Buffalo Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams announced Thursday star Jack Eichel was removed as the team's captain after failing his physical because of a neck injury.
"I feel the captain is the heartbeat of your team," Adams told reporters. "I felt that we needed to address that."
Eichel, who's been the focus of trade rumors throughout the 2021 NHL offseason, and the Sabres have been at odds about the type of surgery the dynamic playmaker should receive.
Eichel preferred to have an artificial disc replacement surgery, which hadn't ever been performed on an NHL player before.