The Buffalo Sabres: Life without Eichel

[@Mach97HKY]

Note: This was recorded a few days ago which is why Owen Power wasn't included as part of the Sabres NHL defence, and why some of the point totals are slightly different. Thanks for watching :)

[@Donny_Double_Dip]

Redo the video Just kidding. Great video.

[@micahlucks9855]

This is exactly the type of content fans want to see on KZbin, great content, keep it up

[@BlackIjs]

Life without Eichel is pretty damn good.

[@krakhedd]

Addition through subtraction. Golden Showers are looking unlikely to make the playoffs this season, icing on the cake 🤣🤘

[@aaa7189]

@@krakhedd Currently the Sabres get the 8th, 15th and 31st draft picks in the first round. Lottery excluded...I'm not pushing for more losses but, it wouldn't hurt to get a better pick

[@HoweyJR_]

@@krakhedd actually VGK is likely to get in & even if they don't they've been without alot of their firepower & still might make it💯 sabres haven't sniffed a horse ass Since 2011 & fans like you are worried about another team straight clown

[@mikelachey824]

Life without Eichel is no different then life with, or life before. This team sucks and its not changing any time soon. But, as long as they continue to tell ya, and people believe what the team should be on paper. LOL

[@aaa7189]

@@mikelachey824 The sabres are changing for the better with Adams sooner than you think

[@TheHawk686]

Just want to add that he requested the trade BEFORE the injury.

[@nguyenfamily3142]

We know

[@TheHawk686]

@@nguyenfamily3142 "we" might, but the guy making the video clearly didn't sooooo

[@brendensiragusa5007]

@@TheHawk686 technically he suggested it prior, before the injury like 2 years ago. However he also was the one that pushed for the ultra aggressive style the GMs before Adams had gone that put the mess onto the ice. The Pegula's are the more to blame side for listening to a player over their GM on team build decisions, but he was the one that pushed for the trades and signings of players to fill gaps most GMs would have taken a moment to consider speaking with the coaches and development staff to ask if they had to go and get someone that would cost 5-8 million now or if they wait a season of they could try to fill it with someone who is a bit more hungry for the role and they can coast on a ELC or a cheap contract for a season or 2

[@drewharris9977]

People forgot and it was never mentioned after he was traded. And now Vegas is out of the playoffs and hope and pray that their pick lands inside the top 10

[@tricktaylor]

2 years post signing an 8 year contract with clear writing that was collectively bargained for by the players that the team gets to sign off on medical procedures. afterall if jack wanted a vagina and breats and to start taking testosterone inhibitors shouldnt the sabres have a say? his testosteronelevels are kind of what we paid him for. just like the use of his neck. and btw its the sabres who wanted the less agressive surgery which would be less likely to leave him with long term problems. He wanted a newer surgery with no true long term patients. 10 years of research on that option. and yes jack demanded out before that and used it to force his way out. after forcing coaches and players out himself. tage thompson will be better than ryan O'Reilly alex tuch and krebs will outscore eichel every season for the next 3 eichel will end up playing for a bunch of different teams as he will be revealed as a malcontent. theres a difference between being an asshole and demanding the best from those around you and jack hasnt figured that out. i could be wrong. he was given the keys to the city from day 1 in buffalo and perhaps being a smaller part of a better team will humble him. but he did play in buffalo with kane and oreilley. one lost his love of the game and the other was thought to be a bad influence on then young jack...so theres evidence this dude's head is too big for alot of rooms

[@Fraustyy]

I saw a video recently after a game and the Sabres celebrating in the locker room. I can tell you for a fact that locker room has NEVER had that much energy. Maybe in the Drury/Briere days. It’s been so long.

[@mikephalen3162]

Fans may be divided on Eichel. My opinion is that he had to go. He no longer wanted to be here, understandably, but he was not a good presence in the locker room and certainly not a role model for younger players. He never earned the "C." Eichel had an inflated sense of his worth. Just because you're the No. 2 pick, doesn't mean you're anywhere close to being in McDavid's orbit. Ralph Krueger was a disaster for this team. He screwed Jeff Skinner; he messed up Rasmus Dahlin's head. Fortunately, this season Skinner has been the team's MVP; Okposo has had a resurgence; Thompson has emerged as a true talent; Tuch is captain material. This team is young and the future is bright.

[@jayem1826]

You sir, are 💯% spot on.

[@dancarpentieri7762]

Love most of what you said, but Tage Thompson and. Dahlin are way in front of the team MVP than Skinner. It's great he's had a bounce back year, but Tage and Dahlin drive this team.

[@kydop6128]

Never was captain material. Talented but selfish.

[@ninetailedfox579121]

It's amazing how when Eichel was here we had all these great players come to the team and just go into slumps. Now that he's gone all of those players who are still here suddenly have bounce back years and look like they actually enjoy playing hockey again. Coincidence? I think not.

