Leon Draisaitl vs Jack Eichel 17/18

[McFlyingV]

Eichel has maybe higher end skill but I think Leon has better hockey I.Q. and is built like a tank where Eichel is more of a finesse player.

If you want a bit more sizzle on your steak, it's Eichel, if you want a power forward type center, it's Leon.

For the Oilers since they already have McDavid, Draisaitl is a great fit.

Leon will be in that tier of centres that Getzlaf/Thornton/Sedin/Toews have occupied, he's the new wave of guy that will go into that tier.

Stylistically I think you're absolutely right. Eichel imo will be a better player than Draisaitl, but the impact of Draisaitl's power forward type game is absolutely valuable. Kids getting meaner and meaner on the ice and come playoff time its awesome having that in such a skilled player.

 

[Stjonnypopo]

Either of them could have a good or bad year, they're still young and inconsistent so it's a crap shoot.

I say Eichel, and I think he'll have a lot more responsibility and he'll shine through.

 

[Not Sure]

Stylistically I think you're absolutely right. Eichel imo will be a better player than Draisaitl, but the impact of Draisaitl's power forward type game is absolutely valuable. Kids getting meaner and meaner on the ice and come playoff time its awesome having that in such a skilled player.

Eichel draws a ton of penalties by skating through players and plays a very heavy game. He will try to beat you with speed and agility, but can outright overpower just about anyone in the game. I can't wait to see him in the playoffs as i think his game will be a perfect fit for that style hockey. Just hope we won't have to wait too much longer.

 

[Satastic]

I like Eich

 

[McFlyingV]

Eichel draws a ton of penalties by skating through players and plays a very heavy game. He will try to beat you with speed and agility, but can outright overpower just about anyone in the game. I can't wait to see him in the playoffs as i think his game will be a perfect fit for that style hockey. Just hope we won't have to wait too much longer.

Absolutely he does and I do think he'd be a very good playoff performer. Can't go wrong with either, and I'd expect Eichel to become the better player. The Oilers fan in me though is pretty alright having Draisaitl as our 2nd best player given the growth we've watched to his game the last 2 years. I appreciate Eichels insane athleticism and raw skill, but I also appreciate the bull on skates that Draisaitl has become. Nothing better than watching him put Tkachuk and Gaudreau on their ass when they tried to slew foot and hit him late. The chemistry between he and McDavid is also undeniable and you can see they really have become great teammates the way they stand up for each other.

I think both teams are quite happy with their player.

 

[Sensinitis]

A concerning amount of people are confusing "being a better player" with "scoring more points".
I assume, for evident reasons I think, that having the better season = being the better player in that season. Not simply scoring more points. But i guess it ought at least to be specified.

 

[McFlyingV]

A concerning amount of people are confusing "being a better player" with "scoring more points".
I assume, for evident reasons I think, that having the better season = being the better player in that season. Not simply scoring more points. But i guess it ought at least to be specified.

Good point, and admittedly I skimmed the thread before posting and had assumed it asked about points. With that said, I think points in this case would be a good indicator for who had the better season as both imo already have or project to have strong 2-way games as well.

 

[Intact]

I think Eichel has a better year and contract is at least 9M if they want him for 8 years

 

[MessierII]

Oiler fan saying Eichel. Love Drai but I think Eichel will be better this year. Wouldn't surprise me to see him finish top 5 in points.

 

[Moskau]

Maybe you should be more worried about Eichel's atrocious production at ES. He ranked outside top 100 in ESP/60.

Says more about Dan Bylsma than it does Jack Eichel.

 

[Da McBomb]

My pick is Eichel.

But considering that no one is really laughing at this comparison shows how far Draisaitl has progressed.. which makes me happy.

 

[Akrapovince]

My pick is Eichel.

But considering that no one is really laughing at this comparison shows how far Draisaitl has progressed.. which makes me happy.

Agreed, would've never guessed that these two would be mentioned in the same breath in this context.

As far as player-wise, regardless of who amasses more points next year,

I have to lean towards Eichel, more heavily than I'd like to admit to be honest.

Also a strong advocate that Eichel is better than Matthews though.

 

[lawrence]

considering 42 of Draisatil's points came with McDavid, I will go with Eichel who is clearly a offensive machine himself. What I"m trying to say is, Eichel does not need a Mcjesus level player to reach point per game.

Daraisatl on the other hand... does need one.

so clearly It's Jack the ripper Eichel.

 

[Aladyyn]

My pick is Eichel.

