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As Jack Eichel goes so go the Buffalo Sabres.
When Eichel is skating, dishing, creating and scoring the Sabres are a tough team to beat.
On Hockey Fights Cancer night in Buffalo, Eichel tucked four goals (numbers 9,10,11, and 12) to power his Sabres to a 4-2 win over the Ottawa Senators.
The home win snapped Buffalo's six-game losing streak and improved the Sabres' record to 10-6-3 on the season.
The Sabres entered the game with a pedestrian 1-5-2 record in the month of November.
Eichel's grand slam was the first four-goal performance of Eichel’s five-year NHL career, and the first in nine years by a Buffalo Sabres player when Thomas Vanek scored four points vs. Ottawa in April 2010.
Thanks, Buffalo Sabres
Eichel's four goal explosion marked the 13th time a Sabre has scored at least four goals in a game.
On a night when there were too many spectators on the ice for the Sabres, Eichel did what leafders do. He put the onus and urgency on himself to be better. Eichel successfully dragged his teammates into the battle with his actions not his words.
"Jack showed a world-class performance today," Ralph Krueger said in his postgame presser. "Just excellent leadership, like he's also been showing in all the adversity of the last few weeks. It's really probably the fruit of all of that attitude he's had came out in the goals tonight."
Eichel is the seventh different player to score four goals in a game for the team, joining Sabres stars of yester year Rick Martin (4 times), Dave Andreychuk (3 times), Alexander Mogilny (twice), Lindy Ruff, Miroslav Satan and Thomas Vanek (one time each).
Eichel’s third goal marked was the second time in his career that he scored hat trick (last: 12/15/17 vs. Carolina) and the first hat trick by a Sabres player since Sam Reinhart lit the lamp three times on February 23, 2019 against Alex Oveckin and the Washington Capitals.
Eichel recorded his seventh career multi-point game against Ottawa, including four in his last five games against the Senators.
Eichel now has seven multi-point games this season, tying for 11th-most in the league at the conclusion of tonight’s game. His three multi-goal games tie for fifth-most in the NHL this season.
Eichel now has 23 points (9G,14A) in 15 career games against Ottawa. His 23 points and 1.53 points per game against the Senators represent his best offensive production against any NHL opponent.
Overshadowed by Eichel's grand slam performance was the first career benching of super sophomore puck mover Rasmus Dahlin.
The 19-year old Swede made a few mistake with the puck before the Sabres played the Lightining in Swedden last weekend. Dahlin's nerves seemingly got the better of hin during the two game set with the Tampa Lightning and has continues to commit a few more defensive zone turnovers in the past two games.
On Saturday night, Dahlin was once again paired with Brandon Montour. Dahlin logged only 11:56 TOI, had an assist, was +1 before he was given the rest of the game off. My guess is that Krueger was upset with Dahlin based on the D-zone coverage breakdown by Dahlin, Evan Rodrigues and Casey Mittelstadt that led to the OT game winning goal against Carolina on Thursday night.
Before the Sabres departed the rink for the trip to Chicago, Ralph Krueger spoke to media about his decision to park Dahlin on the bench for the final twenty minutes of play against teh Senators.
"We’re making decisions for the team in the moment. It was a coaching room decision, not against Rasmus at all; it was for the other guys to just tighten things up."
The Sabres won the game and Krueger pointed to a coaching moment for Dahlin.
"It worked, but Rasmus will grow from it, learn from it and move forward quickly from it, I’m sure."
Why is Dahlin struggling at times during his sophomore season?
"Just sometimes wanting too much maybe and finding the balance between his amazing genius and skill and what we need when. He’ll improve from it", Krueger said.
Don't freak out, Sabres fans. Dahlin will be back in teh lineup on Sunday night when the Sabres visit the Blackhawks.
For the record, I'm fine with Krueger sitting Dahlin for the final twenty minutes of play on Saturday night. Dahlin is a world class talent and he is a generational hockey player. I commnd Krueger for holding Dahlin accountable for his performance on both sides of the puck. I'm not in favor of sitting Dahlin for an entire game. I prefer that Dahlin continues to play in games while learning on the job.
This is not a crisis. It's a correction.
Dahlin is still a 19 year old playing hockey against the best players in the world. Is he prone to making mistakes in the neutral zone and in his own end of the rink? Yes. Dahlin a high risk, high reward performer. The errors he is guilty of are errors of commision not errors of omission. He's still learning and developing. There is absolutely no reason for fans to panic when Ralph Krueger gives the kid a breather to process the game and to correct the mistakes he has made. When a hockey player touches the puck as frequently and consistently as Rasmus Dahlin does, it is inevitable that turnovers are going to occur.
