Will Eichel be an immediate contributor?

[Taro T]

I'm just saying it's an awful lot hope for, for an 18 year old to waltz into the NHL and be dominant.

 

 

Dominant in their rookie season? I don't think anyone expects that.

Yep. BIG difference between being a contributor and being dominant. Both will contribute and at times will flash the brilliance to come but neither will dominate.

 

That said, barring another trade or the light fully clicking for Grigo, expect both McDavid and Eichel to be better than any other centers on the 2015-'16 Buffalo Sabres.

I'm kind of late to the  discussion but I read that post and it scared the living sh*t out of me.. not another Brenden Lemiuex

He'd be throwing away up to 3 years of an NHL salary to do that and up to 3 years of accruing seasons necessary to gain FA and pension status. Kid seems smart; there'd be no upside to that and no reason for him to do it. His contract is already written - max ELC w/ max bonuses written in. He could save himself the price of an agent and negotiate that one on his own on the podium. (Agent will be useful for endorsement deals outside, though.) Lemieux was not being offered that deal today, which is why he's waiting on signing a deal.

[Rasmus_]

Putting expectations on a rookie is like capping the odds for the winner of the Preakness.  You have unusual rookie cases like MacKinnon or you have talented younger players with years like Curtis Lazar.   We're all hoping for the 50-70 point case, but being realistic, it will be a big help to add more talent to the top 6 either way.   This has been a frustrating and brutal trip to rebuilding, but being realistic it had to happen. 

[Hoss]

Putting expectations on a rookie is like capping the odds for the winner of the Preakness. You have unusual rookie cases like MacKinnon or you have talented younger players with years like Curtis Lazar. We're all hoping for the 50-70 point case, but being realistic, it will be a big help to add more talent to the top 6 either way. This has been a frustrating and brutal trip to rebuilding, but being realistic it had to happen.

Curtis Lazar was a solid prospect drafted 17th... Not an elite one drafted first or second.

[LGR4GM]

I'm kind of late to the  discussion but I read that post and it scared the living sh*t out of me.. not another Brenden Lemiuex 

This will never happen. 

If Eichel decided he wanted to play another year at BC he would have to do so before signing an ELC. Once he signs he can't chose to go back know any reason. If he wanted to he could finish school and not sign with us at all. Once he graduates he could sign anywhere as a UFA for any amount.

 

I will bet you money Jack Eichel does not do that. 

[WildCard]

Putting expectations on a rookie is like capping the odds for the winner of the Preakness. You have unusual rookie cases like MacKinnon or you have talented younger players with years like Curtis Lazar. We're all hoping for the 50-70 point case, but being realistic, it will be a big help to add more talent to the top 6 either way. This has been a frustrating and brutal trip to rebuilding, but being realistic it had to happen.

I don't know why we're treating these guys like they are anything but generational talents, or exceptions to the norm. Unusual rookie season for Mackinnon? McEichel are better than him, and should be expected to produce better than him. It is entirely realistic to expect a 60-70pt season.

[LGR4GM]

I don't know why we're treating these guys like they are anything but generational talents, or exceptions to the norm. Unusual rookie season for Mackinnon? McEichel are better than him, and should be expected to produce better than him. It is entirely realistic to expect a 60-70pt season.

Because the Sabres have a historically terrible offense.  They are scoring at the 4th worst gpg rate of any team in history.  Also until they play in the NHL they aren't better than MacKinnon.  I hope they are but I am not getting my hopes up.   

[French Collection]

I didn't realize Carl Lindros was Eichel's agent. Ha!

 

I cannot see a kid burning years of NHL $$$ just to avoid Buffalo. Pegula perks could help here.

We still hope to get McDavid and avoid this issue.

[LGR4GM]

I didn't realize Carl Lindros was Eichel's agent. Ha!

 

I cannot see a kid burning years of NHL $$$ just to avoid Buffalo. Pegula perks could help here.

We still hope to get McDavid and avoid this issue.

What issue?

[Hoss]

What issue?

The world ending in 2000.

[PromoTheRobot]

Dominant in their rookie season? I don't think anyone expects that.

I'm not so sure.

[French Collection]

Some are saying Eichel may stay in school and re-enter the draft if he doesn't like the scenario.

[LGR4GM]

Some are saying Eichel may stay in school and re-enter the draft if he doesn't like the scenario.

I put the chance of that happening at 0%

[PromoTheRobot]

Here's another thing to consider about Eichel. He's never played more than 35 games in a season. How do you think he'll do playing 82 plus (hopefully) playoffs?

