Is the Golden Knights' problem Jack Eichel?

[ForsbergForever]

Looks like Eichels doing the old 'fire a coach' by tuning him out and not caring.

He has the talent but his attitude is terrible.

Gun to your head, you're building a team and have to pick either Eichel or JT Miller, who do you choose??

 

[Melrose Munch]

Eichel is 15-19-34 in 33gp this season. What's the problem now?

How about not miss 10 games. How about 43 in 43 at least.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

Looks like Eichels doing the old 'fire a coach' by tuning him out and not caring.

He has the talent but his attitude is terrible.

As soon as i read the cassidy quote, the first thought to enter my head was "Jack's going to get him fired."

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

That's not really elite production anymore. Still decent but not for a player of his caliber.

That would've been elite production back in his rookie year. But there is a LOT more scoring in the league these days, and a point per game isn't anything close to what it used to be. Everyone else started scoring more -- he didn't.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Gun to your head, you're building a team and have to pick either Eichel or JT Miller, who do you choose??

This is a weird way to ask which player is better -- but it's definitely Eichel imo

 

[DonM]

Don't know why but I never trusted that face/hair combo. Like a bad EA randomizer. Called bullshit from the get go.

Physiognomy remains undefeated.

 

[Kranix]

The day before Eichel's debut the Knights had a 90% chance to make the playoffs. They now have less than a 50% chance.

Now, I know there are other factors in play. But they still have a good team that at minimum should be a wildcard team.

Is Eichel just a magnet for bad luck? It seems losing follows him wherever he goes...

You're a wannabe Mulletman

 

[WhataKnight]

When Tim Murray openly complained about losing the draft lottery, the message he sent to Eichel, albeit inadvertently was.
"You're ok, you're alright, BUT we really and truly wanted the other guy!! ie McDavid"
So right from day 1 Eichel and the Sabres were on shaky grounds. I understand Tim Murray was just being honest. If I was Murray in that situation, I would have been thinking the exact same thing. In hindsight, maybe Murray was being a little too honest.

Earlier in the thread I said that upon seeing Murray flub his moment on camera at the Lottery, the Pegulas should have either told him to flip the pick for others in the 1st round + assets, or fire/demote Murray and forge ahead.

It wasn’t going to be a perfect post-honeymoon after their choice for GM whinged over an unsuccessful tank. Easier to make that argument to Eichel with a different GM in place or just to try what Boston/Long Island did to get Barzal/Zboril/etc. + picks.

Yet lo and behold, Eichel, injury issues and all, does his job still, and that’s putting up points. He was never to be a team’s McDavid; not a world beater but a sort of “tip of the spear.” No leadership responsibilities to botch. And of all the bridges burned, the person without an NHL job at the moment is Tim Murray.

That’s telling, and no amount of homerism/
paint/photoshop/revisionist history covers that.

 

[Jeremy2020]

Gun to your head, you're building a team and have to pick either Eichel or JT Miller, who do you choose??

The gun

 

[Reality Czech]

Gun to your head, you're building a team and have to pick either Eichel or JT Miller, who do you choose??

That's like asking would you rather be punched in the stomach or in the balls? One is definitely preferable, but it doesn't mean either choice is good.

 

[ElLeetch]

Gun to your head, you're building a team and have to pick either Eichel or JT Miller, who do you choose??

Bettman

 

[blankall]

Looks like Eichels doing the old 'fire a coach' by tuning him out and not caring.

He has the talent but his attitude is terrible.

I really hope not. It's one thing to do that when the team is clearly done and desperately needs a shake up. It's another when the team is leading the division.

Eichel needs to take responsibility and step up. He has 2 points in the last 7 games, and now his team is only holding onto a playoff spot by five points.

 

[IceManCat]

Eichel is now 53rd PPG in the league. He just seems so entitled ever since draft day. Shane Wright gives me the same vibe but just not as talented

I didnt realize that many NHL players are at a PPG

 

[Chainshot]

Gun to your head, you're building a team and have to pick either Eichel or JT Miller, who do you choose??

....bang....

 

[hangman005]

....bang....

 

[toddkaz]

Was Buffalo's problem Jack Eichel?

YES

 

[iCanada]

This is a weird way to ask which player is better -- but it's definitely Eichel imo

Only one player has hit 99 points or even close to it.

And it's definitely not Eichel.

 

[RapidKnight]

His contributions offensive contributions have been underwhelming but his defensive contributions have been well above average which seems to be getting overlooked. This is also not bad production considering Vegas isn’t playing run and gun.

Secondly, nobody on Vegas’ roster has a good one timer. This matters because Eichel loves to carry the puck and his best attribute is his patience and execution making pinpoint passes. Does Patrick Kane ring a bell? Look what happens when you deprive Kane of good finishers. There is nothing to be overly concerned about considering this and his defensive contributions in my opinion.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Only one player has hit 99 points or even close to it.

And it's definitely not Eichel.

So you think Miller is better than Eichel? I feel that's a silly take, but you're free to your opinion.

 

[LetsGoBuffalo1126]

Yeah, there is some definite similarities to the times this sort of stuff cropped up in his time in Buffalo. Not sure if it is preparation or that he internalizes when things are going badly or other things.

This is the money here, I think. Obviously I don't know him at all personally but he seems like the type of person that just hasn't matured emotionally yet. He didn't seem to know how to take the frustrations of what he was feeling and handle them appropriately. Some of it, I don't blame on him, as being a premier athlete in the US, his life was essentially catered-to at all times. He was the man and everyone knew it. Then, when he had to be a leader of men, in a league of men, he couldn't do it. I don't blame him for not being able to handle a situation his brain wasn't ready for, what I do blame him for are the reactions he had and the purported way he treated people in the process.

 

[iCanada]

So you think Miller is better than Eichel? I feel that's a silly take, but you're free to your opinion.

For the on ice impact today; absolutely.

Taking into account contracts and ages and attitudes, that's a harder discussion. But Miller is absolutely the better player imo.

 

[iCanada]

His contributions offensive contributions have been underwhelming but his defensive contributions have been well above average which seems to be getting overlooked. This is also not bad production considering Vegas isn’t playing run and gun.

Secondly, nobody on Vegas’ roster has a good one timer. This matters because Eichel loves to carry the puck and his best attribute is his patience and execution making pinpoint passes. Does Patrick Kane ring a bell? Look what happens when you deprive Kane of good finishers. There is nothing to be overly concerned about considering this and his defensive contributions in my opinion.

Ah yes. The classic "he's playing defense now" when a star forward can't score.

I seem to recall Eichel being the primary reason for the knights giving away several pizzas resulting in game losing goals against in crunch time to finish last season outside of the playoffs.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

For the on ice impact today; absolutely.

Taking into account contracts and ages and attitudes, that's a harder discussion. But Miller is absolutely the better player imo.

Eichel has a far better on-ice impact by almost every set of metrics you could use. If you're isolating single games, or even 10-games stretches -- that means nothing, but I'd agree that Miller can be better periodically, in a game or stretch of games.

What is Miller better at, specifically?

Ah yes. The classic "he's playing defense now" when a star forward can't score.

I seem to recall Eichel being the primary reason for the knights giving away several pizzas resulting in game losing goals against in crunch time to finish last season outside of the playoffs.

Okay, so you're ignoring all metrics besides points? That must be why you mistakenly think Miller is as good as Eichel.

 

[ZenOil]

I blame global warming on Eichel.

 

[Chainshot]

Do we know if whatever LBI took Jack out of the lineup is actually not right? He looks much less explosive nor nearly as mobile as he did prior.