It was just a few short months ago in November that Jack Eichel's time in Buffalo came to an unceremonious end, with Eichel getting dealt to the Golden Knights. For the first time since the trade, Eichel will step back into the KeyBank Center, the place where he called home for the first six seasons of his NHL career.
Eichel was supposed to be the piece to get Johnathan Abram Jerseys the Sabres back over the top. While the center did his part on the ice, the Sabres continued to be a bottom-tier team, failing to reach the postseason in any season Eichel was there. Tension rose with disagreements over treatment for a herniated disk, boiling over with public comments of displeasure and turning what was supposed to be a bright future in Buffalo into an ugly bruise on the franchise.
While both sides were happy to put the Eichel saga behind them, the two meet up once again, as the Golden Knights travel to Buffalo on Thursday. Eichel will get back in front of the home crowd that cheered him onvigorously since he entered the league as an 18-year-old in 2015.
With Eichel's return, here's a timeline of the events during his time with the Sabres.
MORE:NHL MVP Ladder: Auston Matthews taking the lead for the Hart Trophy
Jack Eichel timeline as a SabreSabres draft Eichel No. 2 overall in 2015 NHL Draft
In any other draft cla s, Eichel likely doesn't fall to the Sabres at No. 2. He was fresh off a sensational freshman year at Boston University, becoming the second freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's top player. He was first in the NCAA in goals (26) and points (71), earning Hockey East's Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.
But a player by the name of Connor McDavid was also in that cla s and was selected by the Oilers at No. 1. There was some debate going into the draft if the Oilers would elect to take Eichel instead of McDavid, but Edmonton selected the 18-year-old from the OHL's Erie Otters.
As a result, the Sabres landed Darron Lee Jerseys Eichel with the No. 2 pick, considered to be a generational talent.
Eichel scores in his NHL debut
After signing his entry-level contract in July of 2015, Eichel made the team out of camp and was expected to immediately play a big role for the Sabres.
Eichel and the Sabres could not have asked for a better start from the 18-year-old. Eichel made his NHL debut on Oct. 8, 2015, in the first game of the season for Buffalo. He scored his first goal in the second period of George Blanda Jerseys the game, roofing a shot over Senators goaltender Craig Anderson.
NEWS: Buffalo Sabres Forward – Jack Eichel scores his FIRST GOAL! What a goal it was.RT/FAV If you agree
The Hockey Pre s (@TheHockeyPre s)
He became the youngest player in Sabres history to score his first goal.
Eichel signs an eight-year, $80 million extension
The first two seasons were very succe sful for Eichel in Buffalo. He finished his rookie season with 56 points in 81 games and ended up fourth in voting for the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year. In his second season, he mi sed the first two months of the season with an ankle sprain, but concluded the season producing at nearly a point per game clip, 57 points in 61 games.
The summer heading into the 2017-18 season, the Sabres rewarded Eichel with an eight-year, $80 million extension, looking up their young superstar to a long-term deal.
We've agreed to terms with on an 8-year extension with an AAV of $10 million.
Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres)
At the time, Jim Botterill had just taken over as general manager and viewed Eichel as the centerpiece of the team. While the Sabres as a team were not finding succe s, they had their young stud to build the club around.
Eichel scores his first NHL hat trick
It took over two seasons, but Eichel finally secured his first career NHL hat trick on Dec. 15, 2017, against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Sabres forward scored Buffalo's first goal of the game in the second period, cleaning up a rebound in front. He cut the Hurricanes lead to one halfway through the third with a shot from the slot before showing off his patience with the puck, out-waiting Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward and beating him to tie the game just 10 seconds after his second goal to complete the “Jack-trick”.
Sabres name Eichel captain
Before Eichel began his fourth season with the Sabres, the team announced him as the in franchise history in Las Vegas Raiders Pet Gear October of 2018.
He was just 21 years old when the club gave him the “C”, following Brian Gionta as the next Sabres captain.
The moment when Phil Housley named Jack Eichel the captain of the Buffalo Sabres
Matthew Bov (@Matt_Bove) Eichel suffers a neck injury in a collision with Nico Hischier
While the team was not finding succe s, Eichel continued to play at a high level, recording a career-high 82 points in the 2018-19 season and setting a new career-high in goals with 36 in 2019-20.
However, just 21 games into the 2020-21 season, Eichel collided awkwardly with Nico Hischier during a game on March 7, 2021, against the New Jersey Devils. Ralph Krueger, coach of the Sabres at the time, announced le s than a week later that Eichel would be out
It later was announced that Eichel had a and that would keep him out of the remainder of the season, as he was placed on long-term injured reserve.
Eichel voices his displeasure with the Sabres' approach to his injury
This is where the drama starts.
In May of 2021 Las Vegas Raiders Accessories , Eichel met with the media to discu s the injury, where he between himself and the organization over the treatment of his neck.
“I've been a bit upset about the ways things have been handled since I've been hurt. I'd be lying to say that things have moved smoothly since my injury. There's been a bit of a disconnect between myself and the organization. It's been tough at times. Right now, for me, the most important thing is just trying to get healthy, figure out a way to be available to play hockey next year, wherever that might be.”
Eichel wanted to get for his neck, while the team's doctors were advising against it, suggesting he go for fusion surgery instead. The disagreement created a rift between the two sides.
Not Lyle Alzado Jerseys only was Eichel voicing displeasure with the Sabres, but also insinuating for the first time that his future may not lie in Buffalo. At the time, he did not confirm or deny that he had asked for a trade.
“There's a lot I have to consider. But for now, I'm here. I'm the captain of this hockey team. My goal is to be available and to try to help this organization to win hockey games. I'll do that as long as I'm here.”
Sabres strip Eichel of captaincy after failing training camp physical
Having gone the whole summer with no surger
