C Jack Eichel - Boston University, NCAA (2015 Draft)

[Garyboy]

Yup. That's how good of a skater Eichel is. Most powerful, effortless stride since 66.

Watch Sean Day skate and get back to me.

 

[stokes84]

world record front squat982871]Well besides the fact that he was already long considered the favorite for 1st for years leading into his draft year.

I agree with you he didn't light up the regular season, but having seen the majority of the games I can say that MacKinnon was in cruise control playing on a team that usually won by 5 or more goals. The team would have blown threw the regular season with or without him and he was not being relied upon to score.

However playoffs came around and he was clearly the better player than Drouin, despite having many less points in the regular season, and went on to finish with 46 points in 21 games playoffs+mem cup combined (games that mattered).


I know that is off topic but I hate when people use stats to say one thing when they did not watch the players live. Anyone who watched MacKinnon enough knew he would be the #1 pick unquestionably, there were just not other players available who came close.[/QUOTE]

Actually I watched a ton of Halifax that season. Stats or no stats, Eichel is easily the better prospect IMO. And Seth Jones was the no. 1 ranked skater by numerous outlets all season.

 

[stokes84]

Watch Sean Day skate and get back to me.

I've watched plenty of Sean Day. Great skater. My statement stands.

 

[Halfy]

Interesting. I will hold off from making concrete statements until I get more viewings but I found his ability to seperate himself from players in corners more of the result of his hockey sense, agility, and reach as opposed to explosiveness. When I think of explosiveness, I think of that ability to burst into speed, either in open ice or along the boards.

I feel Mackinnon had the greater explosiveness, with the ability to blow past players with sudden burst of speed. Preliminary viewings of Eichel had me thinking of a guy of less explosiveness but higher hockey sense and patience with the puck. He would be the guy who, instead of trying to explode past players to find a scoring opportunity along the boards, would instead hold onto the puck for that extra second to dissect openings with defenders helpless in stripping the puck off him.

But this is all nitpicking. We are debating between two #1 overall talents so you really can't go wrong.

You mean, No. 1 and 2 overall right?

 

[Garyboy]

I've watched plenty of Sean Day. Great skater. My statement stands.

Silly goose!

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

How about, in their draft years...

MacKinnon didn't exactly light it up in his draft year, and it wasn't until the Memorial Cup that he really separated himself.

Let's just wait until his first year in the NHL.

Funny how this only applies to American prospects, huh?

Funny how protective you are of U.S. prospects. Find an example of me anointing a Canadian player prior to their rookie NHL year.

Weird this isn't your attitude toward Canadian prospects in the CHL, even though the exact same thing could be said.

Same applies to you... Find an example of me anointing a Canadian player prior to their rookie NHL year. Feel free to examine the McDavid thread for the next 3 or 4 hours and let me know.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

A gentle reminder of how great Seth Jones was going to be in his rookie year.

A 2nd gentle reminder of how he did not even finish close to the top of the rookie voting for the Calder.

So many of the same posters were saying how he was going to be the rookie of the year and set the NHL on fire from day one.

How has that turned out? You'd think everyone would have learned their lesson.

Seeing people comparing Eichel to Lemieux (or saying he is better than someone who won the Calder at 18) before he has played a game in the NHL is just silly and maybe a little desperate.

 

[stokes84]

A gentle reminder of how great Seth Jones was going to be in his rookie year.

A 2nd gentle reminder of how he did not even finish close to the top of the rookie voting for the Calder.

So many of the same posters were saying how he was going to be the rookie of the year and set the NHL on fire from day one.

How has that turned out? You'd think everyone would have learned their lesson.

Seeing people comparing Eichel to Lemieux (or someone who won the Calder) before he has played a game in the NHL is just silly.

What is the lesson? I assume it has something to do with nationality?

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

What is the lesson? I assume it has something to do with nationality?

No. It has to do with waiting to see how things will play out. We are talking about 17 year old kids.

 

[stokes84]

No. It has to do with waiting to see how things will play out. We are talking about 17 year old kids.

I think you're on the wrong forum.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

A gentle reminder of how great Seth Jones was going to be in his rookie year.

A 2nd gentle reminder of how he did not even finish close to the top of the rookie voting for the Calder.

So many of the same posters were saying how he was going to be the rookie of the year and set the NHL on fire from day one.

How has that turned out? You'd think everyone would have learned their lesson.

Seeing people comparing Eichel to Lemieux (or saying he is better than someone who won the Calder at 18) before he has played a game in the NHL is just silly and maybe a little desperate.

So in the same token, is it silly say McDavid is better than MacKinnon? Or Jeff Skinner? After all, they both won the Calder at 18 . . .

I think mcdavid and Eichel are both a level above MacKinnon.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

So in the same token, is it silly say McDavid is better than MacKinnon? Or Jeff Skinner? After all, they both won the Calder at 18 . . .

Again, whether it's McDavid or Eichel, let's just wait and see how things play out before we compare them to Crosby or one of the greatest players to ever play in the NHL (# 66).

 

[West]

However playoffs came around and he was clearly the better player than Drouin, despite having many less points in the regular season, and went on to finish with 46 points in 21 games playoffs+mem cup combined (games that mattered).

I know that is off topic but I hate when people use stats to say one thing when they did not watch the players live. Anyone who watched MacKinnon enough knew he would be the #1 pick unquestionably, there were just not other players available who came close.

