JACK EICHEL

The Vegas Golden Knights fired coach Peter DeBoer on Monday in the aftermath of missing the playoffs for the first time in their five-year franchise history. General manager Kelly McCrimmon made the announcement and thanked DeBoer for his work with the organization. “Since joining the organization, Pete and his staff have guided us through some of the most unique and challenging circumstances we’ve witnessed since our franchise entered the NHL," said McCrimmon, whose job is not in jeopardy.

The airing of grievances and expressions of frustrations which commonly followed each of the Sabres' previous 10 losing seasons were notably absent on Saturday. At a time Buffalo set an NHL record by missing the playoffs for an 11th straight year, the mood was unmistakably upbeat among players gathering one final time. “It’s definitely a different feeling this year,” said forward Zemgus Girgensons, the team’s longest-tenured player after completing his eighth season in Buffalo.

The NHL playoff race is going into its final few days with both Western Conference wild-card slots still unsettled.

Jack Eichel came to Las Vegas to get back on the ice and get into the playoffs. Eichel's desire to reach the playoffs for the first time in his seven-year career hasn't been fulfilled, though the Golden Knights are mathematically still alive entering the final week of the season. Three months after being the first NHL player to have disc replacement surgery and 11 months since being sidelined, Eichel was once again able to showcase his offensive abilities by registering 21 points (12 goals, nine assists) in 31 games to rank third on the team.

One year and one day later, Sabres coach Don Granato still reflects on the encouraging text message forward Kyle Okposo sent following what stands as one of the lowest moments in franchise history. “We will win,” Granato said, recalling Okposo’s text shortly after Buffalo squandered a 3-0 third-period lead in a 4-3 overtime loss to Philadelphia that extended the Sabres' losing streak to 0-15-3, matching the NHL’s 18th-longest skid. “That message will stick with me forever,” Granato said Wednesday.

LAS VEGAS — (AP) — Jack Eichel will make his debut with the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, playing for the first time since being acquired from Buffalo and since he became the first NHL player to undergo artificial disk replacement surgery on his neck in November. “I’m sure there will be a lot of emotions Wednesday,” Eichel said Monday at the team’s facility after practice. Then he had surgery on Nov. 12 and began practicing with the Golden Knights on Jan. 11. Without Stone, DeBoer said it gives him an extended opportunity to do what he’s done all season, and that’s experiment with his lines by using a plethora of offensive weapons that now includes Eichel. I don’t know what will stick but we’re gonna try some things.”___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Jack Eichel will make his debut with the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

Sabres Golden Knights Trade Hockey FILE - Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (9) celebrates his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. The Jack Eichel era in Buffalo is over, with a nasty public divorce reaching an eight-month finality on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. when the Sabres traded their ex-captain and face of the franchise to the Vegas Golden Knights. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File) (Jeffrey T. Barnes)Jack Eichel gives the Vegas Golden Knights the elite center they hope is the final piece of their Stanley Cup puzzle. The Golden Knights don't know when Eichel will play again after upcoming disk replacement surgery to repair the neck injury that has sidelined him for months — or when he'll be in top form. 1 center Chandler Stephenson comfortably down the lineup and give Vegas the kind of center depth that Washington had in beating the Golden Knights in the 2018 final.

NHL forward Jack Eichel arrives in Vegas with a set of questions for the Golden Knights.

Sabres Golden Knights Trade Hockey FILE - Buffalo Sabres' Jack Eichel is shown during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. The trade ends a stalemate between Eichel and Buffalo over how to repair his herniated disk, which has sidelined him since March. Sabres doctors favored Eichel having fusion surgery and opposed the disk replacement procedure because it has never been conducted on an NHL player. Eichel was the Sabres’ highest-paid player and is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $80 million contract. In September, the Sabres stripped Eichel of his captaincy before the start of training camp.

The Jack Eichel era in Buffalo is over.

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Jack Eichel, now stripped of his captaincy, has likely played his final game for the Sabres because of a rift with the team over how to treat a herniated disk. Forward Sam Reinhart and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen got their wish to escape Buffalo after being traded in July. Despite another offseason of headaches and negative headlines, veteran forward Kyle Okposo chose his words carefully in assessing why he believes the Sabres might be finally pointed in the right direction after spending the past decade dwelling mostly in dysfunction.

