Connor McDavid vs Jack Eichel

[jgimb]

Well, as I said, it's a lot of pluses and minuses on either side but skill wise McDavid is every bit the equal of Tavares. I was just uses one of the things McDavid is clearly better at than Tavares to help separate them.

play making, vision and hockey iq to start.

 

[Tutu to]

i thought mcdavid was better today despite not getting a point.

everytime he gets the puck with open space he creates a scoring chance.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

These threads are such a waste. Everyone is going to pick the kid from their country.

Not really. I wish people who are pushing that agenda would stop though. It takes away from what could be one of the greatest times in draft history. Two prospects of this caliber coming along in the same draft.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

never said he wasn't proven, prior to that he put up very meh numbers for a player of his hype. I did say mcdavid may be more proven based on the fact he has put up multiple 100 point seasons and was on pace for 170 points this season.

He was the highest scoring player in NTDP U-18 history, I believe. Which of course has seen some excellent talents (Patrick Kane, for example, scored about the same pace and then went to the OHL and put up 150 points a season later). Just because you didn't know about it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

 

[CanadienShark]

Some of these people are getting to me. There are certain American players that I believe are hyped up to create a Canadian-US rivalry type of thing, as in Jones (though he could very well end up a top 10 d-man), but Eichel is not one. Eichel of his own merits would be the clear #1 choice in this draft if McDavid weren't in it, clear #1 in 2014, likely #1 in 2013, clear #1 in 2012, 2011 and 2010. Once you get to 2008 and 2009, THEN does it become close. Eichel is on a Stammer, Tavares, etc. level as a prospect, and rightly so.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

Not really. I wish people who are pushing that agenda would stop though.

It is inevitable. Example...

I had a P.M. battle (but in a nice way) with one American poster who use to say that Ekblad couldn't carry Jones' jock strap. 2 years later, you could make the case that it is the other way around. Yet this poster still won't give in and not because poster is unknowledgeable - the poster is very smart. And not because the poster thinks Ekblad is a weak player - we all know that isn't true. It is because we want the player from our country to succeed over a player from another country. We will always want that. It applies to 90%+ of the posts in this type of thread and always will.

Remember Seth "orr" jones.

I do. Yet people still claim posts like that were never made.

 

[mpir3]

never said he wasn't proven, prior to that he put up very meh numbers for a player of his hype. I did say mcdavid may be more proven based on the fact he has put up multiple 100 point seasons and was on pace for 170 points this season.

Hard to compare the leagues...

Charlie Coyle was a .875 pt per game player in Hockey East and a 1.65 pt per game player in the Q during the same season. That same conversion would put Eichel at ~3.2 pt per game...

 

[Stephen]

The only ones you named that were really ever considered for #1 were Kane and EJ. Legwand had some hype but it was the Vinny show from the get go. I don't know what this list has to do with Eichel, but if you want to look at another #1 pick, then bring up Mike Modano.

Kessel was hyped as the American Crosby and was going to go 1st until he fell and Erik Johnson rose up. Legwand was neck and neck with Lecavalier. Jack Johnson was basically hyped as what Drew Doughty delivered on.

Anyway, I don't see Eichel being number two as a Canadian American bias issue, but if you want to bring up nationality, the Americans don't exactly build good first overalls other than Patrick Kane. Unless you want to go back to the 80s like you cited...

 

[Jesus Christ Horburn]

Hall vs. Seguin is exactly right.

Both these kids will be PPG studs. The only difference is that McDavid has been expected to go #1 for a long time like Hall (and Tavares, Stamkos, Ovechkin, etc), while Eichel has burst onto the scene in his draft year like Seguin (and Duchene, Hedman, Malkin, etc).

At the end of the day, I personally think McDavid will be better than Eichel, but who knows what the future holds. Most people would have taken Hall over Seguin last year and Seguin over Hall this year.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Id take Eichel #1..I think he will be a lot better later on in a few years

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

whoever get Eichel is getting fantastic player

love his combination of size, shot, grit, vision and skating....very good prospect

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Hall vs. Seguin is exactly right.

Both these kids will be PPG studs. The only difference is that McDavid has been expected to go #1 for a long time like Hall (and Tavares, Stamkos, Ovechkin, etc), while Eichel has burst onto the scene in his draft year like Seguin (and Duchene, Hedman, Malkin, etc).

At the end of the day, I personally think McDavid will be better than Eichel, but who knows what the future holds. Most people would have taken Hall over Seguin last year and Seguin over Hall this year.

