When the Buffalo Sabres were shopping Jack Eichel through the summer of 2021 and into the 2021-22 season, NHL insider Kevin Weekes reported that the Calgary Flames were very much in the running to land the American superstar. While some held hope, most believed the Flames acquiring Eichel would turn out to be too good to be true. Those thoughts turned to fact when, in November that same year, Eichel was instead dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights.
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Since then, Flames fans haven’t discussed Eichel much at all, as few believed their team was actually in the running for his services. As it turns out, however, they very much wereL Eichel himself confirmed on the Empty Netters podcast that the final two teams in the bidding war were in fact the Flames and the Golden Knights. With where the Flames are now as a team, fans are left wondering about what could have been.
Not Acquiring Eichel A Major Mistake by Treliving
Before the trade was made, Weekes had reported that the Flames had offered Matthew Tkachuk along with other assets to the Sabres in exchange for Eichel. That part seems hard to believe, given that Tkachuk alone was arguably better than the package the Sabres wound up receiving in Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, and both a first and second-round pick.
Hindsight is always 20/20, but knowing how things wound up with Tkachuk — namely, him being traded to the Florida Panthers — Flames general manager at the time Brad Treliving should have made him the centrepiece of an Eichel deal. Whether Eichel would have truly wanted to be a Flame is unknown, but wouldn’t have mattered a whole lot given that at the time he was dealt he had five seasons remaining on his contract.
Grabbing Eichel would have given the Flames an elite talent in one the most important positions in hockey. Like the Connor McDavid factor in Edmonton, it also would have helped the Flames bring in high-profile free agents wanting to join Eichel in hopes of winning a Stanley Cup.
Instead, Treliving was hesitant and outbid by the Golden Knights and the Flames are paying the consequences. While Treliving has moved on, the Flames are being forced to clean his mess as they have several bad contracts on what is a middling team at best.
Flames Would be in a Much Better Spot With Eichel
It is hard to fathom just how different of a spot the Flames would be in than they currently if they had acquired Eichel. Not only would they have had more success last season thanks to Eichel’s talent alone, but the entire makeup of the roster would look much different.
The biggest difference of all is that Jonathan Huberdeau and his ugly $10.5 million contract wouldn’t be in Calgary, as Tkachuk would have already been gone in the Eichel deal. With Eichel around, there also wouldn’t have been reason to sign Nazem Kadri as Elias Lindholm would have already been slotted in as the second-line centreman.
Instead of adding Huberdeau and Kadri, the Flames could have looked to improve on the wings and brought in some other skilled players — whether through free agency or via trade — to play alongside Eichel and Lindholm.
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It also would have led to an intensified Battle-of-Alberta rivalry between the Flames and Edmonton Oilers. McDavid, not only the best centreman but player in the game going head-to-head against another elite centreman in Eichel would have been must-watch viewing. The fact they went first and second overall in the 2015 Entry Draft would have only further added to the excitement.
A Franchise-Altering Decision
It is hard to comprehend just how different things would be for the Flames had Treliving made the bold decision to go for Eichel. Instead, he was scared to swing for the fences as he was so often during his time in Calgary, and as a result, the team continues to remain mediocre. Things are only about to go from bad to worse, as current general manager Craig Conroy has no choice but to move on from players such as Lindholm, Noah Hanifin, and Chris Tanev in hopes of building for the future. Had Treliving dealt for Eichel, none of this would be happening.