Is Eichel playing injured?

[Pimlach]

Eichel has become an enigma.  Up until his recent interview, when he said he was hurt in New Jersey, I was convinced  he was playing with an injury that limited him.  Now I’m not so sure he isn’t floating.  This year I don’t like his game, his body language, or his attitude - and I thought he was a fan of RK but he sure doesn’t play for him.  So is he injured or floating?  
 

He asked to bring in veterans. In a cash strapped Covid environment they brought in Hall, Staal, Rieder, Eakin and Irwin.  Staal is the best 2C we have had since ROR.  At least he helps Cozens.   Hall was suppose to help Eichel, instead they  both are languishing.  
 

You can’t trade everyone so here we are looking at replacing the coach again.  I think we need to add a real Hockey exec first, like a Rutherford, and let him hire his coach so they can work the roster together.  
 

As for Eichel, he is not untouchable but I sure don’t trust Adams and RK to trade him.  
 

 

[That Aud Smell]

8 minutes ago, Pimlach said:

As for Eichel, he is not untouchable but I sure don’t trust Adams and RK to trade him.  

I don't think I would trust any hockey exec to trade Eichel at this juncture -- it would so obviously be selling low on a guy who's a clear 1C. We've longed for a 2C since ROR was traded -- I don't want to get back into asking about a 1C.

[apuszczalowski]

Does 'hurt feelings' count? then maybe yes, he is playing injured

[Pimlach]

3 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

I don't think I would trust any hockey exec to trade Eichel at this juncture -- it would so obviously be selling low on a guy who's a clear 1C. We've longed for a 2C since ROR was traded -- I don't want to get back into asking about a 1C.

Agree.  When we had ROR we really had two 1C’s.  

[That Aud Smell]

1 hour ago, Pimlach said:

Agree.  When we had ROR we really had two 1C’s.  

[PerreaultForever]

6 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

YES. Having decent goaltending would sure solve a lot of problems. Just look at the last game. Hutton giving up the winner on a super softy was a killer. 

That was a soft goal he should have stopped for sure, but you're forgetting he also made a killer stop on a sure goal in the third. I'm not defending Hutton, he's not a good goalie, but aside from a new Hasak who could steal us games we don't deserve to win it's not that easy a fix.  If we were losing games 5-4, or 7-6 I might jump on that bandwagon, but come on, Philly shut us out TWICE. No goalie is going to help you with that.

If you believe the effort level on this team is good enough to win, I think you need to stop drinking the kool aid and spend some time watching other teams to remember what it takes. 

[bob_sauve28]

40 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

That was a soft goal he should have stopped for sure, but you're forgetting he also made a killer stop on a sure goal in the third. I'm not defending Hutton, he's not a good goalie, but aside from a new Hasak who could steal us games we don't deserve to win it's not that easy a fix.  If we were losing games 5-4, or 7-6 I might jump on that bandwagon, but come on, Philly shut us out TWICE. No goalie is going to help you with that.

If you believe the effort level on this team is good enough to win, I think you need to stop drinking the kool aid and spend some time watching other teams to remember what it takes. 

I hear you and you make good points, but I just feel that goaltending is the foundation of a good team. If a team has good net minding they play with more confidence and pride. This team is partly demoralized because they think they won't have a chance to win with their goaltending. Not the only problem, but it's the biggest by far, imo 

[jad1]

5 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Eichel has become an enigma.  Up until his recent interview, when he said he was hurt in New Jersey, I was convinced  he was playing with an injury that limited him.  Now I’m not so sure he isn’t floating.  This year I don’t like his game, his body language, or his attitude - and I thought he was a fan of RK but he sure doesn’t play for him.  So is he injured or floating?  
 

He asked to bring in veterans. In a cash strapped Covid environment they brought in Hall, Staal, Rieder, Eakin and Irwin.  Staal is the best 2C we have had since ROR.  At least he helps Cozens.   Hall was suppose to help Eichel, instead they  both are languishing.  
 

You can’t trade everyone so here we are looking at replacing the coach again.  I think we need to add a real Hockey exec first, like a Rutherford, and let him hire his coach so they can work the roster together.  
 

As for Eichel, he is not untouchable but I sure don’t trust Adams and RK to trade him.  
 

 

Every player on this team is an enigma. When you have 15 - 20 enigmas on the team, you really only have one: Why haven't they fired the coach yet.

[North Buffalo]

6 hours ago, apuszczalowski said:

Does 'hurt feelings' count? then maybe yes, he is playing injured

Butt hurt or worse needs to get his v nope cant say what we call one of diva goalies in our beer league..

[apuszczalowski]

7 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

That was a soft goal he should have stopped for sure, but you're forgetting he also made a killer stop on a sure goal in the third. I'm not defending Hutton, he's not a good goalie, but aside from a new Hasak who could steal us games we don't deserve to win it's not that easy a fix.  If we were losing games 5-4, or 7-6 I might jump on that bandwagon, but come on, Philly shut us out TWICE. No goalie is going to help you with that.

If you believe the effort level on this team is good enough to win, I think you need to stop drinking the kool aid and spend some time watching other teams to remember what it takes. 

