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Eichel, McCrimmon, Adams and Lehner all comment on his trade to Vegas; news on the offer from Calgary

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TJ Tucker
November 4, 2021  (12:46)
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The big story out of the hockey world Thursday is, of course, the trade sending Jack Eichel from Buffalo to Vegas. After months of searching for the right return, Sabres GM Kevyn Adams finally got what he was looking for in Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch, a first-round pick and a second-rounder. Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon told reporters following the trade that Eichel will get the surgery he wants.

"We're respectful of what he wants to do. Why wouldn't his people want what's best for him? None of us in this room have the medical expertise to have an opinion," said McCrimmon.

"In Jack Eichel we are getting one of the top players in the league, one of the top centers in the league. He's in the prime of his career and he fits a need in our organization," McCrimmon added.

As for Sabres GM Kevyn Adams, he said "there was a frustration for [Eichel] that built up over time," and he was clear with Eichel that "we need to build this organization with people that are dying to be Buffalo Sabres."

"I care about Jack Eichel as a person. I told him that," said Adams. "I wish him nothing but the best for him. I want nothing more than for Jack to get healthy. I also told him nothing in this was personal."

Eichel himself took to his rarely-used Twitter account and sent out a photo of him in a Golden Knights uniform with the caption "VEGAS, BABY, VEGAS."

Vegas goaltender Robin Lehner, who was teammates with Eichel for a period in Buffalo, and will now be teammates with him again, Tweeted a video of he and Eichel hugging after a win.

Meanwhile, Adams also addressed the rumour of a possible Calgary trade that involved Matthew Tkachuk. He said it was "not accurate." Hockey Reporter Craig Morgan took that a little further.

"I have been told by two league sources that Matthew Tkachuk was never on the table in a potential Flames deal with the Sabres. No contract extension talks, nothing. One source called it made-up 'bullshit.' Another called it an attempt to create leverage," said Morgan.

The rumour regarding Tkachuk and Calgary was first mentioned by Kevin Weekes, who works with the NHL Network and ESPN. Weekes was the first to report that Joel Quenneville was being fired in Florida earlier this week, but seemingly made a mistake when saying that John Tortorella was the frontrunner as his replacement. That didn't happen, and Tortorella even said later that he was never contacted by the Panthers.