In June of 2015, the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres were 1 and 2 in the NHL Draft. This draft year was probably one of the biggest draft years within my lifetime. (20 years) Buffalo had only been out of the playoffs for 4 years at that point, but it felt much longer than that with the tank specifically and constant movement of star players.
It was so weird to see all of my favorite childhood players be traded. Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, Ryan Miller, you name it. All traded away. The management we had then was 1000 times worse than the management we have now. Nevertheless, all of this agomoni and distress was to position the organization for one of the two top prospects in the 2015 draft. Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. We were so invested as a fan base to receive one of these players, we boo’d the team for WINNING a game! That’s unheard of.
The draft lottery came around and Buffalo received pick number 2 in the draft, which most knew was going to be Eichel. Eichel was considered an amazing prospect, but McDavid was the elite prospect. Therefore, you know how the story goes. McDavid to Edmonton and Eichel to Buffalo. Nobody really cared that we didn’t draft McDavid. We were highly content either way. Buffalo was excited and ready for you to get to work and change the organization around. And you did just that until last season.
You had an amazing tenure in Buffalo up until your injury. Through 375 games in Buffalo, you had 139 goals, 216 assists, totaling to 355 points. Almost averaging a point-per-game. That’s pretty amazing, considering the Sabres never made the playoffs during your tenure in Buffalo.
Now comes the last time you dressed as a Buffalo Sabre. March 7th, 2021. No one knew that this would be the last time you played in Buffalo, myself included. The reports came out, and it was learned that you had been sidelined for the remainder of the season due to spinal herniated-disk. I’m no doctor by any means, trust me. With that being said, I can’t comment on your injury or surgery decision. I’m a firm believer of people having the choice to do what they want with their body, so I’m glad you were able to receive the treatment you desired. I really didn’t see any part of this dispute coming.
Once the offseason rolled around, reports came out that you requested a trade. As a fan, I was shocked. Yeah, we weren’t making the playoffs still, but you always talked about how you loved the City of Buffalo and how grateful you were to the Sabres and so on. I was very confused. You just got the big contract as well! Nothing was adding up really, until now.
So, we wait I suppose. No trade, no surgery, no updates. Then September 2021 rolls around. General Manager Kevyn Adams announces that you are no longer captain of the team and you failed your physical and wouldn’t be taking part in training camp. Yikes. I was shocked. I still didn’t really understand what was going on. Anyways, onto the final part of the story that we all know of now, you got traded to Vegas and got your preferred surgery. (Congratulations by the way)
You made your return to Buffalo, you gave the press a great show before and after the game as well. You also pissed off an entire fanbase that once supported you fully and wanted to see you succeed. I knew and you knew it wasn’t going to be pretty coming back to Buffalo. There was lots of talk about how you would be greeted and treated once you returned, and none of the predictions were wrong. You were mainly booed every single time you had possession of the puck, but also were cheered by many when your tribute video was played in the arena. I was one of those fans cheering for you, and I didn’t regret it until you decided to open your mouth after the game.
“That’s the loudest I’ve heard this place in years. Really. It only took them (fans) 7 years and me being traded to get into the game.”
Ok Jack. Obviously it is no secret that the Sabres attendance has been bad as of late, but what exactly do the fans have to do with your bitterness? Many of us fans that you chose to bash last week supported you for those 7 years. You even did an interview with ESPN a couple weeks ago prior to your return and talked greatly about said fans and organization. What I’m not understanding is, what did the fans ever do to you besides boo you when you returned? What was the sudden change of tone? Buffalo loved you. The fans loved you.
You were my favorite player ever since you were drafted to the team, and still were even after you were traded to Vegas. Many others could probably say the same as well. You had the most merchandise sales out of all the players on the team during your tenure. You gave back to the community numerous times also, one example was putting lots of time and effort into Roswell Cancer Institute, which is absolutely amazing and everyone involved is beyond grateful for that. I don’t need to continue to list everything that would ‘prove’ our loyalty to you or what you did for the city because you’re already aware of that, whether you’ll admit it or not. My main concern is, why not talk about the management? They’re the ones who wouldn’t let you have your preferred surgery. They also decided to strip you of your captaincy and ship you off to Vegas, yet I haven’t heard one bad or negative comment since locker clean out of the 2020-2021 season when you mentioned a “disconnect” between you and the organization.
I’m not exactly sure what changed in your head when you did your interviews before and after your game against the Sabres last week, and I may not ever find out. All I know is, you seem to tell a very good lie, or two or three. I would have never expected that to come out of your mouth, as well as the thousands of people in Buffalo who still cared about you. The damage is done though, nevertheless. I wish you the best of luck in Vegas and the rest of your career. I hope you are able to go on and win the Stanley Cup someday, with whoever that may be. I’m sorry that Buffalo wasn’t cut out for you and that we couldn’t get to where you wanted the team to be. Just remember though, you’ve messed with the wrong fanbase, Jack. Nothing but love and support for all those years, just to be diminished by a measly, two sentence quote. Shame on you. I hope you realize what you said has ruined your reputation completely, not only in the City of Buffalo, but the entire hockey community.
With that, good riddance Jack Eichel. Hopefully your exclusive, hot headed post game comments were worth it in the end.
Soooooo very well said. You said it for probably 99% of the Sabres fans.