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Training camps got under way around the NHL on Thursday with several big-name stars nowhere to be found. With more than two weeks until the regular season, there's also no reason to rush. “I don’t think it’s any different than guys getting hurt, not being there for lineup,” Sharks defenseman Brent Burns said. I'm here to work, I'm healthy, I'm happy to play hockey again.”The distraction of unsigned players is not affecting most teams. ___Follow AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

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General manager Kevyn Adams said the player has also been stripped of his captaincy as the Sabres opened camp Thursday. And Eichel, who first publicly questioned his future in Buffalo in May, changed agents last month in hopes to spur a trade. We'll look at every possible scenario as we move forward.”Adams said Eichel will not work out with the team, and informed Sabres players of the now former captain's status on Wednesday. The Sabres are against him having the procedure because it has never been performed on an NHL player, and prefer him having the disk fused. The Sabres could eventually opt to suspend Eichel, which would likely lead to the player filing a grievance through the NHL Players’ Association.

The Buffalo Sabres have stripped Jack Eichel of his captaincy.

Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel failed his pre-training camp physical and was placed on injured reserve, leaving the two sides no closer to a resolution over how to treat a herniated disk which has sidelined the player for six months. General manager Kevyn Adams said the player has also been stripped of his captaincy as the Sabres opened camp Thursday. The developments leave Eichel being out for the foreseeable future, with the growing likelihood the face of the franchise has already played his final game with the team which selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft.

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Sabres captain Jack Eichel will travel to Buffalo for his pre-training camp physical this week amid questions of whether he’ll be cleared to play, and his future with the team in limbo, a person with direct knowledge of the player’s plans told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because discussions between Eichel and the Sabres have been private. The Sabres are conducting their player physicals on Wednesday, a day before opening training camp.

Sabres Eichel Hockey FILE - Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (9) is shown during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Buffalo, N.Y., in this Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, file photo. The people spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the paperwork for Eichel to switch agents is in the process of being submitted to the NHL Players’ Association. The ever-widening rift has led to the Sabres attempting to trade Eichel over the past few months. “I’m worried about doing what’s right for the Buffalo Sabres,” Adams said. And if there’s something that makes sense, we’ll do it.”___More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2021 The Associated Press.

Four people with direct knowledge of the player’s decision have told The Associated Press that Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel is changing agents while in the midst of a long-standing dispute with the team over how to treat a neck injury.

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Sabres Eichel Hockey FILE - Buffalo Sabres' Jack Eichel is shown during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Philadelphia, in this Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, file photo. “For now, obviously, I’m here, I’m the captain of this hockey team,” he added. Eichel, who traveled out of state to seek a second opinion, was initially projected to return before the season ended. Adams didn’t rule out the possibility of Eichel having surgery, but not until after the injury was re-examined after the season. It’s a serious thing.”The 24-year-old Eichel is the Sabres’ highest paid-player and completed the third year of an eight-year, $80 million contract.

Sabres Eichel Hockey FILE - Buffalo Sabres' Jack Eichel is shown during an NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Philadelphia, in this Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, file photo. Eichel said he favors having surgery, while suggesting the team has a different opinion regarding the best course of treatment. “But for now, obviously, I’m here, I’m the captain of this hockey team. Last month, Adams had not ruled out Eichel having surgery, but not until after the injury is re-examined after the season. The 24-year-old Eichel is the Sabres’ highest paid-player and completed the third year of an eight-year, $80 million contract.

Sabres captain Jack Eichel is questioning his future in Buffalo by saying there is a disconnect with the team over whether to have surgery to repair a herniated disk.

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel will miss the rest of the season with a herniated disc in his neck.

New York Islanders' Cal Clutterbuck (15) passes the puck away from Buffalo Sabres' Jack Eichel (9) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 4, 2021, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury that is not yet considered season-ending. Coach Ralph Krueger on Saturday was unable to provide a fixed timetable except to say Eichel is “out for the foreseeable future." The update came after Eichel traveled to see a specialist over the past two days to further determine the severity of the injury. He missed the first week of training camp after sustaining an upper-body injury during a pre-camp on-ice workout in Buffalo. Eichel also missed two games last month with a lower-body injury.

