‘How this trade will be judged depends on what happens with the herniated disk in Eichel’s neck — the problem that created such a long standoff in the first place. Eichel’s doctor has said that artificial disk replacement surgery would be better both to get him on the ice sooner, and later in life. The Sabres preferred an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion. Eichel’s preferred option had never been done on an NHL player.’