jack wants to win, he's frustrated [not winning] but no, he doesn't want out. Jack is preparing to head to Buffalo at some point here and prepare for the season, whenever that may be. That's all he controls."  

McKenzie said that the team also said they were not actively looking to trade Eichel, but several teams inquired about the center's availability when Kevyn Adams took over as the team's general manager in June.

"None of those talks with other clubs resulted in Eichel trade traction," McKenzie wrote. "But it's also believed there has been dialogue between Eichel and [Buffalo] to ensure they both want the same thing (to get better obviously) and share the same timetable (sooner rather than later). 

The bottom line, McKenzie reported, was that calls were made, but Eichel is staying put.

Since Eichel was drafted out of Boston University in the first round in 2015, has been a mainstay in the Sabres lineup since he joined the team. Through five years, he has appeared in 354 games, starting 137 of them, and has potted 137 goals and helped out on 200 others. 

The Sabres want to keep him around, which is clear in the contract they signed him to in 2017—an eight-year extension, with a $10 million cap hit annually. 

Eichel is the focal point of a Sabres squad that went 30-31-8 this season, and at just 23, he's the future of the team, too. It would serve the Sabres well to keep him around.