McDavid seems to be on another planet...

[mjd1001]

I strongly disagree. Edmonton needed it, and they love the "recreate the dynasty" story as you saw when they gave Crosby to Pittsburgh. 

 

Give it a few years. We'll be meeting them in the Finals....and losing. 

I don't see an Edmonton Dynasty, I just don't. Might they win a Cup?  Sure, but I don't think you'll have long term success.

 

They just won't be able to fill out their roster as well as other teams.  They are going to have to 'overpay' to get their mid-level players...just like they have been in the past few years.

 

If they are good, won't that help? Yes. But Edmonton is not a favorite place for players to sign for the city. It doesn't have Toronto nearby (like Buffalo does so many players can play home). Travel is pretty bad in the Western Conference and Edmonton has it worse than many.  The Economy of Edmonton isn't doing all that well right now (or at least as well as it was when oil prices were higher) so its going to be harder to sell all those new Suites at the new arena for the prices they want.

[DirtDart]

this

 

Just think if Buffalo won the home game vs ARI late in the season (the game ARI won in OT and everybody cheered), Eichel would be out in the desert.  

 

Then we'd be talking about how we missed out on both ALL SEASON LONG as we finish in 30th a 3rd consecutive season.     

I am more than HAPPY with our American born, so called lesser version of McDavid. I will take Jack on this team all day, every day.

[Peppy22]

You know McDavid might be the better all around player.

 

But then again Toews has 3 Cups, Crosby has 1.

[deluca67]

Let's talk about this five years down the road. I don't believe anyone ever questioned McDavid's ability to produce points. I believe we got the better player, maybe not the more productive scorer, but the better player that will get this team to where we all want to see it, contending and winning Stanley Cups. Five years down the road the Oliers are going to be regreting winning the McDavid Lottery. 

[MODO Hockey]

Mcdavid is a astonishing player indeed, he has what most good players dont. 
But, as stated above in this thread, 1 player cant win the cup, u need a real team, a team that Oilers do not have, so i cant say im that jealous over them having Mcdavid and we got Eichle.

With that case, id take Eichle anyday together with whats comming for Buffalo Sabres. Eichle is more complete i think, tell me if im wrong, but Eichle seam to have that "all over the ice"- skills, 2 more years and Eichle will be on the top for sure.
 

[Peter]

I try not to think about what if.  I also think that the jury may still be out.

 

In the end, I like both of these guys.  They both have outstanding talent.  They both seem like good, quality, character buys.  They both wanted to play in Buffalo.

 

As someone else posted above, at least McDavid is playing out west and not for one of the teams in the east that I despise.

[Doohicksie]

Sports is all about narrative, it's what brings the casual fans.

It's not about narrative. Casual fans follow the winners.

 

This constant barrage of McDavid-ness is ruining McDonald's for me.

Good. McDonald's should be ruined for everyone.

[Ross Rhea]

So in the end if CM ends up averaging 90 points per year and JE "only" averages 75, what are we really talking about? Not much difference if you ask me. 

[LaLaLaFontaine]

I think we should not forget with whom Jack played and who is on McDavids wing.

 

I think this also matters

[Huckleberry]

I honestly doubt that, they may blow up their team again according to TSN with only McDavid and Drasital not on the list. 

 

 

 

Maybe? Taylor Hall seems fed up, and I could see McDavid being angry if he continues his 1+ ppg with a team that can't make the playoffs. I could see him signing an offer sheet at least. 

 

 

 

If McDavid = Crosby, then I'd worry for his ability to win Cups. Pittsburgh's downfall has been their incompetence in filling out their roster and expecting Crosby to carry that team. Edmonton has shown no difference in terms of just throwing trash around their stars and expecting it to work. Buffalo has brought in players around Eichel to insulate his early years and support him afterwards, Edmonton doesn't have a ROR and their closest thing to Kane is Kassian. Not to mention they have drafted the same player every year with varying skill aside from Nurse and Draisital. McDavid > Hall > RNH > Eberle > Yakopov, and not one of them plays any differently in style. McDavid's a wonder child and Hall is elite, RNH is a mixed bag due to injury history but does play D some and the other two don't know what backchecking is.  

