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Buffalo Sabres: 2015-16 Winners And Losers

By Richard Spalding

Mar 26, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (15) celebrates his goal during the third period against the Winnipeg Jets at First Niagara Center. Buffalo beats Winnipeg 3 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (15) celebrates his goal during the third period against the Winnipeg Jets at First Niagara Center. Buffalo beats Winnipeg 3 to 2. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 16, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian (47) (not shown) scores on Montreal Canadiens goalie Ben Scrivens (40) as center Sam Reinhart (23)and center Jack Eichel (15) look on during the first period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2016; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian (47) (not shown) scores on Montreal Canadiens goalie Ben Scrivens (40) as center Sam Reinhart (23)and center Jack Eichel (15) look on during the first period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports /

Winners: Buffalo’s rookies

We all had a feeling that Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart were going to become special players in the NHL, but who would have thought the two of them would put their stamp on the 2015-16 season by combining for 47 goals and 98 points?   Eichel and Reinhart became the first two Sabres rookies to score 20+ goals in the same season since the 1974-75 pairing of Danny Gare and Peter McNab.

Eichel may have owned more dramatic moments for the Sabres this season – including that thrilling goal he scored with :01 left to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes in First Niagara Center – but Reinhart proved to be the perfect compliment to Eichel on the right wing during the second half of the season.    These two are poised to become a fearsome duo should the Sabres coaches keep them together and definitely earned a ton of respect around the league based on their breakout season.

Loser: Jack Eichel

Call it Playing in Buffalo syndrome; blame it on the fact that he is not Canadian – explain it however you want, but Eichel, who sits alone in second place among all NHL rookies, is generating exactly zero buzz when it comes to the Calder Trophy discussion.  I know this topic has already been discussed here at Sabre Noise, so I won’t rehash all of the details.

Yeah, yeah, yeah – coming in second (which is the best Eichel could finish even under optimal conditions) is still losing, so who cares?  We all get it. Still, to hear one site list Eichel as an honorable mention – that’s just insulting.  I would not cast a first-place vote for Eichel, but there is no doubt in my mind he should be a finalist for the award.  Can’t imagine Eichel himself gives two craps about where he finishes in the voting, but it’s an injustice that he is not getting more R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Next: The All-Stars

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