Quote:
Originally Posted by VladtheImpaler
Not just EC, but in the same state! That's like trading Gaudreau to ENG.
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Not exactly. The Sabres and Rangers aren't in the same Division, so there's much less chance that trading him to the Rangers would have any significant consequences for the Sabres.
It would really only be an issue if they met in the playoffs and Eichel dominated over the Sabres or if the Rangers beat out the Sabres for a playoff spot (which, under the current playoff format, could only happen for a wild card spot). As long as the Division-heavy playoff structure remains, there's a very low likelihood of the Sabres and Rangers meeting in the playoffs over the next five seasons (the remainder of Eichel's contract).
Also, regardless of what the Sabres want, once Eichel is gone, there's no guarantee that the western team who acquires him couldn't just flip him to an eastern team anyway.
That happened when the Senators traded Hoffman to San Jose because they didn't want to trade him to an Eastern Conference team, then the Sharks immediately turned around and flipped him to Florida -- which put him back in the Senators' Division.