But considering that no one is really laughing at this comparison shows how far Draisaitl has progressed.. which makes me happy.

I am laughing, actually.

 

[Not Sure]

Absolutely he does and I do think he'd be a very good playoff performer. Can't go wrong with either, and I'd expect Eichel to become the better player. The Oilers fan in me though is pretty alright having Draisaitl as our 2nd best player given the growth we've watched to his game the last 2 years. I appreciate Eichels insane athleticism and raw skill, but I also appreciate the bull on skates that Draisaitl has become. Nothing better than watching him put Tkachuk and Gaudreau on their ass when they tried to slew foot and hit him late. The chemistry between he and McDavid is also undeniable and you can see they really have become great teammates the way they stand up for each other.

I think both teams are quite happy with their player.

I kind of combined your other post with the one right before it saying Eichel was all finesse and Drai was a tank and thought you were saying Jack doesn't like contact or isn't a power forward type player, which he can be when the situation calls for it. Draisatl is a special player, I remember wanting him or Sam in 2014 and didn't understand why others wanted Bennet instead. I liked how Draisatl played and loved his size and there were questions about Reinharts skating and shot right away.

 

[Jeti]

Eichel. Draisaitl is in a tier below with guys like schiefele

This is a weird statement. Scheifele is currently better than Matthews, Eichel and Draisaitl. All of them could overtake him this year or none of them could. I'd bet Matthews will but the others are a toss up. It's ironic that you're separating players into tiers based on some perceived potential when the best player you mentioned was a late bloomer who wouldn't even be mentioned in this kind of thread at that point in his development. Imagine if this kind of thread was made after MacKinnon's rookie year: Scheifele wouldn't even be mentioned in it and you'd get laughed out of here for suggesting he'd end up the better player.

Eichel, Draisaitl and Matthews are all close enough that the uncertainty in their future development greatly outweighs the difference in their current level - i.e. projecting young players is a crap shoot. It's possible for any of them to not get any better, or it's possible they end up the second best player in the league behind McDavid (which seems to be what your hinting at already making your mind up about).

 

[Aceboogie]

considering 42 of Draisatil's points came with McDavid, I will go with Eichel who is clearly a offensive machine himself. What I"m trying to say is, Eichel does not need a Mcjesus level player to reach point per game.

Daraisatl on the other hand... does need one.

so clearly It's Jack the ripper Eichel.

But he's never reached a point per game?

 

[dasaybz]

Well Draisaitl is going to play with McDavid on the powerplay regardless so that's quite irrelevant to this thread. BTW, Draisaitl was a better powerplay player than McDavid.

Maybe you should be more worried about Eichel's atrocious production at ES. He ranked outside top 100 in ESP/60.

Don't underestimate the power of Bylsma ...

 

[Havre]

A concerning amount of people are confusing "being a better player" with "scoring more points".
I assume, for evident reasons I think, that having the better season = being the better player in that season. Not simply scoring more points. But i guess it ought at least to be specified.

Was going to post something like this.

Don't watch Edmonton and Buffalo enough to say to be honest. More interested in people evaluating who will have the better season than if Draisaitl ends up on McDavids line and therefore scores more points.

 

[Kamiccolo]

I feel bad using this, but...

Eichel AINEC

 

[Smartguy]

I'm an oiler fan and I say Eichel, I think with a full year he's second only to Mcdavid, Drais going to have a good year but I think he finishes about 10 points shy of Eichel. I would say 85-90 points for him isn't out of reach.

 

[Christ]

It looks like Jack is on a hot list. I mean he's on head-to-head topics every second day against Matthews, McDavid and now Drai. The guy's a real deal.

I think Jack is the biggest question mark regarding superstar youth around the league with is what is leading to all these threads. Eichel has had poor luck with injury since starting in the NHL and when healthy shows that he has the potential for superstardom but because of injury we have no real idea how good he really is. Is he on par with Matthews/Drai/Laine as we think or on a tier above or below them? I don't think many see him on McDavid's level.

 

[SnoopDogg]

Eichel not close even when Draisaitl is playing with McDavid

 

[Dubi Doo]

It looks like Jack is on a hot list. I mean he's on head-to-head topics every second day against Matthews, McDavid and now Drai. The guy's a real deal.

It's really cool as a Sabres fan to have a player of Eichel's calibre that fans of the sport enjoy conversing about. Well, maybe they don't enjoy it, but they're passionate about it.

 

[Unspecified]

Eichel by a fair margin