The TSN hockey insider joins Millard to talk about tracking the Jack Eichel trade and other news from around the NHL through the first four weeks of the season. Eichel was traded by the Buffalo Sabres to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 4. The Sabres received forwards
Peyton Krebs
and Alex Tuch, a top 10 protected first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The Golden Knights also received a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
But there was a lot more that went into the trade and what led to it than the players and draft picks exchanged because of the disagreement between Eichel and the Sabres on how to treat the herniated disk in his neck, which kept him out the final 33 games of last season and has prevented him from playing this season.
The trade has allowed Eichel to move on and he is scheduled to have his preferred artificial disk replacement surgery Friday. Eichel said Monday that
he hopes to be ready to play in three months
.
"It was a long, drawn-out affair," Dreger said. "I think that's pretty obvious from Jack's perspective. He must be over the moon with the fact that he can get on with his professional life and get on with his life. In the end, it was a tough decision for the Buffalo Sabres and probably not that difficult for the Vegas Golden Knights because when -- not if -- when Jack is 100 percent healthy. With all due respect to everything the Vegas Golden Knights have up the middle of the ice, he's just going to make them that much better and a top contender again."
Dreger also talks about the Chicago Blackhawks replacing coach Jeremy Colliton with Derek King on Saturday and the uncertain futures of Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin and Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar because of their teams' slow starts.
Bergevin is in the final season of his contract and the Canadiens are 3-10-0 heading into their home game against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; TSN2, RDS, BSW, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Dreger doesn't believe Bergevin is going to be re-signed by the Canadiens after this season.
"I haven't talked to 'Berge' about this specifically (but) I'm not so sure if he had a do-over he wouldn't do things differently and take the contract that was offered in the summer," Dreger said. "And the only reason I say that is out of respect to some of the managers who are out there and haven't landed a job. When you're talking about paying jobs of $3 million, $3.5 million or higher in the management world of the National Hockey League, the job you have is better than being on the unemployment line."
The Avalanche were expected to be a top contender for the Stanley Cup this season but are 4-5-1 heading into their home game against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. Could Colorado GM Joe Sakic be considering a coaching change?
"Colorado has had some injury problems," Dreger said. "I'm not making excuses for them, but they definitely need to be better than what we've seen. That goes without saying. Joe is incredibly patient. Marc Bergevin incredibly patient. But more Montreal than Colorado for me. I just think Colorado is better and Colorado is going to find its way here in the not-too-distant future."
"The Chirp with Daren Millard"
features interviews with players, executives, alumni and other personalities around the game. You can share your thoughts on Twitter using the hashtag #ChirpMallard.
