The course of two NHL organizations changed one year ago today. November 4, 2021, will forever be known to Buffalo Sabres fans as the day they officially moved on from Jack Eichel – the day the franchise moved in a different direction. Looking back at that deal shows a rare trade that might well leave all sides smiling; Eichel received the neck surgery he had been waiting for, and the Golden Knights landed the top-line center they desperately needed.
For the Sabres, the trade brought a breath of fresh air to an organization that desperately needed it. They are 7-3-0 to start the season and have carried over the momentum they gained in the post-Eichel era last season. The pieces they received in the trade have set them up nicely to compete, while also giving them reasons to be optimistic about what to come.
Alex Tuch’s Impact on the Sabres
The biggest turnaround the organization saw was when Alex Tuch fully recovered from his shoulder injury and joined the lineup last season, but he also played a major role in the culture overhaul off the ice. He grew up a Sabres fan, and the passion he has for this city, team and fanbase is genuine. In his introductory press conference, he spouted off names from the Sabres team that went to the Eastern Conference Final in 2007, and you could see the joy and excitement on his face. He brought a much-needed attitude change to the team and legitimately wanted to be a Buffalo Sabre. This is something general manager Kevyn Adams has emphasized since he took over in 2020, and Tuch fits that profile to a tee.
Related: Eichel’s Return to Buffalo Should Provide Closure for Him and the Sabres
Tuch’s return to the ice came in mid-December, and the team has not looked back since. There were some tough stretches last season, but the overall attitude remained positive, and the team finished the season on a high note. Since March of 2022, they have a 23-12-3 record, and Tuch has scored 26. The impact he has had on the organization has been incredible, and we will likely see him take on a larger leadership role moving forward.
Krebs, Draft Picks Highlight the Rest of the Trade
While Tuch has certainly been the centrepiece of the trade thus far, the Sabres also received Peyton Krebs, and a couple of high draft picks in the deal. The first-rounder they received from Vegas became the 16th-overall selection in last year’s draft, which they used to select promising Swedish forward Noah Ostlund. They also received a second-round draft pick, which they have at their disposal in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Krebs has come along slowly, which is to be expected for a 21-year-old, but he has shown flashes of his abilities with his innate passing skills and high hockey IQ. The fact that he is still developing and that there are more pieces on the way for the team is what makes looking back on this deal so exciting. Buffalo turned one player who no longer wanted to be a part of the team into three key pieces of their organization moving forward.
Eichel will return to the KeyBank Center for the second time next Thursday in a matchup that has some buzz about it. Last season’s game was one of the more exciting games they’ve played in recent memory, with the tension building a playoff-like atmosphere. The Sabres won that emotional game, receiving contributions from Krebs and Tuch, which proved to be another major turning point for the organization. The animosity has reached a new level this season after Eichel’s post-game comments last season centred around the passion, or lack thereof, he saw from Sabres fans during his tenure.
The Eichel era ended acrimoniously in Buffalo, but there is peace and comfort with the decision from both teams. Eichel has returned to form and has been phenomenal this season, which is the main reason the Golden Knights sit atop the Western Conference standings. The Sabres are enamoured with Tuch’s play and still have a reason for optimism with the growth of Krebs, Ostlund and the future second-round pick. The talk is no longer about what they lost when Eichel departed, it’s about how exciting the future is for the team and the direction they are headed.