[@darklobster6923]

My favorite line ever is “Ralph Kruger, hockey terrorist”. I liked him when he was first hired, but he might be one of the worst coaches in league history. Every major piece of Buffalo regressed significantly or stagnated. He wasted potential years, and it only took Granato about 7 months to completely fix almost if not all the issues the roster had with Kruger

[@davidyoung5114]

You did not mention the one other crucial factor as to why Buffalo has such a promising future...the coaching! Don Granato has the Sabres playing a team, not just a group of individuals (hello Toronto!!!!) As long as G.M. Kevin Adams adds the right mix of veterans to this group of (to quote Rick Jeanneret!) SCARY GOOD young talent, the future looks bright for a welcome change!

[@kydop6128]

Donny is doing great... just keep the momentum going into next year, and don’t let it fizzle out.

[@brendensiragusa5007]

Honestly as far as veterans I don't think they need to go with top dollar guys. They need leaders to help during the low points. Yeah it means probably giving up Eakin and Miller, but the right guys could have them settled and ready for the emotional roller coaster that is the playoffs. If they play like they have they aren't a bottom of the league team. Even Florida's coaching and Tampa admitted that they may have won, but the Sabres aren't the team that they can be confident in putting in their backup and resting a guy on anymore. If I could pick 3 players to add this off-season and dropping 3 it would be Add: Fleury, Malkin and either Klingberg or Letang Drop: Miller, Eakin and Butcher Next season I would run 3 goalies. UPL, Anderson and Fleury. That's amazing talent to learn from and it doesn't overplay Anderson or Fleury though it would keep them out of individual award talk. Malkin can lead from the 3rd line, but still have a major threat regardless of how much we pay him. He won't be there for the points he'll be there to teach and mentor especially Cozens so he doesn't overdo hitting when he has so much more to his game. It also leaves some solid depth options and maybe with Malkin Olofsson and Asplund could have a bit of a breakout while Hayden and Girgensons can pick up Malkin's defensive side plus a bit more solidifying our centers in face offs. Then on defense Power and Dahlin and Samuelson and maybe Laaksonen can pick up some tricks from Letang. Not to mention there wouldn't be a line you could be at ease playing against. Quinn obviously joins Krebs and Cozens solidifying their scoring threat, Peterka can easily push Olofsson off of the 3rd line(yes my drop 3 was all we would drop) but it still leaves a 4th line of Girgensons Hayden and a 2 way threat if they have Peterka. Then on defense Dahlin can make that magic happen while Samuelson covers his defensive lapses which has honestly been exactly what he's needed. Power can grow with Letang and eventually pick up Joki as his linemate and make a top 4 that is good on defense but terrifying the moment they touch the puck. Then you have A Man(UPL), a Myth(Anderson) and a Legend(Fleury) backstopping and frankly they could steal games left and right. UPL has already shown when he is in the NHL he does not like to lose and an early goal just motivates him to not let another past him. RJ did say it best. They are SCARY GOOD and it just keeps getting better. Though in truth I see Adams letting Olofsson go with the talent coming up not to even add in 2 or 3 first round picks that will want their chance to be on the sleeper team.

[@waynedavis5640]

The net is my biggest concern going forward.

[@Aviation_Professional]

Buffalo is in a MUCH BETTER PLACE and getting better over the summer!

[@SabresSource]

The new era has started

[@charliesmith5189]

Trading Eichel is the best example of addition by subtraction in recent memory.

[@30AndHatingIt]

I thought Eichel, Reino and Risto leaving doomed us to another rebuild, but this team has absolutely taken off. Multiple Sabres are having their best statistical seasons in several years. Eichel leaves and all of a sudden the guys are smiling on the bench, Tuch is like an adrenaline shot to the team, they take the season series from Leafs, finally win an outdoor game, win on RJ night, embarrass Eichel and now I’m seeing Josh Allen partying with them in the lockerroom. Complete culture change. I’m just praying LA, Nash and Dallas hold on and keep Eichel and the Knights out of the playoffs. That would sweet sweet irony.

[@jacobbader3984]

I mean it’s still a rebuild although it a relatively quick one

[@skateordiedev]

No playoffs for Jack lmao

[@30AndHatingIt]

@@jacobbader3984 I don't know man, if the Eichel trade happened in the offseason and Tuch wasn't injured, they were on pace for possible playoffs this year, as crazy as that sounds.

[@30AndHatingIt]

@@skateordiedev I know lol, karma.

[@jakeladd6569]

The body language change is huge

[@erz3030]

As a 20 year+ Sabres fan, this was solid analysis. Good job

[@Zsklar]

Perfectly summarized! The Sabres are loaded with young star power talent. A defense with a fully developed Dahlin and an already developed Power is downright scary. Quinn and Thompson are going to be a consistent 70 point forwards. Trickle in Tuch, Krebs and some of the other talented youth, this is going to be a formidable team for years in the NHL. Let's not forget that Buffalo has 3 picks in the first round this year as well. The future is VERY bright for Buffalo. They will be making everyone else the laughing stock of the league. In fact, if you watched them the past month or so, you are already starting to see them beat the best teams in the league as they develop and get some young future stars in the lineup. Hang tight Sabres fans! This will all be over soon!