I wonder too the attitude of the teams playing, are they holding back and sitting on small leads because they know the Sabres won't threaten to beat them so they are just tossing pucks at the net instead of trying for the goal? Also, Has the rest of the team been demoralized or let down by the goaltending enough over the years that they just aren't motivated to play infront of the guys because they know they need to score a ton to stay in a game cause a close game will probably be lost by a softy going in?

[PerreaultForever]

5 minutes ago, apuszczalowski said:

I wonder too the attitude of the teams playing, are they holding back and sitting on small leads because they know the Sabres won't threaten to beat them so they are just tossing pucks at the net instead of trying for the goal?

I don't think anybody has really brought their A game playing us. You take the Islanders tonight, they were laughing on their bench in the first period and pretty much coasting through most of the game. It is very easy to shut us down with simple basic defense. The only thing we have going for us is teams don't want to take penalties so they play a basic non physical game. 

[bunomatic]

The thought of RK having input into roster construction scares the bojangles off of me. This roster is already ultra soft. Least penalty minutes in the league soft. They don’t go to the tough areas. They don’t or rarely initiate contact. They mostly turn the other cheek. Its embarrassing. Some of this is player make-up but some is also coaching. Don’t get me wrong I love skilled players. But I also love old school skilled players. Not sure but I get the feeling Ralph don’t mind soft hockey. 

[Kruppstahl]

26 minutes ago, bunomatic said:

The thought of RK having input into roster construction scares the bojangles off of me. This roster is already ultra soft. Least penalty minutes in the league soft. They don’t go to the tough areas. They don’t or rarely initiate contact. They mostly turn the other cheek. Its embarrassing. Some of this is player make-up but some is also coaching. Don’t get me wrong I love skilled players. But I also love old school skilled players. Not sure but I get the feeling Ralph don’t mind soft hockey. 

Physicality and playing a tough, tenacious game is what the playoffs (still!) are all about.

Our team would seem incapable of winning a playoff round for the reasons you cite, assuming we were gifted a berth in the first place! 

It's the only way this group of losers will find themselves in the playoffs! 

Ironically, this team reminds me a LOT of the old Rochester core team that was broken up to start the re-build! 

We've gone in a circle only to end up where we were the day we traded Paul Gaustad for a first, and this whole mess started!

 

 

 

 

[nucci]

19 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

I hear you and you make good points, but I just feel that goaltending is the foundation of a good team. If a team has good net minding they play with more confidence and pride. This team is partly demoralized because they think they won't have a chance to win with their goaltending. Not the only problem, but it's the biggest by far, imo 

lack of goal scoring is the biggest problem.

[bob_sauve28]

41 minutes ago, nucci said:

lack of goal scoring is the biggest problem.

Totally disagree. It is a problem, but goaltending is a bigger problem 

[Radar]

24 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Totally disagree. It is a problem, but goaltending is a bigger problem 

Lack of scoring has been a bigger problem. Goaltender second with exception of a few games. Long term goaltending long term bigger problem.

[Thorner]

Depth chart has been wonky for a good while and it's like no one in the org cares

KO top 6 RW cause we have no RWs

LHD/RHD imbalance 

[nucci]

43 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Totally disagree. It is a problem, but goaltending is a bigger problem 

can't win if you don't score

[bob_sauve28]

6 minutes ago, nucci said:

can't win if you don't score

Can't win if you can't stop a shot and your team will fall apart in front of you. 

 

That's what is happening 

[nucci]

3 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Can't win if you can't stop a shot and your team will fall apart in front of you. 

 

That's what is happening 

shutout many times this year. Goaltending stinks but if you score 4-5 goals a game you have a better chance of winning than scoring 0

[bob_sauve28]

30 minutes ago, nucci said:

shutout many times this year. Goaltending stinks but if you score 4-5 goals a game you have a better chance of winning than scoring 0

No teams score that many goals a game https://www.espn.com/nhl/statistics/team/_/stat/scoring/sort/avgGoals

 

Hey I hear ya, we do need more scoring, but not having a guy to stop the puck just ruins a team. All good teams have good goaltending. And once you give up a goal the other teams--like the Islanders--just clamp down and shut the door. And we start giving up more chances to get back into it and our goalie surrenders another soft goal. 

[LGR4GM]

2 minutes ago, realtruelove said:

Is Eichel the new VP of Hockey?  Did he he go into hiding?  Is he resting up so he can play hard for his new team?

You mean the guy with a broken rib and some type of neck injury? That Jack Eichel?

[Thorner]

Yeichel!

[ubkev]

5 minutes ago, realtruelove said:

No, I mean the guy who is supposed to be the face of the franchise, the Captain.  Where is he hiding?  In his basement?

What would you prefer he be doing right now?

[LGR4GM]

9 minutes ago, realtruelove said:

No, I mean the guy who is supposed to be the face of the franchise, the Captain.  Where is he hiding?  In his basement?

So you mean the face of the franchise who has a broken rib, a neck injury, and is named Jack Eichel is hiding because he.... hasn't been on tv? I really don't understand your question. What is Eichel supposed to be doing right now other than healing and recovery?