Player Discussion Jack Eichel – Part 2: Jack is Back!

[LaxSabre]

 

[CrazyPsycho]

One of the big stories to play out to finish this season is how Eichel responds to these last two weeks. Hes clearly beyond frustrated and its probably too obvious if other teams fans are noticing.

Even if you dislike your coach (just watch the intermissions when they show bylsma talking to the room) I feel he has a distinct lack of focus, especially on certain 5v5 shifts. Yes, he is extremely young, but there are guys in the room that should be able to get this sorted out.

My own personal suggestion is to put him on O'Reilly's wing for a bit and give him some extra double shifts at center.

 

[buffalowing88]

One of the big stories to play out to finish this season is how Eichel responds to these last two weeks. Hes clearly beyond frustrated and its probably too obvious if other teams fans are noticing.

Even if you dislike your coach (just watch the intermissions when they show bylsma talking to the room) I feel he has a distinct lack of focus, especially on certain 5v5 shifts. Yes, he is extremely young, but there are guys in the room that should be able to get this sorted out.

My own personal suggestion is to put him on O'Reilly's wing for a bit and give him some extra double shifts at center.

I think you're right...and at the same time I think he's a petulant Bawstonnn kid who has a bit of entitlement to him. With that being said, I like that he *****es and moans. Let O'Reilly (as you suggested) mold that into something focused and you have a winning dynamic. Eichel wants to be a part of a winner. Rather than dismiss him for that sentiment, we should begin to accept it and make the changes needed to make that happen.

 

[DatGuy]

I think you're right...and at the same time I think he's a petulant Bawstonnn kid who has a bit of entitlement to him. With that being said, I like that he *****es and moans. Let O'Reilly (as you suggested) mold that into something focused and you have a winning dynamic. Eichel wants to be a part of a winner. Rather than dismiss him for that sentiment, we should begin to accept it and make the changes needed to make that happen.

monkey see monkey do. the whole team gives zero F**ks.

 

[Sabre the Win]

This whole headcase thing is getting blown out of proportion I think. To be honest I was ecstatic when it was reported Eichel stormed out. This to me shows he wants to make Buffalo a better team. Yeah he floats but I don't think its on the level of Vanek lazy. He's young, he wants to make this his team. If he turns into a Crosby crybaby on the ice than so be it as long as he ends up producing like Crosby

 

[toomuchsauce]

For all the criticism, and what appears to be a lack of urgency, Jack is still producing shots on goal at very good pace. He's got 78 SOG in 21 games, which is a rate of 3.71 SOG/gm. Jack's shooting 10.3%, which is...normal. By comparison, GOATston Matthews is producing 3.53 SOG/gm (141 SOG in 40 gms) and shooting 15%. Connor McDavid is also shooting 10.3%.

Honestly, I think Jack is just not putting himself in great positions to make plays lately, which is causing him to make some bad passes and generally poor decisions. Part of it is linemates, part of it is just a tendency to be too casual with the puck (which is not uncommon for young players). But, still, it seems very likely that the high ankle sprain is hampering his skating ability enough that it's impacting his whole game, both mentally and physically. Basically, it's taken the bad habits that already existed (coasting, not moving his feet) and exacerbated them to the point of being extremely noticeable.

Having never had a high ankle sprain, I wouldn't know, but I would assume that it probably impacts one's agility - i.e., lateral movement, stops and starts, ability to have "quick feet" - moreso than the basic hockey stride. Jack didn't have the quickest feet to begin with and tended to rely on his stride, so.... In my mind, that would explain what we're seeing lately.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

teams losing and people make things up to fit their own naratives, if the team was winning then it would be what a passionate leader he is

come to think if thats already happened, Thurman and Jim might know something

 

[sincerity0]

At this point I wouldn't hate having him on RORs wing for a few games. He's producing but this team needs to try something new.

 

[William Hylander]

For all the criticism, and what appears to be a lack of urgency, Jack is still producing shots on goal at very good pace. He's got 78 SOG in 21 games, which is a rate of 3.71 SOG/gm. Jack's shooting 10.3%, which is...normal. By comparison, GOATston Matthews is producing 3.53 SOG/gm (141 SOG in 40 gms) and shooting 15%. Connor McDavid is also shooting 10.3%.

Honestly, I think Jack is just not putting himself in great positions to make plays lately, which is causing him to make some bad passes and generally poor decisions. Part of it is linemates, part of it is just a tendency to be too casual with the puck (which is not uncommon for young players). But, still, it seems very likely that the high ankle sprain is hampering his skating ability enough that it's impacting his whole game, both mentally and physically. Basically, it's taken the bad habits that already existed (coasting, not moving his feet) and exacerbated them to the point of being extremely noticeable.

Having never had a high ankle sprain, I wouldn't know, but I would assume that it probably impacts one's agility - i.e., lateral movement, stops and starts, ability to have "quick feet" - moreso than the basic hockey stride. Jack didn't have the quickest feet to begin with and tended to rely on his stride, so.... In my mind, that would explain what we're seeing lately.

High Ankle sprain is tough, you have trouble with sudden acceleration/deceleration and with sudden changes in direction.

Eichel is young and an athlete however, so he should be able to recover. He might seem a bit off u till he gets a prolonged period of rest again.

His shot rates are very good, and everyone should remember that when he was a freshman was on a scoring pace better than Paul Kariya.

 

[sabrebuild]

For all the criticism, and what appears to be a lack of urgency, Jack is still producing shots on goal at very good pace. He's got 78 SOG in 21 games, which is a rate of 3.71 SOG/gm. Jack's shooting 10.3%, which is...normal. By comparison, GOATston Matthews is producing 3.53 SOG/gm (141 SOG in 40 gms) and shooting 15%. Connor McDavid is also shooting 10.3%.