 

Only difference is McDavid can correct this with his skill set, but that team is a complete cluster.

[Neo's legacy 61]

https://www.nhl.com/news/connor-mcdavid-jack-eichel-comparison/c-279787684?tid=277548856

 

Awesome article. Some real in-depth numbers. McJesus has yet to register a slapper...

[Brawndo]

Thanks for sharing!

[GoPre]

Only difference is McDavid can correct this with his skill set, but that team is a complete cluster######.

 

Question is can former Bruins GM Peter Chiarell correct that? He did build a team that made the playoffs 8 straight seasons and brought home a Stanley Cup. The Oilers fixed a major problem in their organization by improving management. What's the cap situation in Edmonton? Do they have a self imposed salary cap? Do any of you think it may be difficult to bring players into Edmonton w/out having to pay extra? Chiarell did make a few mistakes in Boston, which eventually led to the teams decline. Don't know all of the factors involved, but Tyler Seguin was a major loss for the Bruins. Didn't Chiarell trade him? It'll be interesting to see what he does to turn Edmonton into a contender. Not including McDavid, Chiarell said any player could be sent packing by trade or not re-signing. 

[Sabrestrike]

I love Eichel, but I do think we're destined to years of wondering what could have been with McDavid.  McDavid is a legit "next Gretzky" candidate, like Crosby was.  Eichel doesn't have that kind of upside.  Almost nobody does. The next Mike Modano is fantastic and maybe will mean a cup for Buffalo, which is nothing to sneeze at.  But it's not like having the next Gretzky. 

 

The only way we're not sitting here in 2026 wondering what might have been is if McDavid ends up unable to stay healthy (or if the Sabres win a few cups between now and then, I guess).  Which is a legitimate concern and one thing Jack will likely always have over Connor--size and durability. 

[Kristian]

I love Eichel, but I do think we're destined to years of wondering what could have been with McDavid.  McDavid is a legit "next Gretzky" candidate, like Crosby was.  Eichel doesn't have that kind of upside.  Almost nobody does. The next Mike Modano is fantastic and maybe will mean a cup for Buffalo, which is nothing to sneeze at.  But it's not like having the next Gretzky. 

 

The only way we're not sitting here in 2026 wondering what might have been is if McDavid ends up unable to stay healthy (or if the Sabres win a few cups between now and then, I guess).  Which is a legitimate concern and one thing Jack will likely always have over Connor--size and durability. 

I'd rather have the next Toews or Kane, than the next Crosby.

[Randall Flagg]

I'd rather have the next Toews or Kane, than the next Crosby.

But if Toews or Kane were on the Penguins at the expense of Crosby, they'd have had an even worse last 10 years than they have had with Crosby, all else being equal. 

 

Give me the better player between any two if that's all the context we get, and then focus on building a good team around them.

[LGR4GM]

But if Toews or Kane were on the Penguins at the expense of Crosby, they'd have had an even worse last 10 years than they have had with Crosby, all else being equal. 

 

Give me the better player between any two if that's all the context we get, and then focus on building a good team around them.

Pittsburgh's problem was they never sufficiently built a team around Sid.  Fleury was god awful in multiple playoff series and they never bothered fix that issue. Their defense has always been just okay and they haven't until recently gone out and tried to actually get real wingers. I wish they would trade Malkin for a several young players and a pick or two so they could give Crosby another cup chance. They have wasted his talent because they basically are like "well we have Crosby so everything else will just work" and that isn't the case. Edmonton is a team I could see turning into Pittsburgh. Tons of 1st overall picks with only a couple of years of cup chances because they can't develop players outside of those top picks consistently.

