Around the NHL: 2015-2016

[Doohicksie]

I you're overstating this a bit.  Jack is definitely still not being quite as physical as he could be, but he's still playing smart hockey.  He hasn't completely dumbed his game down to the NHL level quite yet. He also hasn't really been playing with anybody that's even close to his level of hockey smarts except Reinhart for a few short bursts.

 

He's playing smart hockey, sure, but it's not NHL hockey.  The fact he's already scored so much shows a hint of his potential.  When he learns how to exploit the NHL game, look out.

[TrueBlueGED]

This is precisely what Jack hasn't learned. He still thinks he's special, as in immune to what you have to do to win. Once he starts playing the NHL game, he truly will be special.

I disagree. Jack is special, and that's the entire point. In some sense, he's above the NHL game. As are Kane (the better one), Malkin, Seguin, and so on. While he needs to work on his play without the puck, I don't want him to stop thinking he's special and start thinking like a normal player. Because, well, he's not a normal player.

 

Perhaps I'm just not getting your meaning of playing the NHL game, which is certainly possible. And I've been drinking. So. Yea.

 

Jack is fine! And can have my children, if he so chooses. (ROR has rejected all of my advances).

Edited January 29, 2016 by TrueBlueGED

[Rasmus_]

 

So when someone from the NHL calls me and says, “Do you think this is something your kids would be proud of?”

… That’s when they lost me.

That was it, right there. That was the moment.

Because, while I may not deserve to be an NHL All-Star, I know I deserve to be the judge of what my kids will — and won’t — be proud of me for.

Good for you, big boy.

 

Oh, and NHL? God. I just can't . . . .

Yeah. It got dusty over here when he started talking about his kids.

 

 

 

His response to the NHL caller was classic!  Man that hit me at home.  I don't have kids, but you sure as don't tell a father how "proud" his kids will be of him.  Go get em Big Boy!  You're a former Sabre and while you're not more than a puncher, you're still an NHL player.  

[rakish]

While the top 50 list isn't great, I'm taken by how many weren't taken from the top of the draft.  Someone on this sight was opining about how only the top 15 picks matter, and other pundits put percentages on late first, and later round picks,  but it seems to me that if about half the good talent comes from outside the top 15 picks, it's something worth worrying about.

[MattPie]

While the top 50 list isn't great, I'm taken by how many weren't taken from the top of the draft.  Someone on this sight was opining about how only the top 15 picks matter, and other pundits put percentages on late first, and later round picks,  but it seems to me that if about half the good talent comes from outside the top 15 picks, it's something worth worrying about.

 

It's a numbers game and unpredictability. I don't see where the draft picks are listed, but lets say in the last 20 years, there have been 300 top-15 picks. There have been over 3600 not-top-15 picks. Even if the breakdown is 50/50 (I'd guess that's high for the non-top-15). The NHL draft after the first few is a crap shoot, it really is. It's not like GMs are getting to the 4th round and saying, "hmm, no one picked this guy yet, but we're sure he's going to be in the top-50 some day". It's luck. Good scouting can shift things slightly in your favor, but I just can't believe GM that picks some all star 6th but non-factors in the 2nd thru 5th knew what was going to happen.

[Eleven]

Don't know if this has been written yet, but Wideman isn't really suspended at all.  His hearing is Tuesday and he has no games before then.

[Weave]

Don't know if this has been written yet, but Wideman isn't really suspended at all.  His hearing is Tuesday and he has no games before then.

 

The league announced it as suspended indefinitely.  But yeah, no opportunity to lose income yet.

Edited January 29, 2016 by We've

[3putt]

I you're overstating this a bit.  Jack is definitely still not being quite as physical as he could be, but he's still playing smart hockey.  He hasn't completely dumbed his game down to the NHL level quite yet. He also hasn't really been playing with anybody that's even close to his level of hockey smarts except Reinhart for a few short bursts.

Jack has more hits than ROR and Samson.....Combined.  I never understood this line of thinking, i.e.he is not physical, especially from such astute observers.

[qwksndmonster]

Jack has more hits than ROR and Samson.....Combined. I never understood this line of thinking, i.e.he is not physical, especially from such astute observers.

# of hits doesn't tell the whole story. ROR plays a much heavier game than Jack despite not putting people through the boards. Jack's been getting better, but I still see him reaching instead of moving his feet to engage.

[Weave]

# of hits doesn't tell the whole story. ROR plays a much heavier game than Jack despite not putting people through the boards. Jack's been getting better, but I still see him reaching instead of moving his feet to engage.

 

This has been my lone complaint with Eichel.  It is a habit he needs to fix. 

[3putt]

# of hits doesn't tell the whole story. ROR plays a much heavier game than Jack despite not putting people through the boards. Jack's been getting better, but I still see him reaching instead of moving his feet to engage.

