World Cup 2016

[TrueBlueGED]

Apparently I missed this, but Team USA named Quick the starter and has Schneider riding the bench? What in God's name does Jon Quick have to do to be recognized as merely an above average goalie? His style is fun as hell to watch, but Schneider and Bishop are both objectively better at stopping the puck.

 

I'm cheering against USA because I don't want this group of buffoons anywhere near the Olympic team. Good lord.

Edited September 9, 2016 by TrueBlueGED

[pi2000]

Jesus Christ.... Eichel is still only 19.   He has one season under his belt, this is not the finished product by any means.   It was his first competitive game in 5 months, give the kid a break.  

 

I, for one, liked the way he used his body out there.   He was engaged and using his body to bump guys off the puck and create space for himself.    Assuming he put on some muscle mass, that's what I want to see him do more of this tournament.   He's a big human, the more he uses that to his advantage, the better it will serve him in the long run.     

[WildCard]

Sorry Pi, but I'm going to disagree strongly with everything you just said on Eichel.

[That Aud Smell]

Eichel is still only 19.   He has one season under his belt. This is not the finished product by any means.

Sorry Pi, but I'm going to disagree strongly with everything you just said on Eichel.

 

Everything?!

 

Honest question: Is it the young turks here who are cracking the whip on #15?

[Sabel79]

McDavid wasn't playing beer league hockey. MacKinnon wasn't playing beer league hockey.

 

Okay, apparently it's their problem as well.

[jsb]

I'm out. Can't even talk about anything here anymore. 

Well I have to admit it does smell better in here all of a sudden

 

Jesus Christ.... Eichel is still only 19.   He has one season under his belt, this is not the finished product by any means.   It was his first competitive game in 5 months, give the kid a break.  

 

I, for one, liked the way he used his body out there.   He was engaged and using his body to bump guys off the puck and create space for himself.    Assuming he put on some muscle mass, that's what I want to see him do more of this tournament.   He's a big human, the more he uses that to his advantage, the better it will serve him in the long run.     

Actually I agree, it was awesome to watch some hockey again even if it was JUST AN EXHIBITION GAME. The one thing I noticed was he was much more responsible on the defensive side of his game which I wondered if the ROR effect was taking place. Also he looked huge out there, he definitely worked out in the offseason and he was much better on faceoffs, all of which should do him well when the real season starts up next month

[LTS]

Wow.  So, I don't care what Eichel does in this tournament.  I don't root for Team NA.

 

If the wants to conserve his energy and the output for the Sabres season I am completely fine with that.

 

Moreover, this was an exhibition game in the tournament.  It was meaningless.

 

But hey.. because McDavid was on the ice and a few other players out there chose to up their energy output it must mean Jack could do more.  Well, it likely does mean he COULD do more but WHY should he?

[WildCard]

Every other player put forth effort, but Eichel shouldn't because of the circumstance? Yeah idk about that

[Thorner]

We're not being irrational about it, no one said Eichel sucks and we're doomed. It's perfectly reasonable to get excited to see a kid we lost a season for play on a team full of his peers, and then get a little bummed when he starts out poorly enough that an entire hockey forum who has no investment in him either way is laughing at/picking on his play. And I still went into the scoring thread and predicted him to score more goals than any Sabre has in years.

Yes, points in an individual game tell the whole story. If Scheifele's two posts go in, which is something that evens out over the course of a season, it looks a bit different. Either way McDavid was breathtaking. Incredible player.

I recognize that this game matters as much as his summer league games. That doesn't mean I can't be kinda bummed that he gave the same level of effort in it until the end that he did in the summer league games.

I still love Jack.

 

 

The thing is, all the articles I've read from major outlets say Eichel had a good game yesterday, and tout the 200 foot game he displayed. So if he's getting praise from outside sources (irrelevant jabber of the HF Boards not withstanding), why must we be so critical in here? Especially as it was a meaningless game. I understand one has every right to do so and to each their own, just reads like people are going out of their way to do so.

 

Smell is right when he says it's going to be a long season. If Jack is getting criticized like this now, I can't imagine how much it'll increase going forward. I daresay the expectations placed on the kid will be unmeetable.

 

To Liger's point about Reinhart, just because he's taking unfair criticism about his incorrectly perceived lack of size, doesn't make jabs at Eichel's play in a exhibition game more tolerable, to me. Everyone can opine as they wish on Jack, I merely pointed out it's clearly going to be a long season, it seems.

 

Jesus Christ.... Eichel is still only 19.   He has one season under his belt, this is not the finished product by any means.   It was his first competitive game in 5 months, give the kid a break.  

 

I, for one, liked the way he used his body out there.   He was engaged and using his body to bump guys off the puck and create space for himself.    Assuming he put on some muscle mass, that's what I want to see him do more of this tournament.   He's a big human, the more he uses that to his advantage, the better it will serve him in the long run.

 

 

 

Agreed.

 

Okay, apparently it's their problem as well.

Nice.

Every other player put forth effort, but Eichel shouldn't because of the circumstance? Yeah idk about that

Well, Eichel seems to think he put forth solid effort, as judged from his quotes on the game yesterday. So either people are misjudging, Eichel is lying, or the guy had absolutely no idea what effort looks like.

