Buffalo Sabres Players: How Well Will Jack Eichel Do?

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Jack Eichel will be making the Buffalo Sabres Roster right out of training camp. It would not do anything for his development to have him sent to a junior level team. Even though he still says that he has to make the team in the fall, the fact remains that he is still an NHL ready player. But the question remains; how well will he truly fare in his first season as a professional?

Related – Sam Reinhart‘s Place On The Sabres

Jack Eichel was selected with the 2nd overall pick of the 2015 NHL draft, and every person in the room knew what he meant for the Buffalo Sabres. A versatile generational player with the potential to be one of the top scoring threats in the NHL. As Jack goes through the process to make the team in the fall, it will be determined where he will play.

Based on his skill set and the style of play he plays, he would be well suited centering a line featuring fellow top prospect Sam Reinhart, and Sabres captain Brian Gionta. That line would have everything it needs for the players and the team to succeed; Reinhart as an intelligent playmaking winger, Gionta as the veteran scoring presence, and Eichel as the scoring center with speed and size down the middle.

Should the Sabres make this line a reality, Jack Eichel will have a stellar regular season. He is poised to eventually become the top center in the organization (currently a title owned by Ryan O’Reilly) and playing a second-third line role with Reinhart and Gionta will pace him. He will not be going up against top level NHL talents immediately and it will give him a chance to fully adapt to the NHL and develop consistency.

Should he play on the third line with these two other players, Eichel should see his point production look something like 44 points (17 goals 24 assists) It’s not anything stellar, but it is a fantastic start to his career. Realistically, this is the scenario that will come to pass.

There is a chance that something else happens though. Even though many people around the league are going to be raving about how Connor McDavid will be playing with Edmonton, Eichel has just as much of a chance to outplay and out score him.

Should Jack Eichel impress the coaches beyond what any of us fans could think of, Eichel could find himself starting on the Buffalo Sabres second or possibly even first line. It is not out of the question to have him doing either of these tasks, but it is very risky. It poses the risk of ruining his confidence if he cannot stand up to the oppositions’ top level players (when he encounters the likes of Sidney Crosby, Claude Giroux, Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, etc). He is not yet at that skill level.

Should Eichel surprise everyone and be able to play one the second/first line for the Buffalo Sabres, I can see his number improving to a much better degree.

He is typically a very consistent and hard working player, so I do not see him having too much trouble with the transition between the two lines. With that consistent play will come consistent point production. If Eichel plays on the Sabres second line (which I assume will have the likes of Matt Moulson and Tyler Ennis) Eichel’s points would jump up to 60 (23 goals and 37 assists). He will have more weapons beside him and still have a veteran scoring presence in Moulson to teach him.

These numbers are just my predictions, but regardless of whether he plays on the top two lines or the third line, Jack Eichel will have a great season as far as production is concerned. I would not be shocked to see Dan Bylsma put him on the second power play unit to that the year. That is an area where Buffalo was very weak so it would not hurt to give Eichel a few more good looks at the net.

Next: Where Does Mark Pysyk Fit Into The Roster

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