[Randall Flagg]

Pittsburgh's problem was they never sufficiently built a team around Sid.  Fleury was god awful in multiple playoff series and they never bothered fix that issue. Their defense has always been just okay and they haven't until recently gone out and tried to actually get real wingers. I wish they would trade Malkin for a several young players and a pick or two so they could give Crosby another cup chance. They have wasted his talent because they basically are like "well we have Crosby so everything else will just work" and that isn't the case. Edmonton is a team I could see turning into Pittsburgh. Tons of 1st overall picks with only a couple of years of cup chances because they can't develop players outside of those top picks consistently.

Agreed. If Pittsburgh had had management as competent as Chicago's has been, they could have built a Chicago around the best player on the planet, which in theory would be better than the Chicago with a top five winger as its best individual player.

[LGR4GM]

Agreed. If Pittsburgh had had management as competent as Chicago's has been, they could have built a Chicago around the best player on the planet, which in theory would be better than the Chicago with a top five winger as its best individual player.

Imagine if Pittsburgh had moved up just 4 spots in the 2010 draft and taken Tarasenko. They could have also traded for Leddy and Boychuk instead of the islanders. They could have moved on from Fleury and Traded Malkin getting who knows what good stuff. 

[inkman]

I love Eichel, but I do think we're destined to years of wondering what could have been with McDavid. McDavid is a legit "next Gretzky" candidate, like Crosby was. Eichel doesn't have that kind of upside. Almost nobody does. The next Mike Modano is fantastic and maybe will mean a cup for Buffalo, which is nothing to sneeze at. But it's not like having the next Gretzky.

 

The only way we're not sitting here in 2026 wondering what might have been is if McDavid ends up unable to stay healthy (or if the Sabres win a few cups between now and then, I guess). Which is a legitimate concern and one thing Jack will likely always have over Connor--size and durability.

I honestly don't know how people live like this. If every coulda shoulda woulda scenario was scrolling through my brain like a ribbon scoreboard, a bullet would follow shortly. It's why we have alcohol. To forget the thousands of god awful things that happen to us. The last thing I want to do is sit there and think about them.

[That Aud Smell]

If every coulda shoulda woulda scenario was scrolling through my brain like a ribbon scoreboard, a bullet would follow shortly. It's why we have alcohol. To forget the thousands of god awful things that happen to us. The last thing I want to do is sit there and think about them.

 

God bless ye, sir.

[nfreeman]

I love Eichel, but I do think we're destined to years of wondering what could have been with McDavid. McDavid is a legit "next Gretzky" candidate, like Crosby was. Eichel doesn't have that kind of upside. Almost nobody does. The next Mike Modano is fantastic and maybe will mean a cup for Buffalo, which is nothing to sneeze at. But it's not like having the next Gretzky.

 

The only way we're not sitting here in 2026 wondering what might have been is if McDavid ends up unable to stay healthy (or if the Sabres win a few cups between now and then, I guess). Which is a legitimate concern and one thing Jack will likely always have over Connor--size and durability.

I agree with pretty much all of this.

[TrueBlueGED]

Some people just can't be happy unless they're miserable.

[LGR4GM]

I don't care about McDavid really. 80% likelihood of getting Jack made it easy for my brain to not worry about it.

[Thorner]

I honestly don't know how people live like this. If every coulda shoulda woulda scenario was scrolling through my brain like a ribbon scoreboard, a bullet would follow shortly. It's why we have alcohol. To forget the thousands of god awful things that happen to us. The last thing I want to do is sit there and think about them.

 

Aye.

 

Woulda couldas and ifs and buts are useless when it comes to McDavid. It's all irrelevant at this point. Even if McDavid has a stellar career in Edmonton, there's no telling if the same things would have happened in Buffalo. Butterfly affect, chaos theory, whatever.

 

It's a complete disservice to Eichel and the amazing talent he brings to spend years "wondering about what could have been", so I disagree with that statement completely. And no, if you spend years wondering about what could have been constantly, you aren't full appreciating what we have. So I don't believe one can have both, at least IMO. 

 

So for me, no, I won't be sitting here in 2026 "wondering what could have been". That ship has sailed.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Thorny