BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Sabres are wrong.
Oh, sure, they’ve got the collective bargaining agreement on their side. One of Buffalo’s best orthopedic surgeons backs them, too.
But they’re flat-out wrong in their treatment of Jack Eichel. They’re denying him a basic human right to decide what’s best for his body. They’re holding his career hostage. Despite words to the contrary, they’re thinking about the player first and the person second.
The never-ending saga took its latest turn Thursday, when the Sabres placed Eichel on injured reserve for failing his physical and stripped him of the captaincy. Neither move was shocking. Eichel hasn’t been able to play since suffering a herniated disk in his neck in March. He’s requested a trade and isn’t around the team, so there’s no jersey awaiting a “C.”
This is about more than a letter or cap space. It always has been.
Eichel is a 24-year-old who’s supposed to be in the prime of his life. He’s a physical specimen, a man who’s been pushing his body to legendary limits since his early teen years. He’s fine-tuned every muscle, allowing him to reach the pinnacle of his sport.
And now he has absolutely no say in the next step for his body. The CBA allows teams to determine the course of treatment for injuries. That’s fine for ankle sprains, broken fingers and ACL tears. Life-altering neck surgery is something else completely.
Eichel needs surgery to resume his NHL career and live a healthy life. He and the Sabres acknowledge that.