Jack Eichel is no longer captain of the Buffalo Sabres.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Thursday morning Eichel has been stripped of the ‘C’ after three seasons in the role.

“I spoke to Jack two days ago, I spoke to the team yesterday and addressed this, Jack Eichel is no longer the captain of the Buffalo Sabres," Adams said. "From our perspective, the captain is your heartbeat of your team, and we are in a situation where we felt we needed to make that decision.”

Adams added the Sabres will not have a captain this season.

Adams also confirmed that Eichel will start the season on injured reserve as he remains in a holding pattern with the team on how to best treat his neck injury.

"I think we would all agree that we were hoping to avoid surgery…unfortunately, yesterday Jack did not pass his physical. At this point, Jack is not willing to move forward with what our doctors are suggesting...we will continue to work toward a solution," Adams said.

Eichel was limited to 21 games last season due to the neck injury and there has been a long-standing dispute with the team this summer over how to treat the injury.  

The 24-year-old centre has been the subject of trade talk since the end of last season and his former agents released a statement in July trying to spur a trade. He switched agents to Pat Brisson in August.

"What's critically important to make sure is clear is that we're in control of this process," Adams said in July, prior to the statement from Eichel's then-agents. "We have a player under contract. We don't feel any pressure.

"If there's a deal out there that we feel is the right thing for the Buffalo Sabres, that's going to help us improve – whether that's improve right away or improve down the road, those are all the things weigh – we'd be open to it. But we're not in a position where we feel we're just going to do something to do it. That doesn't make any sense."

Eichel had two goals and 18 points in 21 games last season and has five years remaining in the eight-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Sabres in 2017.

He had served as captain of the Sabres since 2018.