Jack Eichel’s time in Buffalo may be nearing an end.
After Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams insisted that he “would have no problem” if Eichel was still with Buffalo at the start of training camp in September, the center’s agents reaffirmed his desire to be traded.
“Our expectation is that Jack is going to be traded in the near future, and all of our discussions have been centered around that issue,” Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli said in a joint statement to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on Sunday.
In June, The Post’s Larry Brooks reported that the Rangers had engaged in preliminary talks with the Sabres regarding a potential Eichel blockbuster trade. And while the Sabres have not yet granted permission for clubs to access Eichel’s medical records — Eichel is dealing with a herniated disk in his neck — the Rangers also expressed interest in looking into his condition.
The 24-year-old Eichel has already established himself as one of the NHL’s premier centers since Buffalo selected him second overall in 2015. However, his relationship with the organization has soured, with the two sides recently disagreeing on the proper treatment for Eichel’s injury.
As expected, the Sabres’ asking price is rumored to be high, with Buffalo wanting at least four pieces equivalent to first-rounders, according to The Post’s Larry Brooks.
The Rangers’ pursuit of Eichel raises questions about the future of first-line center Mika Zibanejad, who is one year away from unrestricted free agency. The Blueshirts can begin negotiating a potential extension with Zibanejad on Wednesday. Eichel, meanwhile, has five years remaining on his $10 million per year contract.
In addition to the Rangers, the Wild, Ducks, Kings and Blue Jackets are rumored to be interested in Eichel.