In 101 NHL games played, the former first overall pick has scrored 10 goals and 47 assists. He is tasked with runnng Buffalo's top power play unit and does so with excellent efficiency. He has 27 career power play points. Dahlin is averaging 19:02 TOI per game this season, which is two minutes less per game than he skated in 82 games in his first NHL season. The reduction in ice time is not a by product of poor play by Dahlin It is the result of Jason Botterill trading for defensemen Colin Miller and Henri Jokiharju during the offseason. Buffalo's D corps is light years better this season than it was last season because their is more talent in the group this season than last.
Dahlin is on pace to smash his point totals from his rookie season when in 82 games played he created 9 goals and 35 assist for 44 points. In 19 games played this season, the Super Swede has scored 1 goal and 12 assists (7 power play points).
Don't fret.
Dahlin will be back in the lineup creating offense and protecting the fort Sunday night when the Sabres visit the Chicago Blackhawks.
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Jason Botterill's quest to acquire another top six forward continues. Botterill has too many NHL defensemen and it is casuing a ruckus inside the organization. For the second game in a row on Saturday night, Ralph Kreuger was forced to healthy scratch defenseman Colin Miller. It is nothing to do with Miller's play. Marco Scandella returned to the lineup Thursday after missing eight games due to his upper body injury.
The Sabres now have eight healthy NHL defenseman in Buffalo in Rasmus Dahlin, Brandon Montour, Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe, Colin Miller, Henri Jokiharju, John Gilmour and Marco Scandella.
Scandella, 29, is playing on an expiring $4M AAV contract and is expected to be traded in a deal that will deliver a top six forward to Buffalo.
Botterill continues his discussions with NHL teams that have top six forwards to trade in exchange for defensemen. Those teams include New Jersey (Taylor Hall), Montreal (Jonathon Drouin), Los Angeles (Tyler Toffoli), Minnesota (Jason Zucker), Columbus (Josh Anderson), and Anaheim (Rickard Rakell).
Add another serious suitor to the list of teams knocking on Buffalo's door looking to acquire defensemen.
On a routine basis, the Dallas Stars send a pro scout to Buffalo to watch the Sabres.
However, for the past two games, the Stars' assistant general manager has been in Buffalo to scout the Sabres along with their area scout.
I have heard that the Stars are willing to trade their captain Jamie Benn and disgruntled defenseman Julius Honka for the price is right.
Benn, 30, is the power forward/snow plow the Sabres are lacking in their top six forward group. Benn scores, fights, dangles, finishes checks, kills penalties and can dominate on speacial teams.
Last season and this, Benn and Tyler Seguin have been the objects of pointed criticism from Stars mananagement and coaching when the team struggles on the ice.
Remember when Stars' CEO blasted Benn and Tyler Seguin last December?
"We pay these players to be the best players on our team," Lites said, "and they are consistently out-efforted and outperformed by everybody else's best players."
At the time of Lites' on he rocord tirade, Seguin led the Stars with 32 points on 11 goals and 21 assists last season. Benn, the Stars' captain since 2013, was closely behind Seguin with 30 points on 15 goals and 15 assists. Benn's 15 goals led the team, as did Seguin's 21 assists.
Lites continued.
"If 14 and 91 don't lead, we will not be successful," said Lites. "I think this is the most talented and deep team we've had in years here".
"Certainly, this is the best team that we've put together from a talent perspective since Tom Gaglardi's owned the franchise [2011]. Tom has allowed us to do everything we needed to do to be successful. Whatever it's taken, he's done. And I am tired of getting emails from him saying 'What the hell is going on with our best players?"
"Jamie Benn hasn't scored a goal from longer than 5 feet all year," Lites said. "He makes plays in the neutral zone that if my kid had done it in squirts, he'd be benched. Am I wrong? He turned the puck over three times yesterday on plays if [Stars rookie] Denis Gurianov had done that, he wouldn't have seen the light of day."
Predictably, Benn clapped back at Lites.
"I don't play for him," Benn said. "I play for every player in this room and the coaching staff. I come to the rink and, like I said, I'm proud to be a Dallas Star and proud to go out there every night and battle with these guys in games. I've really put my teammates first."
