Player Discussion Jack Eichel - Switching from #15 to #9

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BayStreetBully

Registered User
Oct 25, 2007
8,200
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Toronto
I hope for Eichel's sake that he can bring the Sabres to the playoffs. For such an elite talent, it would be unfortunate to see him go three years without making the playoffs when there is already a supporting cast to work with. However, Reinhart needs to take another step forward this year.
 

Doug Prishpreed

Registered User
May 1, 2013
9,817
6,535
Brooklyn
I hope for Eichel's sake that he can bring the Sabres to the playoffs. For such an elite talent, it would be unfortunate to see him go three years without making the playoffs when there is already a supporting cast to work with. However, Reinhart needs to take another step forward this year.

Spoiler: he will go three years without making the playoffs.
 

brian_griffin

"Eric Cartman?"
May 10, 2007
16,624
7,851
In the Panderverse
He's getting paid 10 million a year now. You need to be putting forth 100% effort whenever you are on the ice. He looks slower this year than last. Not sure what is wrong with him. I want him and Reinhart back on the same line together.
Point of clarification. Unless I am completely mistaken, his $10M AAV salary does not kick in until next contract year. He is still being paid according to his ELC contract ($0.925M/year), including opportunities for up to $2.85M/yr in additional performance bonuses. (I'm not suggesting that gives him a pass on effort this season.)
 

joshjull

Registered User
Aug 2, 2005
78,463
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Hamburg,NY
Point of clarification. Unless I am completely mistaken, his $10M AAV salary does not kick in until next contract year. He is still being paid according to his ELC contract ($0.925M/year), including opportunities for up to $2.85M/yr in additional performance bonuses. (I'm not suggesting that gives him a pass on effort this season.)


You are correct that he is still on his ELC and its not an excuse for his effort to date.
 

brian_griffin

"Eric Cartman?"
May 10, 2007
16,624
7,851
In the Panderverse
You are correct that he is still on his ELC and its not an excuse for his effort to date.
I should have deleted my post - I was reading Jame's remarks in Eichel contract thread about Eichel being captain, and I knew he was an "A" but I've been out of town for work a few days and was going to ask the board if Eichel indeed had been named "C". I was going to add that Q.? to my reply above but then a quick google search confirmed (and I therefore understand Jame's context about earning contract and captaincy etc. a little better). I'm old school on that stuff and don't think captain should go to youngsters unless they are exemplary role models on and off the ice, not just the best player on the ice. I don't know who on the Sabres that should be head and shoulders over anyone else, and so, for that reason, I'm very comfortable with the "4A" current arrangement.

tldr;
Wasn't posting my reply above to be a dick head.

Fun Fact: I recall the Sabres Jim Schoenfeld was the youngest captain in NHL history when he was named. I think he had just turned 22yo.
 

darcyRegier

Registered User
Mar 27, 2017
2,401
1,244
Jack needs to play with more speed more often, it's when he's at his best.

At the WJC when he was flying around opposing teams clearly couldn't stop him. Ala OT goal against Nashville. I feel like since his ankle he still isn't fully used to playing games unhindered. Hopefully we see more of this as the year goes on.

I do like that he looks like the most skilled player on the ice almost every game so far. Of course he messes up, he's only 20. He just needs to bring a tenacious game every shift and he'll easily be a top player in the NHL.

And I'd like to see him shoot more. Waaaay more.
 

Heraldic

Registered User
Dec 12, 2013
2,937
51
Not sure which have been worse so far during this season - the team's performance or this board.

This applies especially to the talk around Eichel. The agendas seem to be strong. It's not like I think that Eichel has been a Patrice Bergeron with top elite offense or something like that. But the fact that there are that many posters throwing shit on him is quite something.

I think it's pretty clear that he has been our best offensive player this year whether it is based on points or eye-test. But let's take a bit deeper look at his performance based on his match-ups and GF/GA on 5v5.

So far he has 7 GF and 4 GA, making him clearly a net positive impact player. Only other forwards with positive number are Pominville, Girgs and Kane - who happen to be his most frequent linemates. There isn't any other center who has had even one GF beside Eichel, and their GA numbers go from least worst to the worst: ROR (1), Josefsson (3), Reinhart (3) and Larsson (5).

On every single game so far Eichel has been matched against the top center from opposition. Meaning he has faced the top centerman more than any other centerman from that team and he has faced the top centerman than any other centerman from our team (basically ROR). This means Plekanec, Tavares, Henrique, Thornton and Kopitar. Sure, you can argue that for example Plekanec and Henrique don't have the best winger with them (Pax and Hall), but they were still arguably the best centers on their team when we faced them.

Against those centers Eichel has allowed ZERO goals against. So he hasn't actually lost any single match-up. He has won his match-ups against Plekanec, Thornton and Kopitar. And against Kopitar he was really heavily matched. Sure, this also means that he has lost easier match-ups, which is not a positive thing by any means. Still I haven't seen anyone really bringing this aspect up regarding Eichel. Considering his match-ups he has done at least a decent job. And that actually makes the performance of ROR, Reinhart, Larsson and Josefsson look lot worse since they have had the benefit of easier matchups (this is especially concerning with ROR). Sure, the match-up factor has been balanced with zone-start deployment especially for ROR and whoever has been the 4th line center (the 3rd line center has had the deployment benefit on him as well - meaning mostly Reinhart so far), but the match-up factor is IMO a lot more important.

Eichel has had his ups and downs this season (The Devils' game was not good and the Kings on the other hand was really strong), but he definitely hasn't been the problem by any measurement - it has been the exact opposite. Doesn't mean he shouldn't keep improving, though.
 

HaNotsri

Regstred User
Dec 29, 2013
8,112
5,969
Jack stepped up last might. Time for others to do the same or get the hell out.
 

Fezzy126

Rebuilding...
May 10, 2017
8,569
11,286


I was at his first game (Ottawa), for his first goal, and I have been holding onto the game ticket to get it signed and inscribed - "1st game 1st goal". But I really don't wanna pay $75 ($54.95 signing for a medium item + $19.95 for the inscription).

I'm not really an avid sports collector type, so need a reality check, is this price good/am I being a cheap f***?
 
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