[That Aud Smell]

Every other player put forth effort, but Eichel shouldn't because of the circumstance? Yeah idk about that

 

I am reading "shouldn't" there as being intended as "didn't" and it is bothering the sh1t out of me.

 

What the hell is going on in here?!

 

JACK EICHEL WILL BE FINE.

[LTS]

Every other player put forth effort, but Eichel shouldn't because of the circumstance? Yeah idk about that

 

Every other player?  Meh.  I didn't say shouldn't though.  

 

Oh.. and for all that.. he had a point.

 

In more important news... Braden Holtby's mask and it will be auctioned off with proceeds going to Gord's charity of choice.

 

[WildCard]

It's shouldn't

 

Jack with be fine. But the he's 19 and it's an exhibition excuses are garbage in my book. There are other players on that roster who are 19 in the same boat

[Thorner]

JACK EICHEL WILL BE FINE.

So it has come to this.

[Brawndo]

Just for fun, here is the second line in Team NA Practice today

 

Johnny Hockey-McDavid-Eichel

[darksabre]

It's shouldn't

 

Jack with be fine. But the he's 19 and it's an exhibition excuses are garbage in my book. There are other players on that roster who are 19 in the same boat

That's because they all want to get traded off of their NHL teams.

[Doctor of Philhousley]

Just for fun, here is the second line in Team NA Practice today

 

Johnny Hockey-McDavid-Eichel

So I just looked at the wikipedia and apparently Johnny is 'Merican?! Can Eichel center him and Kaner? Is that even allowed in future international play? 

[Weave]

Or is it simply that Jack at best might be the 4th best player on that team and looked like it? No shame in that. McDavid and Matthews were #1 overalls in years where teams sold their souls to get them.

 

Edit- at best shouldnt be there. He's probably 3rd or 4th best pn that team. We want him to be better because we've tried telling ourselves he's the better prospect.

Edited September 9, 2016 by We've

[K-9]

Everything?!

 

Honest question: Is it the young turks here who are cracking the whip on #15?

Well yeah cuz, you know, they SUFFERED for Eichel!! And he OWES them!! 

 

GO SABRES!!!

[Thorner]

Or is it simply that Jack at best might be the 4th best player on that team and looked like it? No shame in that. McDavid and Matthews were #1 overalls in years where teams sold their souls to get them.

Edit- at best shouldnt be there. He's probably 3rd or 4th best pn that team. We want him to be better because we've tried telling ourselves he's the better prospect.

Correct on McDavid, but I think Eichel is better and projects better than Matthews. It could go either way, though, and both should be great players. McKenzie did say something to the effect of the consensus was that Matthews would have gone 3rd had he been available in the '15 draft.

 

Who's the 3rd man? Gaudreau? Don't think it'll stay that way, but he's almost assuredly better than Eichel is right now, so good point.

[K-9]

Just for fun, here is the second line in Team NA Practice today

 

Johnny Hockey-McDavid-Eichel

I noticed McClellan did some experimenting in the later stages of the game last night. He flipped Eichel and McDavid. And I think that's because Eichel between Johnny Hockey and Saad was more of a force that got the better chances all night vs. the McDavid, Scheifele, Drouin line. McDavid, as good on his skates as he was, didn't generate a shot until the third period. And when Jack centered for Drouin and Scheifele, the ended up getting some quality chances. 

 

So Jack ends up centering two lines that got great chances all night, is being lauded for his hustle and solid two way play all night, and he floated. Got it. 

[Randall Flagg]

Well yeah cuz, you know, they SUFFERED for Eichel!! And he OWES them!!

 

GO SABRES!!!

I will clarify that this is not where I am.

[WildCard]

Well yeah cuz, you know, they SUFFERED for Eichel!! And he OWES them!!

 

GO SABRES!!!

What? So we have legitimate criticism of him and when everyone comes rushing to his defense like we just spit on the flag, it's somehow us being upset that he owes us and not others protecting him?

 

Unless you're joking. Are you?

[That Aud Smell]

Just for fun, here is the second line in Team NA Practice today

 

Johnny Hockey-McDavid-Eichel

 

So - he's been demoted to the wing.

 

:ph34r:

 

So Jack ends up centering two lines that got great chances all night, is being lauded for his hustle and solid two way play all night, and he floated. Got it. 

 

But he ain't centering a line no more, see?

 

:ph34r:  :ph34r:

[K-9]

I will clarify that this is not where I am.

No worries, Randall. It's all good, but when I read posts like Liger's earlier, mentioning suffering and what he expects in return for that suffering, I gotta wonder if anything short of HOF performances by Eichel will be enough. Not one bit of those tank years is Eichel's fault and he shouldn't be held accountable for them. 

[That Aud Smell]

What? So we have legitimate criticism of him and when everyone comes rushing to his defense like we just spit on the flag, it's somehow us being upset that he owes us and not others protecting him?

 

Unless you're joking. Are you?

 

I think that's where the problem may lie.

 

There is some nose-tweaking going on is all.