The funny thing is, in every Eichel debate its never why he's better all you hear from people defending Eichel is a bunch of excuses as to why he cant play as well as Matthews, Barzal etc. Just found that funny. If Matthews can perform at a high level with Hyman and Brown im pretty sure Eichel could do damage with Skinner/Reinahrt/oKPOSO.
I rather like like how your ending line throwing out random buffalo players, further confirms you don’t have a clue who he’s playing with this year....or to suggest Eichel isnt producing with skinner (who ya know only has 12 points in six games since being put with Eichel)
Which isn’t surprising really and you’re actually acting like Matthews and Eichels production hasn’t been similar too which is almost as funny as suggesting Connor brown has been a regular linemate for Matthews and not Nylander before and marleau/Kapanen this year. It makes it sound so much better when you say Hyman and brown.
You’re trying to make it sound like Eichel hasn’t been battling ongoing injuries that have been proven to linger for months the past two years and didn’t still produce 0.95 PPG the past two years.
As if that’s in a different realm from Matthews two seasons of 0.84 and 1.01? So when you say “Eichel supporters” make excuses for why he can’t play as well as Barzal and Matthews I just don’t have a clue what you’re talking about anyway? He’s the second best player in this draft. That’s why he was the second pick, that’s why he was a scout consensus second overall pick and it wasn’t even close after Connor and jack to suggest someone else could be 2. It’s closer now but the top two are still the best two. As for Barzal We know his point total in his rookie season was much better then auston or jack but that was as a second line center, auston and jack had to be in the first line against every teams best shut down/top line and top 2 defenders on the regular. Not taking anything away from Barzal as he got Some tough matchups too but when you consider Eichs injuries (two high ankle sprains are hardly an excuse by the way when those have been well known to linger for months) and not having a team who is 8th best in scoring like matty does, Eichels was 31st. (There’s just no support there) eichels production (ppg) hasn’t been that far off Barzal or even Matthews the past few seasons to suggest he hasn’t been as good. Eichel has 133 pts in his last 140 games.
Eichels now playing like an all around player, with great backchecking, added a physical aspect and a much needed leadership role. Since captain he’s matured and the team has been better off for it, off to the best start in 7 years.
It’s no coincidence either that when Sheary started hot (with Eichel) and went cold when leaving his line, just like it’s not when skinner and pominville joined him they both went from essentially nothing to a point and a half per game players since. It’s like...Eichels a good player or something? I know ....it’s a foreign idea/concept but if you let it sink in it will come.... or you could turn on a sabres game every now and then and see it for yourself. Maybe there’s “support” and a consensus because he belongs there? I understand your Rantanen and Barzal ahead ranking now a lot better though. I truly do. As if playing with Mackinnon and landrskog as a winger and again a guy who is definitely great (Barzal) for one season against lesssr competition is better then a guy who’s proven it for three against tougher, with less help. I mean Barzal has one goal this year. He’s doing it now as a franchise center, gotta give him crdedit but the islanders are a high scoring team each season which definitely helps. One more thing about Rantanen though, I understand Mackinnon got going when he arrived, but Colorado fans can’t have it both ways, I’ve now heard them say both guys are better then Eichel. lol, if a guy plays with a guy better then Jack Eichel, that alone gives him only the biggest advantage ever since Eichel doesent play with a guy half as good (until now with skinner)