Eichel's Production, ppg
October - 0.36
November - 0.62
December - 0.79
January - 0.82
- TheSabresTaco

during my limited time viewing the game last night, I saw a far more engaged Eichel...he chased down a Ranger in our Dzone physically manhandled him against the wall and took the puck away. THAT type of hustle and dominance is needed for him to take the next step in my mind.

Lehner's looked great up to this point. Happy for him.
- TheSabresTaco

I just wish the team would be able to score..

So, putting on my Scout hat, after watching those two videos of Rask....
" Clearly Rask has that "fire in his belly" ... Show casing an extremely high compete level that will positively influence his teammates, if they manage to stay out of his way when he throws his hockey stick or acts like Paul Bunyon with it"
- IonSabres

I have no issue with Rask's behavior, none whatsoever.
I played in between the pipes organized for a long time, still do "Lesiure"ly.
To play goal, you are a different breed altogether, IMO from playing the position so long myself.
My mentality is always, it's all you against me, and that includes my own team mates (deflections etc.).
If you don't score, you don't win, period, it's a strange mind set goalies carry with them and IMO it's needed to be successful.
Saying that, if Robin had a meltdown, i'd certainly be okay with it for sure.

oh i got your stupid dumb azz point.. i just didn't think it was necessary nor as witty as you thought it was
- IndianaSabresFan

I'm sure that we all got it.
It's all good.

I'm sure that we all got it.
It's all good.
- BuffaloHardHat

i didn't feel the need to incite a riot since we were all being good.. but it looks like everyone had your back on that one.

Is there a roster freeze during the All Star break?

i didn't feel the need to incite a riot since we were all being good.. but it looks like everyone had your back on that one.
- IndianaSabresFan

It wasn't worth the time or energy nor the raising of my blood pressure.
I'm getting too old for that poop.
But thanks Indi.

That's awesome. For some reason I thought he was doing a bit poorly lately, but glad to see I was wrong (not that I'd criticize him, it's year 1).

October is surprising though, since I agreed with Goose and others who said they thought he'd come in to the league a bit more prepared after playing against older guys in college compared to those who go to Juniors.

Definitely enjoying the ride though.
- stashu

There's just an infinite amount of factors that go into how a player will perform coming out of the amateur ranks. As far as I could tell, Jack was always a player who steadily performed better over a certain period of time, be that USNTDP U-18, college, WC... He never really came out to a blazing start, but he always, always got better and better. The NHL has been no different. One of my, if you want to call it that, concerns is that he's been said to be a somewhat difficult player to play with, and one of his scouting notes was that he sometimes tries to do everything himself. Those are qualities than can be coached and developed over time.

Overall, based on past evidence, I'm not the least bit surprised with his point total up to this point (projected around 53 pts before the season started) and with his steady improvement offensively.

There's just an infinite amount of factors that go into how a player will perform coming out of the amateur ranks. As far as I could tell, Jack was always a player who steadily performed better over a certain period of time, be that USNTDP U-18, college, WC... He never really came out to a blazing start, but he always, always got better and better. The NHL has been no different. One of my, if you want to call it that, concerns is that he's been said to be a somewhat difficult player to play with, and one of his scouting notes was that he sometimes tries to do everything himself. Those are qualities than can be coached and developed over time.

Overall, based on past evidence, I'm not the least bit surprised with his point total up to this point (projected around 53 pts before the season started) and with his steady improvement offensively.
- TheSabresTaco

I hope it continues, but one thing I heard before the stupid channel was unwatchable was how he has already played more games than he did all of last season in college. Obviously that becomes true for all rookies, but college is a shorter season than Juniors, so I hope his conditioning stays in line like it seems to be (as being shown by his recent up-swing in numbers).

Tyrod pro bowl. What a scrub
- Fattony1187

When half the quarterbacks in the league decline its pretty easy just saying

The pro bowl is a joke just like the all star game .. if he made the All Pro Team that's a different story very impressed then

There's just an infinite amount of factors that go into how a player will perform coming out of the amateur ranks. As far as I could tell, Jack was always a player who steadily performed better over a certain period of time, be that USNTDP U-18, college, WC... He never really came out to a blazing start, but he always, always got better and better. The NHL has been no different. One of my, if you want to call it that, concerns is that he's been said to be a somewhat difficult player to play with, and one of his scouting notes was that he sometimes tries to do everything himself. Those are qualities than can be coached and developed over time.

Overall, based on past evidence, I'm not the least bit surprised with his point total up to this point (projected around 53 pts before the season started) and with his steady improvement offensively.
- TheSabresTaco

I said pretty much right from the start of the season I wanted to see him with Girgs. Took quite awhile for Byslma to put him there, but it seems to be working.

When half the quarterbacks in the league decline its pretty easy just saying

The pro bowl is a joke just like the all star game .. if he made the All Pro Team that's a different story very impressed then
- gerbe75pts

Tyrod's in the pro bowl

There's just an infinite amount of factors that go into how a player will perform coming out of the amateur ranks. As far as I could tell, Jack was always a player who steadily performed better over a certain period of time, be that USNTDP U-18, college, WC... He never really came out to a blazing start, but he always, always got better and better. The NHL has been no different. One of my, if you want to call it that, concerns is that he's been said to be a somewhat difficult player to play with, and one of his scouting notes was that he sometimes tries to do everything himself. Those are qualities than can be coached and developed over time.