[French Collection]

Agreed

[LGR4GM]

Here's another thing to consider about Eichel. He's never played more than 35 games in a season. How do you think he'll do playing 82 plus (hopefully) playoffs?

He played 89 games last year.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=191959

[PromoTheRobot]

He played 89 games last year.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=191959

I stand corrected. Going by just his USHL stats.

[TrueBlueGED]

I'm not so sure.

 

How do you define dominant? It's easy to toss the word around, but your conception of what it means may be very different than others. I'd define dominant as a point-per-game player a la Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, etc. I expect McEichel to be in the 50-60 point range--very much contributors and 1st line caliber, but not what I'd call dominant.

[Guest Sloth]

Some are saying Eichel may stay in school and re-enter the draft if he doesn't like the scenario.

 

How long would the Sabres have the rights to Eichel before he could re-enter the draft? A player should not be allowed to do that. The NHL should establish some type of rule to prevent players from "choosing" their team after the draft. 

[PromoTheRobot]

How do you define dominant? It's easy to toss the word around, but your conception of what it means may be very different than others. I'd define dominant as a point-per-game player a la Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, etc. I expect McEichel to be in the 50-60 point range--very much contributors and 1st line caliber, but not what I'd call dominant.

Dominant in the sense that Eichel will immediately reverse the fortunes of the Sabres by his mere arrival.  You can't say that isn't the common notion here. (I know we could end up with McDavid, but 5-1 says it's Eichel.)

[Chester Springs Rich]

No question. He'll be a rare breed of one-and-done college hockey players.

Eichel.......alone, by himself, on a team, like say Edmonton?  Then no not ready.  Eichel with - Reinhart, Girgenssons, Girgorenko, Kane, Stewart, Moulsson, Fasching, Ennis, amon others.........I say yes.  Does this mean playoffs in 15-16, probablly not.  But 16-17, 17-18.....oh yes.  Eichel is the last piece to finally accelerate this very young franchise foward.  In addition to stockpiling our team, keep in mind other playoff franchises are going to start to trend down, hit salary cap issues, etc.  Timing is a key component to success and should work for the Sabres over the next few seasons.  T-A-N-K Y-O-U very much.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Dominant in the sense that Eichel will immediately reverse the fortunes of the Sabres by his mere arrival.  You can't say that isn't the common notion here. (I know we could end up with McDavid, but 5-1 says it's Eichel.)

I don't think anyone believes this will be the case.

 

McDavid, or Eichel, will not turn around the Sabres fortunes an their own.

 

Either of them will be the best player on the Sabres roster since Perreault.  And, just as they did with Perreault, the team will be built around them.

[Chester Springs Rich]

One more thing - I know we need a goaltender.  i am confident that the stockpile Murray is corraling will lead to one becoming our anchor.

[TrueBlueGED]

Dominant in the sense that Eichel will immediately reverse the fortunes of the Sabres by his mere arrival.  You can't say that isn't the common notion here. (I know we could end up with McDavid, but 5-1 says it's Eichel.)

 

I can and I will. The reason people think Eichel can make such a difference is because of what we also have on the team already--Reinhart, Kane, Ennis, Risto, Zads, Girgensons, Moulson. Nobody has said or even insinuated that we could trade everything and have Eichel leading the 2014 Amerks into the NHL and have success. I haven't even seen anyone contend the team will be contenders next year, and dare I say the strong majority don't think it will be a playoff team. This is hardly indicative of a group that thinks one player will grace them with championships. I think you're grossly oversimplifying the argument people are making when they speak to the impact of McEichel.

[3putt]

Some are saying Eichel may stay in school and re-enter the draft if he doesn't like the scenario.

I don't think anyone is saying anything of the sort. What was pointed out by myself and others is that Eichel is in a different situation than McDavid. Eichel may feel that spending a year in the minors is not worth leaving school right away. Instead, he can stay in school be the captain of team USA, at the wicked, compete for a ncaa trophy and at worst sign an elf in the spring of 2016 and play his nine games or more. I do not think he will forego 3 years of accrual to reach free agency. The path I mentioned is exactly what Toews did and never spent a day in the minors even though there was a lot of people who thought it would have been the right move. Eichel will sign with whoever drafts him. Same with McDavid. The only thing people are doing is discounting Eichels ability by thinking he is less nhl ready than McDavid, which is highly debatable.

[Stoner]

Crosby and the 05-06 Pens seem like a decent comparable given what virtually every serious hockey mind has said about McDavid and how bad the Sabres are right now. A point a game+ player, but the team ends up with 58 points.