Not even close, he avoids physical contact like the plague and his first instinct is to stick check. It is why he led the league in takeaways. Not because he bodies people off the puck. The reach I get, and it burns me at times, but Jack is a physical presence. The wraparound goal was a direct result of initiating contact not avoiding it.

[That Aud Smell]

Not even close, he avoids physical contact like the plague and his first instinct is to stick check. It is why he led the league in takeaways. Not because he bodies people off the puck. The reach I get, and it burns me at times, but Jack is a physical presence. The wraparound goal was a direct result of initiating contact not avoiding it.

I'm confused.

[3putt]

I'm confused.

I dispute the characterization that ROR plays a heavy game. He is more of a finesse player when it comes taking the puck back. I certainly do not see heavy in any sense. Not a knock, just different. By the same token, reaches aside, Jack has a more physical presence. Not a bruiser, but he doesn't shy away from contact.

[SwampD]

This has been my lone complaint with Eichel.  It is a habit he needs to fix. 

When he comes away with the puck more often than he doesn't, I'm not sure he needs to fix it.

[Taro T]

When he comes away with the puck more often than he doesn't, I'm not sure he needs to fix it.

Yep.

[inkman]

When he comes away with the puck more often than he doesn't, I'm not sure he needs to fix it.

Yeah I don't need or want him to be milan lucic, play your game sweet child, let the grunts do the dirty work .

[Randall Flagg]

When he comes away with the puck more often than he doesn't, I'm not sure he needs to fix it.

He really doesn't do that, though. His line is always getting pinned deep, which may be more on the poor quality of his wingers all season, but I definitely see a player who needs to learn to engage or play some form of better defense, rather than one who comes away with the puck more often than he doesn't.

[qwksndmonster]

I dispute the characterization that ROR plays a heavy game. He is more of a finesse player when it comes taking the puck back. I certainly do not see heavy in any sense. Not a knock, just different. By the same token, reaches aside, Jack has a more physical presence. Not a bruiser, but he doesn't shy away from contact.

ROR absolutely plays a heavy game. He's always moving his feet to get closer to opponents so he can check the puck away. He's always putting his body exactly in their path and forcing them to go through him. Just because he has elite defensive skills and stick checks the puck away to minimize the contact he actually has to make doesn't make his game any less heavy.

 

Maybe that's not what you meant by heavy, but that's how I see it.

 

I'm with Randall on Jack. He's not there yet.

[Weave]

Yeah I don't need or want him to be milan lucic, play your game sweet child, let the grunts do the dirty work .

 

Noone is asking him to be Milan Lucic.  When it comes to puck battles, he needs a little more ROR in his game.

[TrueBlueGED]

Not even close, he avoids physical contact like the plague and his first instinct is to stick check. It is why he led the league in takeaways. Not because he bodies people off the puck. The reach I get, and it burns me at times, but Jack is a physical presence. The wraparound goal was a direct result of initiating contact not avoiding it.

It's times like this I wonder how people can think the eye test is so much better than stats. I have no idea what you're watching, but it's not ROR in a Sabres jersey. Your characterizations makes him sound like Gragnani. ROR's willingness to engage in puck battles along the boards is an order of magnitude greater than Jack's.

[inkman]

It's times like this I wonder how people can think the eye test is so much better than stats. I have no idea what you're watching, but it's not ROR in a Sabres jersey. Your characterizations makes him sound like Gragnani. ROR's willingness to engage in puck battles along the boards is an order of magnitude greater than Jack's.

I had almost forgot about grab-yer-mommy

[Hoss]

I had almost forgot about grab-yer-mommy

So you'd probably be shocked to find out he played in four NHL games this season.

[inkman]

So you'd probably be shocked to find out he played in four NHL games this season.

He's become quite the journeyman. Glad he's been able to make a living playing the game he loves (I assume). Can believe he's only 28, seems like eons since he's been in blue and gold. I love looking up players on hockey db. It paints an interesting picture.

[Hoss]

He's become quite the journeyman. Glad he's been able to make a living playing the game he loves (I assume). Can believe he's only 28, seems like eons since he's been in blue and gold. I love looking up players on hockey db. It paints an interesting picture.

I do the same thing. Name pops in my head and I look it up on there... Then get lost looking at other players. What a world we live in that all of that info is available as such a speed and one place.

[3putt]

It's times like this I wonder how people can think the eye test is so much better than stats. I have no idea what you're watching, but it's not ROR in a Sabres jersey. Your characterizations makes him sound like Gragnani. ROR's willingness to engage in puck battles along the boards is an order of magnitude greater than Jack's.

We will have to disagree on what we are seeing. The numbers are very representative of the style of play. ROR stick checks with the best of them. But his engagement is not physical. The hallmark of a Lady Bing winner. He is effective, but not from a physical style of play. Moving one's feet is not heavy, Heavy as I have heard it used is leaning on players during those board battles, forcing the opposition to go through as opposed to around. Finishing checks. That is heavy in my book. Based on this definition, Jack is much heavier to play against.