I don't care what the team PR guy nor Stars GM Jim Nill said after the Lites comments about Benn and Seguin. The memory remains when you get tarred and feathered in public. Whate ever happened to "what's said in the room stays in the room"?
The Stars have an ongoing problem with their two best players. Perhaps they are having buyers remorse for commiting $158.8 million combined to Benn and Seguin.
Last week, Stars head coach criticized Benn and Seguin publicly for their lack of goal scoring this season.
“You need your number one center, you need your number one left winger to step up and do more,” Montgomery said.
“I don’t think they’re driving pucks too often,” Montgomery said. “In general, our team, not driving pucks to hard areas enough.”
the next day, Montgomery apologized to Benn and Seguins for airing dirty laundty publicly.
“I talked to them today,” Montgomery said. “You know what, I told them that I was emotional after the game and I made a mistake. We win as a team, we lose as a team. Not that I said their names, but everyone could figure out that I was disappointed with the outcome of the game. My mistake and I apologized to the team for it today, and I apologized to them.”
When asked by media about Montgomery's smack talk, Benn took the high road when responding. He chise his words carefully, tactfully.
“He (Montgomery) is right. There needs to be more expectations out of myself. We didn’t need an apology. It’s hockey, we’re all grown men around here. Leave it at that, we’re moving on.”
There has got to be lingering pain and bitterness felt by Benn and Seguin towards management and ownership.
My guess is that Benn will be movng on.
If he does, the Sabres are the perfect place for a man of Benn's talents and leadership capabilities.
Oh, by the way. Benn scored the OT GWG and added an assist in Dallas' 5-4 win over Edmonton on Saturday.
Benn won't come cheaply though. He is locked in for the next six seasons at $9.5M AAV. In July 2016, Benn signed an eight year, $76 million contract extension to remain a Dallas Star.
In 766 career games, Benn has scored 283 goals and added 375 assists for 658 career regular season points. Benn also has 566 career PIMs. In 32 playoff games, Benn has scored 11 goals and 19 assists.
Benn has 2G,7A in 16 games this season. He definitely has more offense to give a team.
He's an excellent even strengh goal scorer.
He kills teams at even strengh and on special teams. That's why he is a five-tool player.
In his career, Benn has scored 75 PPG, has 171 PP points and 12 shorthanded goals.
Honka, 24, was the 14th overall pick of the Stars at the NHL Draft. today, Honka finds himslef playing for JyP HT Jyvaskyla in Finland. He's a tremendous talent that needs a new area code.
What would it take for Jason Botterill, a former Dallas Stars player and scout to land a trophy buck like Benn?
The Stars are serious about adding a hammer to their top D group that already boasts of tdeft defenders Miro Heiskanen, John Kilingberg and Esa Lindell.
Botterill would no doubt have to part with a top four defenseman, a bottom six forward and a second round pick.
Would Dallas be happy with a package that includes Rasmus Ristolainen, Johan Larsson o Zemgus Girgensons and a second round pick (Sars don't own their 2020 second round pick) in exchange for Jamie Benn and Julius Honka?
I give Benn the benefit of the doubt. I think he is vastly underrated in terms of being one of the best leaders in the NHL today. He can play for my team any day of the week.
In fact, I would be willing to trade Ristolainen in order to facillitate the acquisition. Ristolainen's toughness, grit, physicality and offense would be replaced and increased by Benn. The Sabres are heavy on their back end and light in their top six.
Botterill and Kruger desperately need a guy with some scar tissue on his face and grey hair in his beard like Benn to be a protector and role model to Jack Eichel, Samson Reinhart, Jeff Skinner, Victor Olofsson, Casey Mittelstadt, Jimmy Vesey, Conor Sheary and the rest Buffalo's young, skilled offensive players.
I know that Botterill, Krueger and several Sabres players are still pissed off after Tampa's Nikita Kucherov wrecked the knee of Vlad Sobotka during the Globla Hockey Series in Sweden last weekend. Kucherov got away with this disgusting, cowardky act of ignorance. Low-bridging an opponent should carry steep, painful consequences.
Kucherov was not penalized nor suspended by the NHL while Sobotka is out 4-6 weeks or longer with a lower body injury that could have and should have been avoided.
Do you thnk Kucherov would have been so brave and dangerous as he was in Sweden vs. the Sabres had Jamie Benn been stalking and drilling him into the glass all game long?
Uh, no.
Kucherov would have been fearful for his hockey life and would have minded his own busness.
Benn is an excellent player in that he intimdates opponents while lighting up their goalie with heavy pressure and shots.
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