Jack Eichel going into the 2015 draft had a ridiculous amount of hype going his way. There were talks of the big, fast, talented, two way heavy shot great vision player challenging McDavid. People were saying he had the better shot, was more physical and had a better two way game at the time saying his game was that of a Stanley cup caliber 1c and they were right as he's won a cup, however people also put the generational label on eichel as well with his historic hobby baker winning freshman season headed into the draft. Many noted that eichel had very explosive skating and was a physical specimen. So the race between the two started where the two were compared to eachother incessantly come draft lottery time the answer to who was number 1 was dispelled, revealing edmonton the winners and going by Tim Murray's reaction, the Sabres the "losers" of the McEichel draft where the narrative went from who goes number 1 to eichel would go number 1 in any draft without McDavid or Crosby. Eichel quickly became viewed as the ultimate consolation prize but the sting was still there for Eichel historic NCAA season to being the guy drafted by someone disappointed you aren't your so called rival. From there the pressure was on Eichel to lift the Buffalo Sabres back to greatness but also deal with directly being compared to McDavid. He put together a solid rookie campaign without a doubt some say he was slighted as I believe he was 4th that year just missing out on being a calder finalist where super rookie Russian star 24 year old Panarin put up 70 plus points en route to a Calder assisting Kane in his award sweep of the Ross, Hart and Lindsey but his direct competition in McDavid was injured with a collar bone injury against Philadelphia from Manning, who he would go on to call classless later on in his career, but McDavid still put up 48 points in 45 games compared to the 56 points in 81 games. People were still thinking that Eichel could still reach that generational/franchise altering hall of fame type potential as it was still a very good rookie season after all he did it over 80 games and wasn't some 24 year old khl pro piggybacking off of American Hockey Legend showtime himself 3 time champion mr.clutch himself Patrick Kane. Panarin himself later proved that wasn't the case but rather was a super elite talent who kept improving proving worthy of the calder, but that is a seperate story. So Eichel still was viewed as a super raw athletic talented who needed polish and wasn't defensively ready as most people thought. Heading into the 2016 draft people were saying he would be number 1 in the draft over Matthews or Laine while others would argue back but, regardless of who's who the four of McDavid, Eichel, Matthews and Laine would be 4 of the Uber elite talents. At the time of the draft I remember people saying Matthews was a more polished product not as raw therfore closer to his ceiling with people regarding him as a toews/Kopitar type two way center not the goal scoring phenom he is today putting himself up up there with legends putting together multi(2) 60 plus goal seasons and rockets, but at the time of 2016 draft some were still regarding Eichel as a similar talent to McDavid and superior to Matthews and Laine and boy there were debates about that. After the end of that season Eichel finished with 61 gp due to a high ankle sprain and a nearly identical stat line as his rookie year with 24 goals and 33 assists good for 57 points showing a stark improvement in his production which is a points per game of 0.93 which is 76 points over 82 games while impressive his direct comparison and competition McDavid took off posting 30 goals and 70 assists for the lone 100 point season and his first award sweep shifting his comparables to Matthews and Laine who both posted notably better rookie seasons Matthews with 40 goals and 69 points(lol his Stateline has 69 twice which is nice) and laine put together 36 goals and 64 points while eichel might have out produced them but not for long. As the 2017-18 season rolled around their stat lines looked like:
McDavid: 82gp 41g 67a 108p art Ross win
Matthews: 62gp 34g 29a 63p
Laine: 82gp 44g 36a 70p
Eichel: 67gp 25g 39a 64p
Again missing time but this time being outproduced by matthews and not nearly the same goal scoring ability as Laine with McDavid essentially separating himself from his peers completely with a 40 goal 100 plus point campaign leading to his second art Ross and Lindsey and a questionable Hart loss to former teammate Hall also marking the significant emergence of the forgotten and counted out Mackinnon, he finally put together his speed, shot, strength and playmaking ability making him a finalist in the Hart race the former #1 pick put up 39 goals and 58 assists for 97 points and went onto becoming one of the most productive present careers a spot most people thought eichel would be at. So going into the 2018-19 year it eichel wasn't viewed as McDavid's counterpart instead he was being compared to the rest of his draft class where marner started getting attention with the idea that he was just as good or better than eichel. Then everyone started noting that eichel had a much heavier load to carry that he was the Sabres hope and that he was the one carrying the whole offense and recognized the tremendous raw talent and ability to be a top tier player but people were doubting of his ability to put it together.
