Trade talks about Jack Eichel are seriously heating up

It appears more and more likely that Jack Eichel is going to be on the move.

According to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, conversations between the Sabres and a plethora of teams interested in Eichel are “getting more intense and serious.”

“Nobody said the Stanley Cup playoffs had to be over before Jack Eichel potentially gets moved,” penned LeBrun in his piece, hinting that a move could come sooner rather than later.

“And while I’m not saying the star center will get traded before the end of the playoffs, what I’m hearing is that conversations between the Buffalo Sabres and other interested teams are getting more intense and serious.”

Earlier this week Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that he believes the organization “at the end of the day, want to move on.”

According to LeBrun, the Sabres are expecting to receive a 2021 first round pick as a part of the deal, meaning it looks like the trade will happen prior to the July 23rd draft. LeBrun listed the LA Kings, Minnesota Wild, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers among the teams that could land him.

Eichel, 24, has five years left on a contract paying him an AAV of $10-million. The 2015 2nd overall pick has appeared in 375 games for the Sabres scoring 139 goals and 355 points.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.