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Why there's a surprisingly bright future for the Buffalo Sabres, post-Jack Eichel

When the Buffalo Sabres finally traded Jack Eichel to the Vegas Golden Knights last week, it didn't just mark the end of the NHL's most contentious standoff -- it marked the end of an era.

The Sabres literally ruined themselves for the chance to draft Jack Eichel in 2015. (Or Connor McDavid ... no disrespect intended to consolation prizes.) In 2017, they signed him to an $80 million contract extension to be the focal point of the franchise, the star at the center of their galaxy. He was the player that was going to lead the Sabres to unprecedented success -- perhaps even the first Stanley Cup in the team's 51-season history.