Yeah So Jack Eichel Is About To Be The Best Player In The NHL This Season
We already know everything that Connor McDavid has done so far in his short career. And earlier this summer, he signed a contract extension that will make him the highest paid player in the league. Draisaitl signed a huge contract extension. Pastrnak just signed for 6×6.66 today. Meanwhile, Jack Eichel is probably going to head into the season without a new deal in place moving forward. He could probably get Pastrnak money. Hell, he could probably even get Draisaitl money right now. He’s the #1 guy in the Sabres locker room and the most important player to the franchise right now. But he’s a competitive little fucker. Which means he probably wants McDavid money. So with that in mind, Jack Eichel is betting on himself and feels comfortable heading into the year without an extension in place. And apparently, also with a chip the size of Johnny Gaudreau on his shoulder.
Rarely are you going to see a kid this young call himself out like what Jack Eichel just did there today. That’s the kind of attitude you want to see out of your captain. He may not have the C on his jersey just yet but I think we all know. And obviously Eichel knows how much this year means for him personally. There’s no more Bylsma there to take the blame. Everything the Sabres do or don’t do this year gets pointed right to Jack. And it sounds like he’s ready to take on that role.
And now here’s the thing. Jack Eichel has had what he called two mediocre seasons. In reality, he put up 56 points in 81 games his rookie year as an 18/19 year old. And then he put up 57 points last year as a 19/20 year old in a season where he missed 20 games with an ankle injury. So back-to-back 50+ point seasons and he’s not even old enough to drink yet. The fact that he thinks those are so mediocre that they mean he hasn’t proven anything should be scary. 112 points before his 21st birthday and you’d think that Eichel was putting up Tanner Glass numbers the way that he’s talking.
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I don’t think Buffalo did anything this offseason that really sets them over the top. I’d still put Tampa, Toronto, Boston, Montreal and Ottawa ahead of them. But a hungry Eichel who is ready to tear through the league and put up a 100-point season? Yeah, maybe I could see the Sabres jumping up into a playoff spot. I just really want the credit for being the 1st person to report this when Jack Eichel wins the Art Ross this year.