Jack Eichel Returns to Boos in Buffalo

After six seasons in Buffalo, Jack Eichel is playing in front of the KeyBank Center crowd tonight for the first time in opposing colors. After a November trade to the Vegas Golden Knights this is Jack's first time entering the visitor's locker room.

At the end of warmups Eichel was greeted with a chorus of boos.





Things seemed off from the very beginning with the partnership between Buffalo and Jack Eichel. Buffalo finished the 2013-2014 as the worst team in the league. Many said they were tanking for McDavid, but the Draft lottery didn't go their way and they ended up with the consolation prize of Eichel.

It was a productive time in Buffalo stats wise for Eichel. In 375 games he had 139 goals and 216 assists for 355 points. There was never enough wins as the team failed to make the playoffs in all six seasons.

A dispute with management over how to treat a herniated disk in his neck led to the eventual divorce. Sabres doctor's wanted Eichel to undergo a fusion surgery, while he wanted to follow his second-opinion doctor and get an artificial disk replacement surgery -- which had never been performed on an NHL player before.

Under the NHL collective bargaining agreement, teams have the final say over how to treat injuries. He was stripped of the Captaincy and eventually traded to Vegas on November 4th along with a conditional 3rd round pick in the 2023 draft to Vegas Golden Knights for Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs and a conditional 1st round pick in the 2022 draft and conditional 2nd round pick in the 2023 draft.

For now Jack Eichel might be having the last laugh. He's back playing the game he loves, winning and looks to be on his way to playing playoffs games in April for the first time in his career.