Player Discussion Jack Eichel Part 1

[1972]

No disagreement on the coaching. But the he is a big guy/posture defense is bogus.

He regularly slows down offense, to his detriment. He is visibly not a high pace player. It's a successful strategy for some players. It's just odd when he is probably a top 5 skater in the league.

But that probably leads back to coaching and discipline.

Jack basically completely takes away one of the best assets he has. Players in the league would die for that stride and he’s just like “meh” I’d rather play slooowwww

 

[OkimLom]

I'm so sick of this myth that Eichel is coasting just because he's not always churning his legs. The guy is elite on his edges, and, if you watch him closely, you'll notice he's constantly making much smaller, more energy-efficient moves to maintain or even gain speed as he's moving. I also have no questions about his work ethic -- you don't get to be the caliber of athlete and player Eichel is by being lazy. The biggest thing that's missing for him is competent guidance from our coaching staff. This is Eichel's 4th year with this team, and he's still yet to play for a half decent coach.

I’m aware of his skating, but he’s not getting anywhere near the speed and power that he does when churning his legs. He’d be more dangerous and effective in creating dangerous chances.

Of course he’s got a solid work ethic, but he’s a guy that may need to work on areas of his game that doesn’t involve lifting weights. Similar to how Risto needs to focus on other areas that don’t involve lifting tires.

 

[sabrebuild]

Jack basically completely takes away one of the best assets he has. Players in the league would die for that stride and he’s just like “meh” I’d rather play slooowwww

It's a bummer, because when he is on with a pace driving motor he is completely unstoppable. Too fast, too strong and too big.

He had a stretch in the first half that was truly special. He was aggressive shooting the puck, forechecking fast and physical and forcing a pace with the puck on his stick that put opponents on their heels.

I love that Eichel. My favorite part of watching these guys is someone maximizing their talent. I wish we see Uber Eichel more often.

It's there waiting to be tapped.

 

[tsujimoto74]

I’m aware of his skating, but he’s not getting anywhere near the speed and power that he does when churning his legs. He’d be more dangerous and effective in creating dangerous chances.

Of course he’s got a solid work ethic, but he’s a guy that may need to work on areas of his game that doesn’t involve lifting weights. Similar to how Risto needs to focus on other areas that don’t involve lifting tires.

Right, but that's a coaching problem. You can't reasonably expect Eichel to identify every flaw in his game and figure out the solution on his own -- that's part of what coaches are for.

With his skating, I agree it's a weapon he could use more often. I don't agree with anyone who thinks he needs to be hustling all of time. There's a time and a place for it, and a lot of dangerous chances are made more by changing pace than just going fast.

 

[Mattilaus]

I feel like quality of the team also holds some blame for his speed. Earlier this year when Skinner was producing he had someone to dish the puck to who he trusted to score or at the very least get the chance off. This allows him to play fast, draw in defenders and dish the puck if there was nowhere to go. Later in the year when Skinner/the entire team had cooled, he is back to trying to do everything himself. This leads to him trying to take on 2-3 players at once. Since he can't beat all 3 with speed and has nobody he feels safe dishing to then he slows down to continue handling the puck himself.

I am not absolving him of wrongdoing here either. He needs to continue to dish even if his linemates aren't scoring, but I feel like he slows down when he feels like he needs to do it all himself.

 

[ORRFForever]

It is hard to wrap your mind around Jack Eichel as a player - not an insult, just the way I feel when I watch him.

 

[Duddy]

I hope being Dahlins bitch in practice (as soon as next season) will light a fire in Jacks heart and gets him to be balls out all the time.

 

[Reddawg]

I wish we see Uber Eichel more often.

He probably skipped town when Evander was traded. No more need for rideshares.

 

[MrMaster]

He's going to be as much a player as Dahlin, meaning playing to his best possible self, once the right coach, more talent, and the right people will be around him and within the organization. He will break out like MacK did, it just might take him a bit longer, due to circumstances and maybe his personality/background. That is coming from someone who did critize him heavily a while ago. He's grown on me the first part of the season, both as a captain and as a player.
The team, the whole organization just sucks right now, it got to him, that's ok, he is still very young.

 

[sabrebuild]

He probably skipped town when Evander was traded. No more need for rideshares.

Hey as long as Lyft Eichel reaches new heights, all good.

 

[sabremike]

Hey as long as Lyft Eichel reaches new heights, all good.

I prefer Lyft Giraffe myself!

 

[sabrebuild]

I prefer Lyft Giraffe myself!
View attachment 208465

You and this poor giraffe!!! Enough man! Let the giraffe gets some waterband hay!

 

[sabremike]

You and this poor giraffe!!! Enough man! Let the giraffe gets some waterband hay!

OK, I'll use Lyft Isles White YesUV instead:

 

[Flash20]

Sabers should be embarrassed that bobble head looks Nothing like Jack

 

[Samsonite23]

I'm so sick of this myth that Eichel is coasting just because he's not always churning his legs. The guy is elite on his edges, and, if you watch him closely, you'll notice he's constantly making much smaller, more energy-efficient moves to maintain or even gain speed as he's moving. I also have no questions about his work ethic -- you don't get to be the caliber of athlete and player Eichel is by being lazy. The biggest thing that's missing for him is competent guidance from our coaching staff. This is Eichel's 4th year with this team, and he's still yet to play for a half decent coach.

Agreed. His natural preference is to slow down the pace to basically a standstill. It’s fun and easy for him. But he still has a very good work ethic and loves to compete. A good coach would reinforce moving his feet all the time. Too bad we don’t have one of those.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[26CornerBlitz]

What is Jack thinking?

Another sad Buffalo Sabres season closes this week, the team’s eighth straight without a playoff berth and sixth straight without, in the end, hardly a sniff of one.

The Sabres are 23 points out of the last postseason spot in the East with two games left. Last year, they finished 35 points out. In the two years prior, led by Dan Bylsma and Tim Murray, they finished 12 and 17 points behind, respectively.

Compared with their predecessors, Sabres teams led by Phil Housley and Jason Botterill have performed measurably and decidedly worse.

That’s saying something.

It was four years ago this week when Sabres fans nervously watched their team clinch last place in the league – the only thing in the last eight years of Sabres hockey that qualifies as a meaningful accomplishment. We knew then that Jack Eichel – if not Connor McDavid – would be a Sabre.

Eichel has lived up to the supremely lofty expectations of that time. I guess I should say that this is my opinion, but could anyone have a different one? Eichel has established himself as an elite point producer. This is how he was advertised.

Comparisons to the game’s other top forwards and other seasons’ No. 1 picks can and will always be made, and that Eichel allows for that says almost everything you need to know about his game.

Yet, four years have gone by and the Sabres are still way out of playoff contention.

I wonder what Eichel is thinking.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Every sinking ship had a captain.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[old kummelweck]

a lot of those in #15...

 

[Chainshot]

TSN Radio in Ottawa bagging on Jack.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

TSN Radio in Ottawa bagging on Jack.

We are in the same stew as Ottawa, but they have absolutely no leg to stand on when it comes to star players and success.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Jack looked like he was skating better in the first half of the season because other teams adapted afterwards. The book was out on their strategy and it was never updated.

 

[Kyndig]

Jack looked like he was skating better in the first half of the season because other teams adapted afterwards. The book was out on their strategy and it was never updated.

Yeah its called everyone swarm Eichel because nobody else is a threat.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Yeah its called everyone swarm Eichel because nobody else is a threat.

And he still manages to break through the line and deke and dangle around defenders for a little bit before he gets overwhelmed. We have a special player with all of the fancy features and buttons and Housley is only using a portion of his potential.