Honestly, I think Jack is just not putting himself in great positions to make plays lately, which is causing him to make some bad passes and generally poor decisions. Part of it is linemates, part of it is just a tendency to be too casual with the puck (which is not uncommon for young players). But, still, it seems very likely that the high ankle sprain is hampering his skating ability enough that it's impacting his whole game, both mentally and physically. Basically, it's taken the bad habits that already existed (coasting, not moving his feet) and exacerbated them to the point of being extremely noticeable.

Having never had a high ankle sprain, I wouldn't know, but I would assume that it probably impacts one's agility - i.e., lateral movement, stops and starts, ability to have "quick feet" - moreso than the basic hockey stride. Jack didn't have the quickest feet to begin with and tended to rely on his stride, so.... In my mind, that would explain what we're seeing lately.

He absolutely has supreme physical talent. It is only a question of mentality for what he can be to me.

 

[BananaSquad]

Jack will be fine. Time to put ROR And Okposo on his wings.

 

[sba]

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

prime example of how Bylsma's coaching strategies and those super underrated stretch passes have pulled the absolute best out of Eichel, without Bylsma, Eichel would probably be in Rochester right now or worse, people criticizing Dan are way off base

sarcasm

 

[DJN21]

prime example of how Bylsma's coaching strategies and those super underrated stretch passes have pulled the absolute best out of Eichel, without Bylsma, Eichel would probably be in Rochester right now or worse, people criticizing Dan are way off base

sarcasm

1. Sample size
2. This doesn't prove anything the eye doesn't for us. We know eichel and skate and deke with the puck. It's Bylsma's system of how his passing options are aligned once he exits that has people scratching their heads.

 

[Zip15]

But HFBoards told me that Bylsma makes Eichel play dump and chase. How can this be?

 

[joshjull]

But HFBoards told me that Bylsma makes Eichel play dump and chase. How can this be?

Thats because he does. We play dump and chase quite a lot. Which makes Jack's number even more impressive.

 

[Jame]

But HFBoards told me that Bylsma makes Eichel play dump and chase. How can this be?

Defense of Bylsma noted

 

[Zip15]

Thats because he does. We play dump and chase quite a lot. Which makes Jack's number even more impressive.

We do dump it too often. Eichel does not dump it too often - clearly.

Posters pounce on the relatively few instances in which Eichel does dump it because they mistakenly believe every zone entry should be a carry-in, even when it isn't there. Even Connor McDavid dumps the puck in at times, too - he did it twice Saturday night in the game Sznajder tracked. Eichel doesn't dump it much, or even a high percentage of the time. It's an HF fiction, as established by the numbers SBA tweeted.

Defense of Bylsma noted

Hey, if citing facts to dispel the fictions incessantly spouted in the GDT that Eichel is forced to play dump-and-chase hockey when the numbers clearly say otherwise, I guess I'm being a "defender."

 

[Samsonite23]

Right. We aren't coached to play dump and chase...we just dump and chase a lot.

Or do we think that only Eichel is coached not to dump and chase?

 

[Zip15]

Right. We aren't coached to play dump and chase...we just dump and chase a lot.

Gee, if I only I said we dump and chase too much. Wait a second...

We do dump it too often. Eichel does not dump it too often - clearly.

The attack-dog mentality is hilarious. You've been presented with data that Eichel is a league leader in controlled zone entries, yet you can't even concede that to be true.

 

[Samsonite23]

So you think that only Jack Eichel is coached to not dump and chase.

That was the second option. Which you seem to have taken.

 

[joshjull]

We do dump it too often. Eichel does not dump it too often - clearly.

Posters pounce on the relatively few instances in which Eichel does dump it because they mistakenly believe every zone entry should be a carry-in, even when it isn't there. Even Connor McDavid dumps the puck in at times, too - he did it twice Saturday night in the game Sznajder tracked. Eichel doesn't dump it much, or even a high percentage of the time. It's an HF fiction, as established by the numbers SBA tweeted.

We play and dump and chase system forecheck(at times) and Jack is in that system. Hence he plays in a dump and chase system. You're now saying posters are asserting that Jack is specifically told to dump the puck in? I can honestly say I don't see much of that. I do see a lot of complaints that he's forced to play in a dump and chase system though. Maybe they are conflating the two or you are.

Btw I'm well aware that circumstances dictate whether or not a player dumps the puck in or not (regardless of system).

 

[Zip15]

Right. We aren't coached to play dump and chase...we just dump and chase a lot.

Or do we think that only Eichel is coached not to dump and chase?

Sweet false choice fallacy. Sorry that actual data showing that Eichel is one of the leaders in controlled zone entries murdered your narrative that Bylsma is neutering him by making him dump the puck too often.

 

[Zip15]

We play and dump and chase system forecheck(at times) and Jack is in that system. Hence he plays in a dump and chase system. You're now saying posters are asserting that Jack is specifically told to dump the puck in? I can honestly say I don't see much of that. I do see a lot of complaints that he's forced to play in a dump and chase system though. Maybe they are conflating the two.

Btw thanks for the heads up that even McDavid dumps it in. I'm well aware that circumstances dictate whether or not a player dumps the puck in or not (regardless of system).

I think you'll see it more now that I've noted it. A few posters - several kiddie table folks - scream about it quite a bit after Eichel dumps it.

 

[Samsonite23]

Sweet false choice fallacy. Sorry that actual data showing that Eichel is one of the leaders in controlled zone entries murdered your narrative that Bylsma is neutering him by making him dump the puck too often.

Jack does skate the puck into the zone by himself often. A whole lot of the time on the PP. We're in a dump and chase system though. So when he does at even strength, he's by himself a whole lot.