Drouin had 2 more pts than him in the play-offs and both Drouin and Jones had better WJC than him. I suspect a lot of people didn't have him 1st until the Memorial Cup (13pts in 4gms). After that it was obvious.

If his (leg?) injury had occurred latter in the season and kept him out of the Memorial Cup it would have been interesting to see what happened.

 

[Garyboy]

Again, whether it's McDavid or Eichel, let's just wait and see how things play out before we compare them to Crosby or one of the greatest players to ever play in the NHL (# 66).

Doesn't that kinda, sorta take the fun out of discussing how the blue-chippers will translate in the NHL?

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Again, whether it's McDavid or Eichel, let's just wait and see how things play out before we compare them to Crosby or one of the greatest players to ever play in the NHL (# 66).

Why can't you compare them to MacKinnon though?

 

[GFY]

Again, whether it's McDavid or Eichel, let's just wait and see how things play out before we compare them to Crosby or one of the greatest players to ever play in the NHL (# 66).

You're definitely in the wrong forum. People here are more of the optimist variety than the realist (Myself included). I'd rather salivate at the idea McDavid is the next Crosby and Eichel has Lemieux-like skating ability (Or rather, close to it) than reserve my judgement that "We need to wait to see first before comparing him to so-and-so".

 

[1972]

Again, whether it's McDavid or Eichel, let's just wait and see how things play out before we compare them to Crosby or one of the greatest players to ever play in the NHL (# 66).

I agree, but it's perfectly valid to compare them to MacKinnon.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Why can't you compare them to MacKinnon though?

You're definitely in the wrong forum. People here are more of the optimist variety than the realist (Myself included). I'd rather salivate at the idea McDavid is the next Crosby and Eichel has Lemiux-like skating ability (Or rather, close to it) than reserve my judgement that "We need to wait to see first before comparing him to so-and-so".

Doesn't that kinda, sorta take the fun out of discussing how the blue-chippers will translate in the NHL?

I'm guess I'm just tired of reading the same stuff, year after year, about prospects that never become what people said. I am tired of reading crazy comparison. I guess I'm just getting old and that has caused me to take a wait and see position.

Edit: What irritates me the most... when the prospects don't become what people have said, I bring it up and the same posters ALWAYS have an excuse. I hear...

"He's only 22"
"He's not a bust, he just needs more time"
"I never said that"
"Don't forget the injury he had..."
"Okay, maybe he isn't what I projected but this NEXT guy..."

Oy vey. Again, maybe I'm just too old for all this stuff.

 

[VOB]

I'm guess I'm just tired of reading the same stuff, year after year, about prospects that never become what people said. I am tired of reading crazy comparison. I guess I'm just getting old and that has caused me to take a wait and see position.

Edit: What irritates me the most... when the prospects don't become what people have said, I bring it up and the same posters ALWAYS have an excuse. I hear...

"He's only 22"
"He's not a bust, he just needs more time"
"I never said that"
"Don't forget the injury he had..."
"Okay, maybe he isn't what I projected but this NEXT guy..."

Oy vey. Again, maybe I'm just too old for all this stuff.

There is always a tendency to over-hype an early identified top end prospect and then tear him down...I've been on this forum long enough to remember the whole Jason Spezza saga from anointing him as the "next one" to a a probable bust. In the end, he may not have been the next one but he turned out to be a pretty decent player.
That is how these boards work...many here have not seen most of the players they are hyping or attempting to tear down and merely go with the general consensus of what other "experts" have to say.
Now I can tell you this, and you can quote me and come back to me years later, McDavid is a very special player who warrants consideration of an exceptional talent the likes that have not been seen for quite some time.I'll lay it down here that he is going to be the "next one"...meaning the dominant player of his generation. Eichel is a tremendous prospect, he would have been a strong consideration for the number one pick in the past 5 drafts and has the potential to turn out better then any pick from those drafts..he is that good. I love Mackinnon but I feel safe in saying that Eichel will be better and that he will be better than Hall, Hopkins, Yakupov, Seguin, Galchenyuk, Drouin, Barkov and Monahan. He is that good.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Funny how protective you are of U.S. prospects. Find an example of me anointing a Canadian player prior to their rookie NHL year.

I stay out of the Connor McDavid thread because I don't have anything positive to say and I'm not looking for a fight. I suggest you do the same with the Jack Eichel thread.

 

[AmericanDream]

I stay out of the Connor McDavid thread because I don't have anything positive to say and I'm not looking for a fight. I suggest you do the same with the Jack Eichel thread.

Wiser words have never been spoken....

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Wiser words have never been spoken....

LOL! He's back. Good to have you back, AD.

 

[sabrebuild]

I'm just confused by the comparison to Lemieux to show elite skating acceleration or first step. Don't get me wrong Mario was a good skater, especially for his size at the time, but if anything that was one of his few weaknesses as a player. Where most of his other physical assets were elite, handeye, size, strength and balance, pure skating ability was not one of them.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

For those of you that have seen Eichel play enough to know, how would he compare to Mark Messier? Thats one comparison that I've always been interested about.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

For those of you that have seen Eichel play enough to know, how would he compare to Mark Messier? Thats one comparison that I've always been interested about.

Stylistic similarities offensively. Nothing alike in terms of aggression / grit.