Jack Eichel is quietly becoming a top-5 player in the league

[Melkor]

This man is a monster this season. I don't see how anyone can blame him for being a bad leader like it was in the past. He does everything a franchise center has to. Sabres just don't have what it takes to be a playoff team.

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[Leaf Fans]

He has been playing excellent hockey, no doubt about that. Scored a beauty against us tonight to boot.

 

[Acetylene]

Eichel is a beast. Just terrifying when he turns it on

 

[BruinsBtn]

I still don't see any semblance of the two-way game he's going to need to have to lead a team to the Cup. He's coasting, aimless and scattered in his own zone.

 

[Outofbodyinhungary]

Shouldn’t he be?? I mean he was drafted second overall behind the best player of the generation.

 

[Kegsey]

So now that there’s at least 100 players currently in the top 10, I think we need sub-sections.

 

[Outofbodyinhungary]

So now that there’s at least 100 players currently in the top 10, I think we need sub-sections.

It’s HF so every player that plays good for some stretch should be considered a top 10 player. Oh and every player is either overrated or underrated, no in betweens.

 

[Melkor]

It’s HF so every player that plays good for some stretch should be considered a top 10 player. Oh and every player is either overrated or underrated, no in betweens.

The guy is a top-5 in scoring league wide on a tire fire of a team right now. He's not playing good for some stretch. He's for real.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I still don't see any semblance of the two-way game he's going to need to have to lead a team to the Cup. He's coasting, aimless and scattered in his own zone.

He had a couple of excellent back checks and was hard on the puck during today's game. He also has an effortless style that makes him to not being working hard. He's no two-way monster but he's not a slug either.

 

[authentic]

Playing against Toronto he is. Otherwise top 20.

 

[Royal Thunder]

He genuinely has been one of the best players in the league this season. The effort is finally there on a shift to shift basis and he's leading by example.

 

[Kelly]

I'll probably get attacked for this, but everytime I watch him be leaves a LOT to be desired on the other side of the puck. Magic offensive player though.

 

[EXTRAS]

In on 34 of 77 goals for his team.

Pretty elite.

 

[Snippit]

It definitely cannot be argued that he’s a top 10 centre, that’s for sure.

Based on the HF consensus list in the summer where he was placed 11th among centres I think if you ran that again he’d definitely pass Scheifele, Tavares and Stamkos to put him at minimum 8.

The lists in the summer from the media that had Eichel as like the 40th best player in the league were just absurd though.

McDavid
Mackinnon
Crosby
Kane
Kucherov
Barkov
Draisaitl

Those 7 guys should be in basically everybody’s top 10. After that there are a lot of names you have to consider, especially including defenceman as well.

 

[sincerity0]

I still don't see any semblance of the two-way game he's going to need to have to lead a team to the Cup. He's coasting, aimless and scattered in his own zone.

you watching the same player?

 

[LGBlues]

He has been amazing in a lot of games this year - he can take over better than guys who get a lot more ink. I don't know if Sabre fans can appreciate just watching him because they don't have a supporting cast but as a neutral fan I sure do.

 

[ItWasJustified]

''quietly''.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

He was an absolute beast today.

I do sort of agree with this:

I'll probably get attacked for this, but everytime I watch him be leaves a LOT to be desired on the other side of the puck. Magic offensive player though.

But I wonder if it's more the optics of it because of his skating style. His skating style always looks like he's kind of standing straight and coasting around the ice.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

He has been amazing in a lot of games this year - he can take over better than guys who get a lot more ink. I don't know if Sabre fans can appreciate just watching him because they don't have a supporting cast but as a neutral fan I sure do.

Nah I think a lot of us appreciate- I just don't wanna think/get into "oh man, how many points on a better team" cause that sucks. But trust me, when Eich dangles 3 players and sauces it to Vesey only to have it doink off Vesey's stick.. we gots brains, we can be amazed by the play even if it doesn't always show up on the scoreboard.