The Flyers were spurred by a replenished lineup in which four players returned after spending two weeks in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. They included Scott Laughton, who scored a breakaway goal to make it 3-0 late in the second period. Elliott improved to 5-1 this season and upped his career record to 15-2-2 with four shutouts against the Sabres, including a 40-save outing in a 3-0 win on Jan. 19. Elliott chalked up his dominance to opening his career with Ottawa, Buffalo’s traditional Atlantic Division rival. The Sabres dropped to 2-6-1 in their past nine and played their second game without captain Jack Eichel, listed as day to day with a lower body injury.

Buffalo coach Ralph Krueger still wasnt ready to say whether high-priced forward Jeff Skinner will resume playing after a three-game benching. Except to say it's not a disciplinary issue, Krueger has declined to detail the reasons behind his decision regarding Skinner. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres enter the weekend dealing with injuries to two key players and uncertainty as to whether coach Ralph Krueger is going to end the benching of high-priced forward Jeff Skinner. Krueger would only say Skinner would be available to play Saturday. As for Ullmark, Krueger said the goalie is still being evaluated to determine the severity of the injury he sustained in the first period against the Devils.

The Avalanche currently have two players on the league’s COVID-19 list: captain Gabriel Landeskog and forward Tyson Jost. AdThe Wolverines’ 13th-ranked women’s basketball team and highly competitive hockey squad also were cleared to enter their facilities. Michigan’s men’s basketball team is scheduled to play Feb. 11 at home against No. ___Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog, Buffalo defenseman Jake McCabe and Minnesota forward Nico Sturm were added to NHL COVID-19 protocol list. ___West Virginia is boosting home attendance to 2,800, or 20% of capacity, for the men’s basketball game Feb. 13 between the 17th-ranked Mountaineers and No.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (9) carries the puck past New Jersey Devils forward Yegor Sharangovich (17) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Jack Eichel scored in a shootout, Linus Ullmark made 31 saves and the Buffalo Sabres beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3 on Saturday. Victor Olofsson, Tobias Rieder and Eric Staal also scored to help the Sabres improve to 3-0-2 in their past five games. AdJanne Kuokkanen, Ty Smith and Andreas Johnsson scored for New Jersey in former Sabres coach Lindy Ruff’s first trip to Buffalo since taking over the Devils this offseason. Buffalo’s top free-agent acquisition assisted on two goals, tying Eichel for the team lead with nine points in eight games. RUFF’S RETURNRuff served as a Rangers assistant and Stars head coach since being fired by the Sabres in 2013.

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2020, file photo, Arizona Coyotes left wing Taylor Hall (91) is shown during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Islanders, in Glendale, Ariz. Forward Taylor Hall surprised many in turning down numerous contending NHL teams which courted him, and instead sign with the Buffalo Sabres in free agency. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)BUFFALO, N.Y. – Taylor Hall refused to buy into the negativity surrounding the Buffalo Sabres, and instead focused on the positives. And though Taylor acknowledged receiving longer-term offers from numerous teams, he settled on a one-year test-run contract with Buffalo. “Obviously, I’m betting on myself, but I’m betting that the Sabres can improve and have a good hockey season.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo Sabres are banking on Taylor Hall to turn what was a long and unsettled offseason into a far brighter immediate future. Buffalo became the surprise team to win the Hall free-agency sweepstakes by signing the 10th-year forward and six-time 20-goal-scorer to a one-year, $8 million contract Sunday night. The deal came together after the Sabres made landing Hall their top priority in free agency, with second-year coach Ralph Krueger playing an integral role. Krueger was an assistant in Edmonton during Hall's rookie season, and then spent the 2012-13 lockout shortened year as the Oilers coach. The Sabres entered free agency about $26 million under the NHL’s salary $81.5 million cap, and are currently projected to have about $14 million of space available following Hall’s addition.