Other players who gain long-term value from the Eichel trade include starting goalie Robin Lehner, defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore, making each a buy-low trade targets in fantasy. Although Vegas loses some scoring depth in the trade, it gives them a much-needed finisher in Eichel, who scored an NHL career-high 36 goals in 68 games during the 2019-20 season and has a 10.5 shooting percentage in his career.
Fantasy impact of Eichel trade on Sabres
The Sabres have acquired fantasy-relevant forwards Alex Tuch and rookie Peyton Krebs in the trade for Eichel, slightly boosting their forward depth compared to when Eichel was out.
Buffalo is 5-3-1 through its first nine games, arguably the most-surprising team in the NHL this season and now could be more likely to sustain its strong start after a resolution to the Eichel situation. Eichel (last game for Buffalo: March 7) never played a game under coach Don Granato, who was named coach March 17 during last season and is 14-19-4 in his first 37 games.
The Sabres have not gained much fantasy appeal in keeper and dynasty leagues from the trade because they did not acquire an elite player in the trade return for Eichel. Tuch, who had offseason shoulder surgery and is on injured reserve, is the biggest potential fantasy beneficiary of the trade to the Sabres with a chance to become their most valuable skater upon returning.
Tuch, who scored NHL career highs in goals (20) and points (52) for Vegas in 74 games during the 2018-19 season, also covers hits (306 in 255 games; 1.2 per game) and is worth stashing in standard and long-term leagues ahead of his hopeful return in the second half.
Krebs has a chance to compete with Casey Mittelstadt (currently out with upper-body injury) to be Buffalo's No. 1 center of the future after Eichel's departure. Fantasy managers should take a wait-and-see approach before adding Krebs, who's starting with Rochester of the American Hockey League, in anything other than a keeper or dynasty format.
That said, Krebs joins an underrated prospect pool for Buffalo with fellow 21-and-under players in defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power (playing at University of Michigan this season), forwards Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn, JJ Peterka and other young talent in Mittelstadt, forward Rasmus Asplund and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
