Buffalo and Jack Eichel met with NHL regarding neck injury dispute
The NHL, NHLPA, Sabres, Eichel, and other medical specialists met just under two weeks ago, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. But they all parted ways without finding a solution.
"I think it was Wednesday, (Aug.) 18, there was a big meeting in Buffalo. The league was there, the players' association was there, Eichel was there, his reps were there -- that was still when he was with Peter Fish -- and the Sabres were obviously there," Friedman said on the latest episode of the 31 Thoughts Podcast. "I'm not sure if the doctors were there in person or via Zoom, I don't know that 100 per cent, but I think everybody put their cards on the table. I think the players' association wanted to hear everything first hand and I think the league wanted to hear everything first hand. And basically what I heard was there was no resolution. As a matter of fact, I heard everybody was still pretty dug in."
Last week, Eichel parted ways with those representatives -- Peter Fish and Peter Donatelli of Global Hockey Consultants -- and hired Pat Brisson of Creative Artists Agency as his new agent.
"I was very surprised to hear the news that he was switching agents," Friedman said. "Everything that happened over the last couple of months from Eichel's side, he knew everything about it. He approved it. He's the one who really wanted to do this surgery and he was the one who really wanted to do the statements when they were released. I don't think that his previous agents -- Peter Fish and Pete Donatelli -- did anything differently (than) what he wanted. But from what I understand he just decided that maybe a new approach is necessary."
It's unclear how this new method will affect Eichel's health and hockey future. That means more time before Eichel returns to the ice.
Credit: SportsNet