The next year Eichel had his offensive coming out party potting 28 goals 54 assists and was his was first over ppg game season along with being his only healthy season since his rookie year with people saying he was beginning to scratch the surface of his potential noting he was earlier along the development curve than Mackinnon when he had his breakout. Things looked promising for the eich man as he finished well after they traded O'Reilly who won the seller and Smythe and cup which had to sting as he was left alone on an island with Reinhart and marner finished ahead with 94 points with the narrative of him being a near generational talent gone with the idea of him being a slam dunk 1 overall in any other draft dwindling and questionable. The very next year however he began to show his true colors, the pre draft hype eichel has arrived. He came out determined more than ever showing he was n elite top ten talent. He could go end to end snipe any corner from anywhere the speed, keep away and dangle ability with the vision finally he had his Mackinnon like click looking unstoppable however the season was cut short due to another injury finishing with 68 games 36 goals 42 assists for 78 points with a fully healthy season he assuredly would have broken the 40 goal barrier and cracked 90 points scratching at 100 points. Going into the next season (with Krueger again big mistake) we brought along hall former Hart winner. Eichel finally got his marner, his drai, his rantanen it was looking good with hall, eichel, skinner, stall, Reinhart, dahlin, and our rookie cozens. This was the season Eichel finally put it together he has good pieces around him now after he broke out finally going to deliver on his potential be the Sabres franchise savior assert himself as a top 3 center top 5 player ready to make that jump Ala Mackinnon. Training camp rolls around he gets hurt is visibly physically impaired by season start, looks nothing the same lost speed, his shot wasn't as lethal not strong on the puck his production reverted back to sub ppg but he did not look dominant at all wasn't taking over shifts wasn't a difference maker turns out he was playing injured to the Sabres relief but not for long. As he went down so did the Sabres season Reinhart the only player with a noteworthy season Hall fell flat on his face and was useless. Eichel required surgery in his neck which created a whole debacle resulting in his trade to Vegas where he ended up putting on a great performance resulting in a cup win showing that he is a great playoff performer. But ever since than he hasn't played a full season for Vegas and only one season above ppg. Although he has a cup before the likes of the Leafs trio and McDavid you could argue that he is not on any of their levels while a much better playoffperformer than the leaves trio they all have individually better seasons and better award finishes and pt finishes. Was eichel overhyped and overrated or was he in a bad situation where the pressure got to him and injuries derailed his career. He flashed tremendous ability before is there any hope that the pre-draft eichel is there and has a late career surrender as a top producer. As of the moment I feel like he is even questionable as a top 5 pick in a re draft with guys like kaprizov, marner, rantanen, Connor, and aho probably get taken ahead he would probably still have trouble with going over Joel ericksson ek and hintz or barzal. What would he have to do from here on out to be considered that slam dunk 1st overall pick in any other draft? It seems he isn't that dynamic two way power center who can set the table or snipe from anywhere, he was touted Tobe a top 5 forward top 3 player even during his prime he is barely a top 10 center great player but is in the lower echelon of top line players it seems players drafted with him, before him and after him processed more despite his cup. How do you view eichel? Failed franchise savior or handed unfair expectations and pressure. Was he overrated due to drumming up the draft hype machine and was hampered by it or was he legitimately that good and was closer to McDavid than the rest of his class but failed to live up his potential or was it poor management along with to many expectations that failed him. Is number 2. Slam dunk all American jack still there or was he ever there.
