Future GOAT
Registered User
- Apr 4, 2017
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Bout' tree fiddy.And his agent claimed he left money on the table.
Bout' tree fiddy.And his agent claimed he left money on the table.
The point is that those players didn't/don't play like they had never been asked to play defensively, and didn't/don't float as often as Eichel does, at the same stage in their careers. If he was challenged to give a consistent effort and be defensively responsible by his NTDP coaches, I see little evidence of it today.The thing is, most top players went through life like this. I'd say McDavid, Matthews, Tavares, MacKinnon, and Stamkos went through this growing up in the NA development system (I chose these guys, as they are probably the most comparable to him in regard to status as a prospect entering the league since the 2004/2005 lockout). Hell, even for Matthews in Switzerland he was probably the best player on the ice almost all the time. I'm sure he was constantly challenged on his defensive game while at the USNTDP, especially when playing up in the college exhibitions.
Now, the thing is, these things are correctable, and he's shown a willingness to do these things when he has wanted to. But, playing in such a frustrating situation has to eat at someone as competitive as Eichel. The big thing is, he has to see that making a consistent effort to be a solid defensivegly is needed to help change the culture of the Sabres now that he is in his 3rd year and about to be paid like an elite NHLer. No one expects him to be perfect, even the best defensive forwards make mistakes in their early 20's, but having the willingness is something in his control. Now, he has the skills to easily be this generations Pierre Turgeon if he just wants to be a scorer, but I assume he and Sabres fans want a hell of a lot more than that, and he has the skill to do it, its just the consistent day to day effort that isn't.
Disagree. Cup winning teams have one thing in common. Culture. Everyone buys in, everything is for the team, there are no individuals. Eichel very much is an individual, with clear attitude issues. As you mentioned a lot of blame goes to poor leadership in Buffalo giving him everything without him earning it. The issue is now this behavior is implanted in him. He is like Kessel, very skilled player, but you need someone better than him on the team, and he needs 5 or 6 years to grow up.
I don't think GM's are lining up for him due to his contract and attitude.
If we look at Kadri as an example he was painted with same attitude issues in Toronto. The new management team has turned him into a great 2c. That to me is guidance leadership
Great coaches and leaders know how to extract the best from their team. Culture comes from the top.
I don’t see accountability as the issue for Eichel. I think it’s the opposite. He seems to care deeply about the results.
His main issue and others on his team is likely the lack of structured process and or the lack trust in the process. That again points to the guys at the top.
GM Eichel has been busy yelling at Coach Eichel who's too afraid to coach Player Eichel.Is Buffalo waiting until the offseason to officially name him the team captain or will they do it sooner, during this season?
His on-ice personality is transparent to those who watch him regularly. It doesn't come close to matching his equally obvious superb hockey talent.If Eichel goes on a tear it'll make this thread look even more embarrassing than it already is. Bunch of arm chair-psychologists trying to blame the dysfunction of a historically bad organization on the personality of a 21 year old is almost as bad as the clear attacks on his character with almost no substance behind them. Along with that the flat out lies that he personally tried to get the coach and GM fired. Questioning the "Attitude" "Drive" and "Personality" of a person none of us really know anything about is a joke. It's a thinly veiled way of dumping on a player who for some reason you don't want to see succeed.
Is he having the season that people thought he would? No. But a lot of players don't live up to expectations all 82 games of the season and it's not always because of their personal character.
If Eichel goes on a tear it'll make this thread look even more embarrassing than it already is. Bunch of arm chair-psychologists trying to blame the dysfunction of a historically bad organization on the personality of a 21 year old is almost as bad as the clear attacks on his character with almost no substance behind them. Along with that the flat out lies that he personally tried to get the coach and GM fired. Questioning the "Attitude" "Drive" and "Personality" of a person none of us really know anything about is a joke. It's a thinly veiled way of dumping on a player who for some reason you don't want to see succeed.
Is he having the season that people thought he would? No. But a lot of players don't live up to expectations all 82 games of the season and it's not always because of their personal character.
First of all, Kadri didn't have attitude issues. He had consistency issues. He wasn't considered a generational superstar who was awarded a 10 million dollar contract and replaced the coach for him.
Kadri always played the game with a chip on his shoulder.
Kadri was always a decent player, he just doesn't know how to control his emotions sometimes on the ice.
Kadri always cared about winning. Ask Emelin and the Canadians. Ask Ottawa. Coaching didn't change Kadri, coaching made him more consistent.
Don't blame Housely or Blysma. This is on Eichel.
No, seriously. You don't sign a guy to the largest contract in franchise history if he isn't the undisputed emotional leader of your entire franchise. What's taking the coach and GM (who we were told were fantastic additions and will turn the team around for sure) so long to make Eichel the official captain and leader of the Sabres?GM Eichel has been busy yelling at Coach Eichel who's too afraid to coach Player Eichel.
I don't think anyone thinks the problem with Eichel is his offense. We all know he's good at itEichel had 0.39 power play points per game last year and 0.54 non-power play points per game.
This year he has 0.75 non-power play points per game and a paltry 1 power play point all year.
If Housley could have left the #1 power play alone, and not messed with the zone entry strategy maybe Eichel scores at the same PP rate as last year. If that were the case, he’d have 1.14 points per game, and he’d be hovering around top ten in scoring.
Kind of crazy how badly broken the Sabres PP is. They went from #1 to #30 with all the same personnel available to run the first unit. They also have 7 short handed goals against! I don’t know how you can lay the ineptitude of the entire unit on one player. It’s gotta be coaching at that point.