Post-Game Talk (GBU): twas the loss before xmas

[joshjull]

I'm curious why I see very few advocates of moving Eichel to wing. So many people talk about center being more suited to Reinharts skillset, but in my eyes the wing is suited to Eichel's skillset. He has outstanding speed and shooting. To me it looks like he's been hesitant and ineffective in providing the defensive support expected out of a center anyway, and O'Reilly's wing seems like a good place for him to learn that. With his speed, reach, and awareness/vision, Eichel has all the tools to be a much better center then he has been so far. Not only could it be more productive in the short-term but it might help his development along too. Plus it has to be one of the few remaining combinations yet to be tried.

Some have mentioned it but not many. I agree with your points as well.


Disco has a few things he refuses to let go of; ROR and Jack as the top 2 centers and Reinhart on the wing. Its prevented us from taking advantage of our center depth to try every possible combo to see what works best for the team. It makes no sense since this team has no established success with any particular setup to base Disco's stubbornness on. It was essentially a clean slate when he got here with a huge influx of players with little to no history together. He should have been trying every combo to see what works best then adjust later as needed.

 

[Team Cozens]

I'm curious why I see very few advocates of moving Eichel to wing. So many people talk about center being more suited to Reinharts skillset, but in my eyes the wing is suited to Eichel's skillset. He has outstanding speed and shooting. To me it looks like he's been hesitant and ineffective in providing the defensive support expected out of a center anyway, and O'Reilly's wing seems like a good place for him to learn that. With his speed, reach, and awareness/vision, Eichel has all the tools to be a much better center then he has been so far. Not only could it be more productive in the short-term but it might help his development along too. Plus it has to be one of the few remaining combinations yet to be tried.

I believe Eichel might see more time on the wing in February after we trade for
Matt Duchene.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I'm curious why I see very few advocates of moving Eichel to wing. So many people talk about center being more suited to Reinharts skillset, but in my eyes the wing is suited to Eichel's skillset...

For that issue is just like Reinhart playing C - I've simply accepted that Bylsma will not move on that. He'll continue to rotate various players on the top-six LWs, but won't try other moves that make at least as much sense. I'm going to wear myself out talking about that stuff any further. I'll re-engage if/when Bylsma gets canned...so maybe in 2018??

 

[Snippit]

Reinhart was improving at center til Eichel came back.

At first he did look quite rough. But after maybe 5-6 games his confidence was really growing.

Sam should be given a long-term shot at center. It's his position and it's where he can utilize his cerebral game the most. It'll take him time - I'm sure he'll look rough at times, but he needs an actual chance. Not like our current lines are working out anyways, right?

On the other hand, Eichel could use some time at wing. For all we know, maybe he'd make an excellent winger. He loves to go wide to gain entry into the zone, as opposed to cutting through the middle.

Carrier-RoR-Eichel
Foligno-Reinhart-Okposo
Kane-Larsson-Gionta
Girgs-Grant-Des

I personally wish we could pick up an actual 4C and hope Girgs gets a shot higher up the lineup, but we know it won't happen.

 

[ThunderD]

Give Sam another shot at center, shift RoR to Eich's wing to see if they can spark something together. (Unfortunately disco would never do either of these things.)

Girgs-Eichel-RoR
Foligno-Reinhart-Okposo
Kane-Larsson-Gio
Carrier-Grant-Moulson (this 4th line is a mess of leftover parts)

ROR just doesn't want to play wing, it was an issue in the center deep Avs when he got pushed to wing with him, MacKinnon, Duchene & Stastny.

Watching ror's demeanor some shifts you can see in his mannerisms he's frustrated with his teammates at times, more so when he's with kane.

I'm scared ryan is going to get more frustrated and try to do to much himself because he realizes hES the smartest one on the ice at pretty much any given time.

I wouldn't worry about him too much. He is a hard worker there are other guys on this team that can pick up some slack.

 

[ThunderD]

Reinhart was improving at center til Eichel came back.

At first he did look quite rough. But after maybe 5-6 games his confidence was really growing.

Sam should be given a long-term shot at center. It's his position and it's where he can utilize his cerebral game the most. It'll take him time - I'm sure he'll look rough at times, but he needs an actual chance. Not like our current lines are working out anyways, right?

On the other hand, Eichel could use some time at wing. For all we know, maybe he'd make an excellent winger. He loves to go wide to gain entry into the zone, as opposed to cutting through the middle.

Carrier-RoR-Eichel
Foligno-Reinhart-Okposo
Kane-Larsson-Gionta
Girgs-Grant-Des

I personally wish we could pick up an actual 4C and hope Girgs gets a shot higher up the lineup, but we know it won't happen.

This is crazy. Reinhart has to play center because its his position. But in order to do it you move Eichel out of his position?

 

[Der Jaeger]

This is crazy. Reinhart has to play center because its his position. But in order to do it you move Eichel out of his position?

Or just play the four centers Buffalo has at center on the four lines that NHL teams typically form.

 

[joshjull]

ROR just doesn't want to play wing, it was an issue in the center deep Avs when he got pushed to wing with him, MacKinnon, Duchene & Stastny.



I wouldn't worry about him too much. He is a hard worker there are other guys on this team that can pick up some slack.

There were many things pointed to as issues he had with the Avs. But they all stem from ROR feeling disrespected and not valued properly (not just monitarily) and should be viewed through that prism. If he can't handle playing wing after getting acquired by a team that thinks quite highly of him so they made a big trade for him and signed him to a huge contract then he is a prima donna and not the player anyone here thinks he is. Do you think thats the case?

His best season before becoming a Sabre he played on the wing. It was his best production and he was top 5 in Selke voting. But you're telling me we can't use that versatility because he is going to pout and stamp his feet if we do so.

 

[joshjull]

This is crazy. Reinhart has to play center because its his position. But in order to do it you move Eichel out of his position?

Whats crazy about it?

He said Eichel needs some time at wing. Right know Jack is incredibly frustrated offensively and is also making a lot of mistakes in our end. Giving him a bit of a break from the defensive responsibly at center might just help get him back on track offensively, particularly on ROR's wing. The poster also said who knows, with Jack's skill set he may excel on the wing. That may actually be true.

You don't have to put Eichel on the wing to put Sam at center. Thats just how the poster laid things out. But the rationale he gave was pretty sound.


You really fight tooth and nail against the idea of changing how ROR, Jack and Sam are currently used. I don't have answer as to the best way to use them. I just know there are variants we haven't tried that might work better than what we're doing now. Only way to find out is to try them. Because right now our 5v5/ES offensive is pretty pathetic. So it seems to me that trying some of those variants might be a good idea.

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Plus, Eichel can play wing in the Dzone while retaining most-all the traditional offensive responsibilities of the center.