It's all over for Jack Eichel

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

As he said, it's their 4th team sport.

Winning the juniors doesn't mean anything.

The Olympics matter a little because it's on NBC.

maybe you're just bad with words

It isn't that the US is irrelevant in ice hockey, it's that ice hockey is irrelevant in the US.

Which still isn't true but yes it isn't the clear number one sport across the demographic like all of Canada. It's a big deal in a lot of areas.

 

[carolinacanuck]

both will sign maximum amount entry level contracts

so...

 

[Canada4Gold]

if by "it" you mean the 2015 WJC, then yes it's all over for Eichel.

Otherwise its not. Eichel is just beginning what will be a very promising career.

 

[Never]

The WJC shouldn't be used to measure how good a player will be/could be, otherwise Pat Falloon and Justin Pogge would've been NHL superstars.

 

[showtime8]

The WJC shouldn't be used to measure how good a player will be/could be, otherwise Pat Falloon and Justin Pogge would've been NHL superstars.

You're using 2 examples. Not every player that plays in this tournament is going to be a superstar.

A majority of the players will have good NHL careers. Pat Falloon played 11 seasons in the NHL. That's still amazing.

If I could land a player that plays 8 seasons in the NHL and played in this tournament, I would take it.

 

[Brooklanders*]

At the moment, that's the feeling towards it.

But the only reason that the US doesn't hype it up is because they haven't had the success that Canada has had.

The US has done a phenomenal job over the past decade of building up the sport across the country. The USHL has taken small strides to become a solid league and the NCAA still churns out a ton of prospects.

Media drives a lot of things in sports. That's obvious. I mean, what's there to get excited about a Tuesday night game in the middle of January between Carolina and Buffalo (just an example). But I'm sure they could spin a way to make it into something that it isn't.

Just like a couple years ago when they were really pushing Taylor vs Tyler. They really just need a good enough storyline to roll with to try and get people talking.

In all reality, McDavid is the clear cut #1 by a landslide. But how exciting is that to talk about leading up to the draft? They absolutely need some sort of gimmick and they are using the US vs Canada hype train.

The US has had more recent success.
Canada hasn't won a WJC gold in over five years.
US plain and simple doesn't have a whole lot interest in hockey.

 

[Tripod]

The US has had more recent success.
Canada hasn't won a WJC gold in over five years.
US plain and simple doesn't have a whole lot interest in hockey.

Well....that's not true anymore. Lol

 

[17Kurri]

I think the Eichel vs McDavid talk is far from over but it's even more of an uphill battle for Eichel now to go first overall - unless a handful of teams pick first, imo.

 

[Lolonegoal]

no one remembers #2

 

[Brooklanders*]

Well....that's not true anymore. Lol

I guess six times a charm.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

Eichel has been regarded in the same way in the US as McDavid has been in Canada but the difference is one is American hype and one is Canadian. Hockey is the 5th or 6th sport in the US. I have family in Boston, Eichel has been in the papers since he was 9 years old.

Regardless this argument is not how you draft you draft based on all your top scouts and GM watching the player not based on hype.

American hype is a little bit of an exaggeration. I'm American and love hockey, but it's still very much a regional sport in the USA.

I'd wager more sports fans know who Eichel is in Canada than the USA. The Eichel hype is probably more due to the Canadian media.

The average American probably doesn't know any hockey player's name outside of Gretzky.

Look at a map of where the NCAA DI hockey programs are located. Pretty easy to see where most of the interest for hockey is in the USA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._College_Hockey_-_all_men's_D-I_locations.svg

 

[OttawaRoughRiderFan*]

American hype is a little bit of an exaggeration. I'm American and love hockey, but it's still very much a regional sport in the USA.

I'd wager more sports fans know who Eichel is in Canada than the USA.

The average American probably doesn't know any hockey player's name outside of Gretzky.

Didn't Jeremy Roenick say something similar? (paraphrasing) He could walk down any street in the U.S. and not be recognized. Anywhere he was in Canada, people knew who he was.

 

[Easton Modano Curve]

Didn't Jeremy Roenick say something similar? : (paraphrasing) He could walk down any street in the U.S. and not be recognized. Anywhere he was in Canada, people knew who he was.

I'd say that's right overall. If Roenick walked around Chicago he'd be recognized though.

I should say hockey is very well supported locally in the USA. For example, in general people in Chicago don't follow the NHL, but they follow the Blackhawks. But for football, they follow the NFL and the Bears. In basketball they follow the NBA and the Bulls. I don't know if that makes sense...

I'm really generalizing there and might offend some fellow Americans. Part of it is just the media. It's harder to follow the NHL. It's not talked about in the national media.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

I think the Eichel vs McDavid talk is far from over but it's even more of an uphill battle for Eichel now to go first overall - unless a handful of teams pick first, imo.

Like who?

 

[BobDobolina]

Didn't Jeremy Roenick say something similar? (paraphrasing) He could walk down any street in the U.S. and not be recognized. Anywhere he was in Canada, people knew who he was.

Yes. And?

 

[Inkling]

I should say hockey is very well supported locally in the USA. For example, in general people in Chicago don't follow the NHL, but they follow the Blackhawks. But for football, they follow the NFL and the Bears. In basketball they follow the NBA and the Bulls. I don't know if that makes sense....

Yes, it makes sense and is pretty much the same thing that Ralph Mellanby said in his book. Ralph (Scott's Dad) broadcast hockey, the Olympics and other sports in Canada and the US for many years.

Yes. And?

I think he was just using it as an example of how hockey is a niche sport in the US.

 

[DanZ]

To be fair, if Edmonton gets the #1 pick I'd say Eichel won the lottery.

 

[lawrence]

To be fair, if Edmonton gets the #1 pick I'd say Eichel won the lottery.

wow, very true. I think Both McDavid and Eichel are probably cheering Edmonton to win more games right now.

I remember last year, Reinhart and Ekblad was also "tanking" themselves, so they can both fall out of the top 2 draft, lol

 

[Cory Trevor]

Didn't Jeremy Roenick say something similar? (paraphrasing) He could walk down any street in the U.S. and not be recognized. Anywhere he was in Canada, people knew who he was.

Well same could be said for Nate Burleson when he was in Detroit or Minnesota.

 

[jabes]

Didn't find Eichel too impressive this tourney. Missed the net pretty wildly on a lot of his shots and was quite selfish when his team was one goal down and facing elimination. I think he needs to mature a bit before playing in NHL. McDavid really turned it on the last few games, he is a great talent. If he goes to Edmonton they could actually turn things around quickly.

 

[NyQuil]

If he goes to Edmonton they could actually turn things around quickly.

I like your optimism.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

I doubt anyone could knock McDavid off the #1 pick spot.
He's been the anointed one for years.

 

[Rocko604]

He's no longer in the Top 20 searches on Hockeydb.com. His career is over.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

I just want to go on record as saying that the comments that go like "Well, he scored all his points against Denmark and Germany so the NHL will put him in his place" are easily the dumbest type of comments ever.

Who do you think the top NHLers score their points against? Only the five best teams in the NHL?

Forsberg scored like 11 points one game or something ridiculous against Japan. Yeah, the NHL really put him in his place. He really sucked as he made his way to the HHOF.

Think before you post that nonsense, please.

 

[The Kingslayer]

This was his chance to show everyone he is better then McDavid and get drafted first overall.

Both are going to go back to their leagues and dominate but McDavid is pretty much a lock for first pick now

Do you guys agree? Or do you think Eichel still has a shot to be the first pick.

Remember Seth Jones vs Mackinnon. Yah