 

[LGBlues]

His D has actually been good this year. Lots more effort, he's not Barkov but he's looked solid. Shut out Crosby in the first game of the season, he's done that to other stars throughout the year- lately it's a lil better D and a lotta scoring, he's finding a nice balance where he's managing both.



Most apt username on HF.


Anyways, top 10, top 20, top 50, I don't care. Dude's a treat to watch- pretty unique style at times, he can absolutely dominate a shift, and when he's confident in his shot.. you can rate him however you like, for me I'm happy saying he's playing like one of the best in the league. He's shown flashes of brilliance for years, this is the most consistent streak I've seen though.

Exactly - that is what I meant to say lol.

 

[MackAttack26]

There is no question he has been a top-10 player this season. Tied for 4th in goals, 7th in points on a team that scores so little. Carrying this team hard.

And his defensive game has got a lot better too. He quite often breaks up plays on high-effort backchecks (see in Toronto game tonight maybe saving a goal).

Still makes the occasional bone headed decision...but for the most part he has been incredible. Hopefully keeps it up because we need him.

 

[Tage2Tuch]

I honestly don’t even want to talk him up in here despite the posts on the first page which probably indicated such. My only gripe before was that no one really noticed. My point was always that From the beginning of his second season when he got injured the day before the year started and came back from the first of two sprained ankles, in December 2016...he’s been a top 15 point producer on league. On league low offenses. On 31st worst teams. From December 2016 to now he’s been that dominant, people don’t have to like it but he hasn’t finish with lower then 0.95 PPG since then. He always has the hardest match ups. How a guy can do that at such a young age (earlier in) would suggest he was elite. But no you only heard overpaid, overrated (when he gets no recognition like the other stars) oh well, people can feel that way.

Now that he’s getting his due I really don’t feel the need to brag about it, (I was just explaining my stance above) but I’ll still reply to people when I feel there’s something to challenge or add of course. Like so:

I still don't see any semblance of the two-way game he's going to need to have to lead a team to the Cup. He's coasting, aimless and scattered in his own zone.

Not everyone has to be Bergeron.

Yet he’s got a better plus minus then Barkov (And we know what he’s praised for) and the sabres have bad goaltending, yet Florida signed the ten million dollar two time vezina winner. It’s just plus minus sure but because of the way he skates (top five skater in league) it allows him to backcheck more efficiently which he’s immensely improved on since coming Into the bigs.

Speaking of his skating since you sort of ripped on it....

Ps- he’s finally getting respect, why not just let him have that rather then trying to find something, that “coasting” by the way is his skating style. He looks raptor like and it allows him to dangle by most, and make quick transitions into whatever zone he wants. He doesent has the typical mackinnon crossover acceleration take off.



Bottom line, he as some good teammates now but I can only imagine how many points he’d have on Tampa bay or wherever else, we’ve see wasaayyyy too many players in his tenure fan on beautiful feed where they’ve hadn’t open net and shoot wide.

These are his last three seasons in his environment.

57 in 61
64 in 67
82 in 77, or 76?) one of them

Now he has what 34 in 26 or 27 and has finally got the goal scoring down. Thats good for any player let alone a guy in his first five seasons, having sprained both ankles. He’s electric and can dominate at any time he’s like a mAlkin (not as good as he was) but in that same dominant way.



Yeah yeah I’m talking him up still but it’s just facts. If anyone has noticed I haven’t started an Eichel thread in way over a year and don’t plan too...I’d rather try and be humble from here on out.

 

[Dominance]

He has been extremely good this season. Definitely an elite centre. This year, I would definitely take McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, Draisaitl, Malkin, Bergeron, and Barkov over him. He has as good or better an argument for the next spot as Matthews, Pettersson, Point, Barzal, Tavares, Scheifele, and Stamkos do, as that next group. Top-10, for sure.

That said, he should be. His hype was crazy, and he’s 23 now. This is typically the age in which high draft picks peak offensively. What we see now is The Jack Eichel. He’s painting a beautiful picture right now.

 

[RABBIT]

Lol "you know what?" Love it

 

[John Eichel da GOAT]

I'd argue hes been a top 10 player for some time now. The rest of his team though...