That’s fine, I’m not here to change your mind. I appreciate you explaining that though for the record.
As far as the 80 m contract and nothing to deserve it. Only his play I guess....was it somewhat premature? Sure. Buffalo knew this deal was for the long haul and he is the guy we got and we wanted to make a statement that way. In four years this deal is going to look really good and there will be guys like lafreierre, Hughes coming out of their entry level deals probably making 12 million x 8 with the percentage of cap going up and as will salaries. So far Jacks contract is just half way through it is going to be looking like a fair deal, especially since he will be in or close to his prime whole those new guys won’t. Then there’s the second half of the deal where he may be underpaid if anything it looks weird to say that now, but hey. We’re 16 games into his contract and he’s the captain of a team that’s 8-6-2 and he’s got 19 points. So far, hes earned it.
You talk about Draisaitl being 70-80 pt center bitnit doesent take into the context of how many of those pts are because of mcdavid. Not that he should be discredited but come on, that’s mcdavid. Also, being. 2C is a hell of a lot
Easier against weaker competition on the regular. If Eichel wAs on the oilers second line and Draisaitl wAs in Eichels spot? Could you really see it being the same? I have a hard time not believing Buffalo would be scoring 150 goals a year and Edmonton would be making deep runs in the playoffs. But as far as facing adversity, despite the injuries and the low offense he’s answered the bell when he signed the deal, ....he answered the bell when he was made captain, Eichel has never not performed in his pro career. He’s only gotten better and better, and this isn’t me drawing it out that way, his play and the numbers back it up. The only time in his career when he didn’t look perhaps on the level he is now was in his rookie year at times, inconsistency and dry spells....when he had a career low 56 pts. Still more then second tier Mackinnon that year, Mackinnon has had 4-6 seasons by the way finishing with a lower number of pts then Eichel has. Not sure how that’s possible for a player of such rank. Has it ever occurred to you that having Rantanen hasnt helped Nate dramatically? That’s why we talk about linemates, they matter. And you seem to be confused for some reason when we talk about Eichels linemates, all we say is that he’d produce more with someone who could finish regularly. (Which I think he’s proving with skinner with their whole 29 pts in ten games thing) you say if Hyman and brown so should he. He does? When does he not? Every linemate he’s had he’s helped their production substantially, again, really.....this isn’t me making him sound better then he is either these are all facts.
I mean whether it’s Girgensens, Pominville, Rodrigues all scored mainly if not only when wth Eichel. Kane’s numbers were the most dramatic 16 g with 3 without. So far this year sheary scores three with and that’s why skinner stayed off his line I guess but once skinner joins Eichel in the 7th game he had one goal, yeah now he has 11. You can see these things as me trying to build him up and I get the narrative “firing coaches” but come on man. That’s all speculation. No one wanted dan bylsma (no team has hired him as a head coach since and he’s assistant on a pretty bad team right now).... anyway and if you can find one credible quote that supports Eichel being to blame for a coach being fired, then great. I’ve yet to see one. What I have seen is despite the “diva” “one man show” “no effort” stereotypes being thrown around a guy who was a little fussy coming into the league and got a negative stigma attached to him. Since then he’s worked with the media and improved big time, even joking about it at the end of the year presser last year, at that time he blamed himself when he had every reason not too, (I mean coming in on 33 percent of your teams offense when you missed twenty percent of the year) rather then take the low road he said he had to change his own game. When I heard that I thought “god I hope he’s just saying that”
But he did and I can’t believe it but it’s actually improved. He backchecks, he has work ethic, he’s encouraged this year rather then venting, he does fist bumps rather then Slashing his stick over the net repeatedly. He’s taking ownership and maturing, that’s why slapping the c on your most talented player can pay off. It makes him accountable. You can view the tiers that way, I’m not here to change your mind. But just look beyond the surface sometimes. You’ll see it’s not always ad black and white at a stigma portrays it. There’s always more out there then meets the eye. You just have to be willing to see it.
