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Posted

Wait, it's not Rag Doll?

 

 

Don't even try an act all innocent there mister!

 

You led us down this path. 

 

Well, led may be a bit of an overstatement. Maybe pointed and yelled something about not running so fast.

Posted (edited)

One, to be deservedly respectful to you, I understand your point and think it's s great guiding principal for a life well lived.

Two, we'd loose half the Internet if we couldn't sit here in our chairs and comment on others. Have you seen me in the politics thread?!

On to Jack. I'd be disappointed if I bought into some of the "he reminds me of Lemieux" talk I heard nationally after three or four games. I didn't. I'm not.

Interestingly, Samson's ahead of any curve I imagined for him if Jack's slightly behind his. This is bigger news for the Sabres.

Skills are awesome. 82 game pace seems a grind. Consistency's not there, but it's not anywhere on this team not numbered 90 or 55.

I think the mini break will help.

I find your curve comment confusing. In their respective draft years Samson was sent back to junior. Eichel is the 3rd leading scorer on the team. If anything Jack is ahead of the curve not behind it. With that said both are still young players and I am happy that both are developing into good/ potentially great players. Edited by 3putt
Posted

Jack Eichel the hockey player needs more work than I thought he would. He could also use some help, which I don't think Bylsma is giving him enough of

.

14 games in 8 days - not a lot of practice going on.

 

Agreed with the sentiment: There's a good amount of work to be done, and growth that's needed.

 

And I'm totally good with that.

Posted (edited)

I find your curve comment confusing. In their respective draft years Samson was sent back to junior. Eichel is the 3rd leading scorer on the team. If anything Jack is ahead of the curve not behind it. With that said both are still young players and I am happy that both are developing into good/ potentially great players.

You're confused because I phrased in clumsy fashion. On me. I'm grateful for your response.

 

I should have referred, simply, to my expectations for this year. In short, I had two completely different curves in mind. One applied to an outstanding prospect, Sam, and the other to a generational talent, Eichel. Even at that, I'm nit picking.

 

How about this. Setting curves relating to age and experience aside, Sam is showing more than I thought he would this season and Jack's not having the greatest rookie year since AO's 106 and Crosby's 102 point campaigns.

 

Neither disappoints or worries me. Sam is not hindered by foot speed and lack of strength while Jack is figuring out his game playing on a team and for a coach doing the same thing. Jack's fine unless you expected generational AO/Crosby numbers. Because I had more questions about Sam, and because I don't need Jack to be 05/06 AO/Crosby, this is good news for me.

 

As I read back, my overall theme didn't come through in my post.

Edited by N'eo
Posted

You're confused because I phrased in clumsy fashion. On me. I'm grateful for your response.

 

I should have referred, simply, to my expectations for this year. In short, I had two completely different curves in mind. One applied to an outstanding prospect, Sam, and the other to a generational talent, Eichel. Even at that, I'm nit picking.

 

How about this. Setting curves relating to age and experience aside, Sam is showing more than I thought he would this season and Jack's not having the greatest rookie year since AO's 106 and Crosby's 102 point campaigns.

 

Neither disappoints or worries me. Sam is not hindered by foot speed and lack of strength while Jack is figuring out his game playing on a team and for a coach doing the same thing. Jack's fine unless you expected generational AO/Crosby numbers. Because I had more questions about Sam, and because I don't need Jack to be 05/06 AO/Crosby, this is good news for me.

 

As I read back, my overall theme didn't come through in my post.

That makes sense.  I sometimes feel people overlook the huge challenge it is to jump from draft eligible to the NHL.  The NHL current rookie class is great.  But Domi, Draisatl et al didn't make the leap in their draft year.  If I remember correctly from the 2014 class there was Ekblad Bennet to a lesser degree and Pasternak.  

Posted

That makes sense.  I sometimes feel people overlook the huge challenge it is to jump from draft eligible to the NHL.  The NHL current rookie class is great.  But Domi, Draisatl et al didn't make the leap in their draft year.  If I remember correctly from the 2014 class there was Ekblad Bennet to a lesser degree and Pasternak.

 

And that is all anyone is saying here but I think messages get confused, Eichel needs some time, ps so does McDavid. The NHL is a different animal. Look at the improvement of Rhino even as this year has gone on. I expect the same from Jack who has a higher ceiling imo. But to put on rose colored glasses and saying everything is fine is a mistake, its gonna take work on his behalf and the way the Sabres have been the last 8 years, Ima gonna need some show me...

Posted

14 games in 8 days - not a lot of practice going on.

 

Agreed with the sentiment: There's a good amount of work to be done, and growth that's needed.

 

And I'm totally good with that.

I was referring more to usage than to coaching/instruction. I have to assume the latter is being done as best they can with a tight schedule (I can't imagine their attitude is just "we'll let him figure it out" because that would be ridiculous).

Posted

I was referring more to usage than to coaching/instruction. I have to assume the latter is being done as best they can with a tight schedule (I can't imagine their attitude is just "we'll let him figure it out" because that would be ridiculous).

 

Gotcha. It was in mind for me because I heard Bylsma say something in one of his recent game-day interviews about how he hadn't been able to do much in practice in a long while.

 

Eichel, to me, is as advertised. And I think he's just started to scratch the surface of the NHLer he's going to become.

Posted

I have the Sabres-Devils 4-OT game in iTunes and put it on last night. There was one rush by Mogilny where I instantly thought of Eichel. Am I onto something? Same build? Same kind of stride?

Posted

This, mostly. I love Jack Eichel. He is so talented he is going to score more than 20 goals despite the fact the game is often moving too fast for him right now. He can't do things he is used to doing and he isn't the go-to guy he is used to being. He's frustrated by it, and sometimes it shows.

 

It's adversity but I think he is a competitor and I think he will be better for it in the long run.

It's nobody's fault, it's just part of the learning process.

 

He isn't playing as well as his talent would suggest but that is OK because he is just 19.

Your Buffalo Sabres aren't winning as much as their talent would suggest, but that is OK because they are just 30 games removed from being the worst team in hockey.

And like your Buffalo Sabres, Jack Eichel will be much more than just fine.

Couldn't have said it any better myself. People expecting the world from this team or Jack this season were expecting too much in my opinion. We expected either the best or second best player in the draft, and a talent that doesn't come along often. We have that. And the Sabres are performing as good as anyone with reasonable expectations should have thought they would. They are an almost entirely new team, with new lines, a new coach, and an entirely different gameplan and play style being taught. The team as a whole is relatively young, and have a lot to learn. Games are fun to watch again, we're competing with sometimes great teams on a nightly basis, and there are legitimate stars emerging on this team. The short holiday break will do this team a lot of good in my opinion.

Posted

The vast majority of "star" players post pedestrian numbers their first season then blossom by year 3 or 4.  It's just how the learning curve works.  Jack has shown enough talent that I see no reason he won't be leading the team in scoring in a few year.  He just needs to keep learning and keep getting stronger.

Posted

Are people really freaking out over Eichel already?

 

No, there is a group that insists that jack has no flaws and his poop doesnt stink and cant deal with any constructive criticism. It gets annoying so folks are stating the obvious... he has things to work on.

This topic is OLD. A NEW topic should be started unless there is a VERY SPECIFIC REASON to revive this one.

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