Overall, based on past evidence, I'm not the least bit surprised with his point total up to this point (projected around 53 pts before the season started) and with his steady improvement offensively.
- TheSabresTaco

No pro scout or even smart guy, but just playground-to league sport-to high school-to college tells me when there are initial struggles, the kid who has always been "the best" goes to an mental state of "I'll have to do it myself, then." It takes a while for the kid who has always been way better than everyone else around him to trust that, at this level, the other kids are really damn good too.

I hope it continues, but one thing I heard before the stupid channel was unwatchable was how he has already played more games than he did all of last season in college. Obviously that becomes true for all rookies, but college is a shorter season than Juniors, so I hope his conditioning stays in line like it seems to be (as being shown by his recent up-swing in numbers).
- stashu

One of the few things that the scouting combine can teach you is how much of an athlete a player is. Based on Eichel's outstanding test results, he seems incredibly determined to stay in shape. Of course, coming up from a 30-40 some game season to doubling that in one year can be taxing physically mentally and emotionally. Like you said, it's hard on almost all rookies. He'll grow and he'll dominate. And I can't wait.

Tyrod's in the pro bowl
- TheSabresTaco

Basically everyone in the league makes the pro bowl kind of a joke

I hope it continues, but one thing I heard before the stupid channel was unwatchable was how he has already played more games than he did all of last season in college. Obviously that becomes true for all rookies, but college is a shorter season than Juniors, so I hope his conditioning stays in line like it seems to be (as being shown by his recent up-swing in numbers).
- stashu

I think the Christmas break did him wonders. This All Star break should be beneficial as well. Gives him time to rest a bit. However, conditioning shouldn't be an overall issue as he's a complete fitness freak. The schedule and stuff is going to impact him overall, as should be expected, but I don't expect a huge drop off at this point.

I said pretty much right from the start of the season I wanted to see him with Girgs. Took quite awhile for Byslma to put him there, but it seems to be working.
- HonkFortheGoose

I'm not really sure why Kane doesn't work while Girgensons does. Maybe Z plays more of a complimentary role mentally, unlike Kane who really tries to play the game like Eichel.

Basically everyone in the league makes the pro bowl kind of a joke
- gerbe75pts

Well.. no.

No pro scout or even smart guy, but just playground-to league sport-to high school-to college tells me when there are initial struggles, the kid who has always been "the best" goes to an mental state of "I'll have to do it myself, then." It takes a while for the kid who has always been way better than everyone else around him to trust that, at this level, the other kids are really damn good too.
- Der Kaiser

Precisely my thoughts behind it. Had he been in some different program with better talents around him while developing, maybe this wouldn't be such a factor. But it's the way he was developed, now he's gotta try to kind of trust others a bit more.

I think I saw a write up a while ago, while his goal total was higher than his apple total, Eichel was saying something along the lines of "I swear I'm a pass first guy!" He'll get it, and I think he already is.

Listen to the crowd react - OOOHHHHHHHHH.....

http://screengrabber.dead...st-to-the-nuts-1755117772

Well.. no.
- TheSabresTaco

And Tom Brady's not going to go so what does that mean Ryan Tannehill next

I'm not really sure why Kane doesn't work while Girgensons does. Maybe Z plays more of a complimentary role mentally, unlike Kane who really tries to play the game like Eichel.
- TheSabresTaco

You hit the nail on the head. Both Eichel and Kane like to carry the puck. Girgs is fine with using his body to create space while letting Eichel carry the puck. He also drives to the net (just look at his second goal last night) where Kane tends to actually drift toward the perimeter when he gets down in close.

You hit the nail on the head. Both Eichel and Kane like to carry the puck. Girgs is fine with using his body to create space while letting Eichel carry the puck. He also drives to the net (just look at his second goal last night) where Kane tends to actually drift toward the perimeter when he gets down in close.
- HonkFortheGoose

Like every damn time! If he drove the net more often, guaranteed 5-6 more points this season.

One of the few things that the scouting combine can teach you is how much of an athlete a player is. Based on Eichel's outstanding test results, he seems incredibly determined to stay in shape. Of course, coming up from a 30-40 some game season to doubling that in one year can be taxing physically mentally and emotionally. Like you said, it's hard on almost all rookies. He'll grow and he'll dominate. And I can't wait.
- TheSabresTaco

Yeah, I can see and would understand him struggling a bit the remainder/last 20 games of the season because of it (as you mentioned, 40-ish games to 82 has to be crazy), but it will mean good things as he would realize what it TRULY takes to play that much.

Pretty exciting to have such a talent. The NYR board had a few posts in awe of Eichel, so that was fun to read.

I'm not really sure why Kane doesn't work while Girgensons does. Maybe Z plays more of a complimentary role mentally, unlike Kane who really tries to play the game like Eichel.
- TheSabresTaco

It looks like Girgensons allows Eichel to be the true center he is and carry the puck. Girgensons just finds open ice and patiently waits for Eichel to find him. Kane seems like he wants the puck on his stick and to be the one to carry it in the zone. I think Kane could be a great winger if he modeled his game like Ovechkin's. Big hits and powerful one timers if he just sets himself up in open ice but he's not going to stick handle in a phone booth.