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The Vegas Perspective | Eichel Trade Q&A with Justin Emerson

by Anth - 1

Yesterday morning, the Buffalo Sabres finally struck a deal to send Jack Eichel (along with the third-round pick) to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, a 2022 first-round pick (top-10 protected), and a 2023 second-round pick.

Following what is likely the most high-profile trade that has occured in my lifetime, I reached out to Justin Emerson of the Las Vegas Sun to get his perspective on Tuch and Krebs. He was kind enough to spare me some time on what was surely a busy day for him to discuss not only the players coming to Western New York, but also provide a gauge on how this trade was being received on the Vegas end of the spectrum.

Anthony Sciandra: Obviously you’ve seen a lot of these two guys. Let’s start with Alex Tuch. What’s your take on him as someone who has watched him play regularly over the past few years?

Justin Emerson: “Well, Alex Tuch is a legitimate top-six winger. He’s kind of been stuck because he’s been behind Mark Stone and Reilly Smith. He’s a terrific right-winger. He’s that blend of power, speed, and finishing talent that scouts drool over.”

“It became a joke in the bubble playoffs when Pete DeBoer called him an “x-factor” so many times, some of the players started calling him that. But he really is a tremendous player and it was kind of obvious once these rumors started that Tuch was going to be the roster player going the other way.”

“So often in these types of trades it’s a roster player, a prospect, and a first-round pick, right? It was either going to be Tuch, or defenseman Shea Theodore, but Tuch is a Syracuse native… I don’t know how much that played a role in it, but he’s definitely a forward that will slot right into Buffalo’s top-six once he’s healthy.”

Analyst’s Take

Not to interrupt the flow of the interview, but I wanted to build on what Justin had to say here. Tuch certainly has the attributes that would make him a top-six asset on most NHL teams. As Justin mentioned, he was forced down the depth chart a bit in Vegas, but that shouldn’t take away from his talent.

Over the last three years, he ranks very high among his contemporaries in terms of xGAR (ranks in the 85th percentile in the league since 2018 according to Evolving Hockey), and his fast-aggressive approach will be a nice injection of energy into the Sabres’ lineup. The best part about him is that his pace and tenacity have resulted in positive impacts at both ends of the ice.

By my eye, once he returns from injury, he’s likely the most talented winger on the Buffalo roster. Tuch is seen as an “add-in” to this transaction, but he’s so much more than that, when healthy.

AS: And what’s your take on Krebs? Obviously he doesn’t have the same sample of NHL games, but he’s played a decent amount of professional hockey over the last two years between Vegas and Henderson.

Emerson: “He came highly-regarded. He was the 17th-overall pick in 2019, but even then, the talk was that he slipped (in the draft) because he had an Achilles injury. He was called up last year for a bit of a “cup of coffee” in the NHL and it looked like he might play in the playoffs and burn the first year of his entry-level deal.”

“He took a puck to the face and broke his jaw, so… The poor guy has had two major injuries. Just very unlucky, freak injuries. When he’s on the ice, he’s a dynamic skater. He flies around. That’s the first thing you’ll see when you watch him. He seems to be everywhere.”

“He hasn’t quite put it all together in terms of finishing skill at the NHL-level yet, but he’s dominated everywhere he’s been (WHL, AHL, etc). I think he’ll light it up in Rochester and it won’t be long before he’s in Buffalo.”

“He’s also an incredible passer. His vision on the ice is terrific. He’s a “pass first” guy and a good center. If he has scoring wingers, he can be a real threat. He’s only 20 years old, and I think that’s the reason it took so long to get this trade done. The Golden Knights did not want to give up Krebs, and eventually had to in order to get a player like Jack Eichel.”

AS: This might be tough to answer since he’s only played 13 games at the NHL level but, there’s a narrative out there that he is “future captain material.” Is there anything you’ve observed about him in your coverage that speaks to that perception at all?

Emerson: “I could see it. I’ve never thought about it that way. I never thought of him as the future Vegas captain or anything because Mark Stone is going to be here for so long…. That’s an interesting thought… Now that you mention it, I can definitely see it.”

“He’s a very mature player. He’s been in the spotlight his entire career. I think he’s had media attention since he was like 16 years old. He knows how to handle this kind of thing and he played on a bad team in juniors. He still went out there and produced, put his head down and did it all.”

“He’s a guy that I could…. I could definitely see that. He’s a very mature player for 20 years old and I think he’s got the kind of skillset that teammates will gravitate toward. I think he was frustrated to have to play in the AHL at all this year. Once he gets it rolling in the NHL, I think he’ll be a favorite in the locker room for sure.”

AS: It’s interesting you say that, because right after the trade became official, Kevyn Adams said that they were sending Krebs down to Rochester immediately.

Emerson: “Yeah, he’s struggled a bit in the NHL. Like I said, you’ll see him flying around the ice, but he hasn’t produced anything yet. I don’t think he has a point through nine games this year. That means he has one point in 13 career NHL games.”

“That’s a little tough… When you’re the Sabres, despite your start, you’re not playing for this season, right? So, you can afford to send him down and get him a little bit more comfortable with players like Jack Quinn down there.”

AS: From the Sabres side, I think the reviews on this trade are mixed. I think it’s because there’s a discord in terms of what a player of Eichel’s caliber should garner in a trade, regardless of his current health. What’s the temperature like right now from the Vegas perspective?

Emerson: “There’s two schools of thought when it comes to Vegas fans right now. It’s kind of interesting to see the dichotomy because this is a team that has…. I’ll say “ruthlessly” traded away some of this fanbase’s favorite players to go and get star players.They traded away Marc-Andre Fleury for nothing this offseason. They traded Nate Schmidt last year when Alex Pietrangelo became available.”

“Tuch is a beloved guy. I think Sabres fans are going to like him a lot. He’s a good personality, a good player on the ice, fun to watch. A lot of people are a little frustrated because the “Golden Misfits” team that went to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018 – a lot of that is gone.”

“I think they’re down to six guys left who played on that team. It only took four years (for that turnover to take place), and it’s just kind of bananas but a lot of the thought is – “oh my gosh, we got another star.” They got Fleury at the expansion draft, and after that first year, they got Max Pacioretty, then Mark Stone, then Robin Lehner, then Alex Pietrangelo. Now they’re getting Jack Eichel.”

“Every time a “star player” is available, it seems like the Golden Knights are in on it. They’re a very aggressive team that is not afraid to pull the trigger and give up futures to go get what they believe are star-caliber players.”

Closing Thoughts

The most illuminating part of my conversation with Justin was everything he had to say about Tuch. His observations on Krebs pretty much tracked with what we’ve heard, but his glowing review of Tuch’s time in Vegas was good to hear.

It’s not often a surefire top-six winger comes along in a trade as an “add-on” as opposed to a centerpiece. Justin’s confirmation about his demeanor both on and off the ice certainly tracks with what Kevyn Adams has expressed. He wants players who “want to be here” and give it their all every night. Based on this conversation, Tuch seems to fit that mold perfectly.

Hockey is a crazy game and a lot of things can happen, but adding two probable core pieces moving forward is something Sabres fans should be excited about. Another big thanks to Justin for taking the time to chat with us!

Photo Credit: Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images

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