New Jersey Devils: 3 Ways To Make A Jack Eichel Trade Happen

Devils Make Nico Hischier Available

Not many teams can make a legitimate number-one center available in a trade with the Sabres. The Devils can if they choose to. Nico Hischier would be a luxury if the Devils had Jack Hughes and Jack Eichel. Could the Devils afford to have three centers who might make north of $7 million? It’s hard to tell what Hughes will be worth when his next contract is up, but after paying Hischier $7.25 million on a seven-year deal, it’s hard to tell Hughes he’s worth much less.

The Sabres could build a different kind of team behind Hischier. He’s still a really good player, and then the Sabres could use their 1st-round pick this year to build the rest of the team. They’d have two number-one overall picks in Hischier and Rasmus Dahlin. It doesn’t fix the goalie situation, but it definitely doesn’t leave the major hole that trading Eichel for picks and prospects would do.

Hischier has been missing from the Devils all season, and they’ve still put themselves high in the standings. They’ve shown they can survive without his talents, and turning him into Eichel is obviously an upgrade. Eichel is one of the best players in the league.

Still, losing Hischier would hurt. Every rumor in the world says he’s going to be the team’s next captain. He’s proven before he can help lead this team to a playoff berth. Tom Fitzgerald would be hard pressed to give up Hischier in any deal for any player. He’s got a certain quality that makes him almost impossible to replace. However, Eichel is a player that a franchise sees once in a generation. They are almost never available.

This feels like it wouldn’t happen because the Devils would never want to lose Nico.