Eichel could top 95 points, was on pace for 80 the last two injury shortened seasons on a dead last team in offense and overall, add two of the best prospects in the world in Mittlestadt and Dahlin to the PP, which opens up space then give him a quality sniper like Skinner in a CONTRACT YEAR as well as a linemate like Reinhart who had 37 pts in his final 38 games and things could work for him big time. (THat's already worlds better then Girgensens/Rodrigues and aging Pominville as linemates) then factor in the fact there's also Connor Sheary who has proven he has potential with big name Centres and could work if either of them don't, plus he should be healthy now and another year older.
Team could be better which means higher motivation for every one and if even one of the goalies works that should help a team overall who's rookie coach isn't in the first year of his carer, and potentially toxic attitudes like E. Kane and ROR "I lost my love for hockey" are gone. Who knows, this may be similar to a Colorado type situation last year and it could be addition by subtraction, (with Duchene) only we added tons. Berglund is a good third line center, there are holes but there's also lots to like. I don't think Buffalo is a playoff team but if Eichel plays 80 games, he's getting 90 points. 100 is not out of the realm of possibility, he has 121 pts in his last 128 games, anyone that only looks at numbers after a season is done is going to be shocked at the amount of points Eichel gets this year assuming he doesen't get another freak accident which is unlikely 3 of your first 4 seasons.
I don't think Buffalo makes the playoffs like Toronto and COlorado did after being deadlast but I think they improve to at least 25th, and as I said if Eichel plays, he produces and now even more-so, no reason at all to think otherwise although anything is certainly possible.
So will he get 90 points or not? I keep hearing this " Pace" stuff being thrown around.
"PACE" doesen't hold much stock if it's 20 or so games. When he put up 57 in 61 after that miserable high ankle sprain, then with no help around him got 64 in 67, now the word PACE holds merrit and is to be taken seriously. 121 in 128 as said above. Add in the 4 players I listed, two of whom will be on his line (the other two on the PP, with 1 on the back-end regularly) which upgrades his game even further. If you haven't seen him play many games I understand the "PROVE IT." Feeling but he's one guy that said his name, I'm two, not everyone is guaranteeing this can happen, we all know how unliked he is around these parts.
He's already one of the games elite skaters, and play-makers (39 assists in 67 games on a team with 199 goals?) Never had less then 30 assists, add in a former figure-skater Sniper in Skinner in a contract year, and a Rasmus Dahlin type skater, things are going to be miserable for other teams who are on the PK I'd imagine.
Eichel lead the Sabres to the best PP in the league in 16-17 after they were near dead last to start that year there (He was injured when they were, shocking ) I can only imagine how good a mixture of Mittlestadt, Dahlin, Reinhart, Eichel, Sheary could be. There's also Okposo-Thompson-Berglund-Ristolainen-Nylander for another unit. I see that and think, maybe if we get goaltending things wont be so bad?