Lots of people have noticed Eichel long before this season even started. It's been well over a year and then some, that people realized this guy is the real deal and a possible challenger to McDavid.

 

[ReginKarlssonLehner]

McDavid has more offensive talent. His hands are more fluent and he's also more raw between the two, imo. Eichel is more physical imposing and bigger which you can see has a clear advantage against smaller players in a tourney like this.

 

[Finnished]

Hard to compare the leagues...

Charlie Coyle was a .875 pt per game player in Hockey East and a 1.65 pt per game player in the Q during the same season. That same conversion would put Eichel at ~3.2 pt per game...

I would say it's harder than that.. of course it's easier to double a lower PPG than a higher one. We will see when they both finally play in the NHL. Also the one who ends up in Edmonton.. well poor him

 

[Lebowski]

Aren't many scouts putting them on equal footing coming into the draft?

Sounds like an inferiority complex if anything. Both are really good. What more is there to it?

 

[Coach Parker]

McDavid is a freak of nature.

Its gonna be show time all the time.

Except today.

I cannot wait to see this kid in the NHL.

 

[HanSolo]

Since there are so many American fans talking about the bias of Canadian fans and media, is it then fair to generalize and say that American fans are insecure about the fact that most (every?) scouting ranking has McDavid coming out on top?

Im American and I agree with it.

 

[Rebuilt]

Some of these people are getting to me. There are certain American players that I believe are hyped up to create a Canadian-US rivalry type of thing, as in Jones (though he could very well end up a top 10 d-man), but Eichel is not one. Eichel of his own merits would be the clear #1 choice in this draft if McDavid weren't in it, clear #1 in 2014, likely #1 in 2013, clear #1 in 2012, 2011 and 2010. Once you get to 2008 and 2009, THEN does it become close. Eichel is on a Stammer, Tavares, etc. level as a prospect, and rightly so.

Good post.

The only issue I take is I think he is clearly a better prospect than Tavares is.

 

[HanSolo]

These threads are such a waste. Everyone is going to pick the kid from their country.

I'd pick McDavid. I just don't think they're as far apart as some Canadians are implying.

 

[Mikeshane]

From what little I've seen McD looks like he uses his teammates better, goes to the net more and has softer hands.

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

If Eichel goes first, so be it. It's not going to change my life any.

 

[nbwingsfan]

never said he wasn't proven, prior to that he put up very meh numbers for a player of his hype. I did say mcdavid may be more proven based on the fact he has put up multiple 100 point seasons and was on pace for 170 points this season.

McDavid has never put up a 100 point season before.

 

[ZeroPT*]

But Why?
For those pointing to McDavid's scoring pace, I'd point to Eichel having one of the most offensive seasons ever for a freshman his age

He just does everything better. Watch them. Both are complete freaks, but it's the consensus that McDavid is better. It's not a knock on Eichel.

And those who attribute that to McDavid being from Canada are clueless.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Here's my lowdown on these two guys:

Skating ability: McDavid's blazing speed, agility, and edgework are ultimately greater than Eichel's. However, Eichel is a strong skater and has lower body power that gives him such force when he strides. Not to mention his skating is very smooth as well.

Puck skills: Their puck handling/passing skills are almost identical as they can both make incredible plays at such high speeds. I wouldn't knock either of them in this category but McDavid however, I would have to give the edge to for passing ability.

Shot: Eichel's wrist shot is very deceptive and I think he has a better release to get it off. McDavid's shot is somewhat underrated. I can't comment on their backhand shots, nor can I with their slap shots.

Vision: Both have masterful on ice vision, almost like 360 degree vision, and they can execute deadly plays very, very accurately.

Intelligence: McDavid has top tier, elite hockey hockey IQ- able to read plays before they unfold, and this is seemingly where McDavid gets his high marks from. He does this better than Eichel, though Eichel isn't the player you want to knock in this category either.

 

[nbwingsfan]

They're definitely close, and before this season started it could have gone either way and was much closer.

I think with McDavid's recent success though, being on pace for a better 17 year old season before Crosby, is what is going to separate him from Eichel come draft time. I should also state that IMO it was very unlikely that McDavid would have actually scored more than Crosby did his 17 year old season. Before this season McDavid was putting up great but not generational type numbers in the OHL.

Either way, I think both players are much closer to a Tavares/Stamkos level rather than up there with Crosby/Malkin.