[@smilingearth5181]

So we've heard for almost 20 years by this point.

[@jackb8598]

@@smilingearth5181 yea, but it’s kinda true this time. I’d say really they need another top line center; a top pick or top 6 player will do. Like a Giroux or Shane Wright. Also I believe they need a top 4 defenseman , like a Jacob Chuchryn . And a veteran goailie. Then imo, based off the solid talent they have already they could be cup contenders no problem.

[@dannyt564]

cant believe they were able to finesse 3 1st round picks this year. with an already loaded future line up if things keep going the way they are, Buffalo really might be one of the scariest teams in league post Eichel.

[@axe2grind244]

Its still needs time. You will need 100 points to make the playoffs in the East. Forwards and D will be fine, consistent goaltending is the issue.

[@kydop6128]

Next year is going to be special... we’re so close to breaking the playoff drought. We have A LOT of talent. GO SABRES!

[@steventalbott6066]

Dahlin will far exceed Ekblad. No offense to Ekblad. With Power now on the team you will see the pressure come off Dahlin and he will shine, as evidence; in Powers first game Dahlin had 1G and 1A. Dahlin will be able to free wheel offensively more often with the luxury of a minute munching Dman such as Power.

[@MrOctober44]

Happy to see Okposo healthy and productive again

[@terryparenteau1200]

The future for the whole NHL looks exciting.

[@eh567]

Good analysis. I'll add another scary point for their young talent.... on top of all the things you said they also have 3 first round draft picks this year. That already deep prospect pool is only going to get better.

[@rph3144]

Eichel wanted out even before his neck injury. Great talent, but crap attitude- Sabres got a good deal in the trade. Tuch is a great all around player and a super leader on and off the ice. Krebbs and the draft choices are icing on the cake. Future is looking bright.

[@TRZN91]

Great video other than, Eichel wanting out did not have much to do with the neck surgery fiasco. It just lined up in such a way to leverage that and spin the story that he was dedicated to the team until out of nowhere this disagreement happened. For the record, I'm not a fan of how the situation was handled, and I think players should have more say in the medical procedures the endure. However from the team perspective here, it's a player that has made their desire to play elsewhere known, wanting a procedure that has never been done in the NHL, that is going to take them out of the game for a while. I can understand deciding to not greenlight it and finding a trading partner to take on the risk of the procedure. But like I said I was not a fan of it. I'm just tired of hearing he wanted out because of the surgery, and was flabbergasted that they stripped him of the C.

[@BHenz1006]

I wouldn’t leave out Donny Granato either. The prospects and depth has showed up to fill Eichel’s void but Granato has allowed this team to just go out and play while forming lines with solid chemistry and teaching ability. He’s been a huge part of the recent success and I can’t wait to see how he handles the futures mentioned in this video as they emerge onto this team

[@austonboston4361]

Leafs fan here. Eichel is a really really good player but, yeah, I feel it was never a good relationship between player & club. Sabres are definitely on the right track & are going to be an Atlantic power. And soon.

[@khuffy1737]

Nice glad people are noticing

[@bapjap]

Loved this analysis. Buffalo deserves better than all of the hate they get from message boards and social media.

[@borisvandruff7532]

Owen Power hasn’t figured out body awareness yet. He’s just so huge and hasn’t figured how big he is yet. 😂 Dude could be the next big defenseman in the NHL.

[@dannyt564]

I can see him being the next Chris Pronger if molded right and hits the gym hard which I see happening easily lol. He will also fill out with age its scary to think about if your not a Sabres fan. He already looks so composed and calm on ice and that is the things you cant teach.

[@leprechaun2299]

100+ point pace since march 1. Thompson tied eichels career high with 36.Eichels production has already been met and Thompson looks like a 40-50 goal guy going forward. Dahlin is playing like that first overall pick. The Sabres are a goalie away from making the playoffs.

[@Wheelz_TV]

i also really like that they had mcdermott visit the other day...hopefully they can take some pointers from the bills on how to play not as a team but as a family

[@jacekk3244]

glad i found your channel. How are you not more popular? Great videos tho. Keep it up

[@tallesttreeintheforest]

samuelsson doesnt need to find his offensive game to stick around

[@kosmicwizard]

Nice vid! Since both #1 overall defensemen are lefties, I think they end up being separated. Power will get the easier minutes at first, then will lighten the load placed on Rasmus, before finally surpassing him in a few years. As Power gets better life will become easier on Rasmus and since he will be carrying less weight, I can see his stats getting better over time. It will be interesting to see if 2 #1 overall defensemen each playing 30 minutes a game and on the same team can eventually raise the cup, will bonafide centers and goalies sign as free agents in Buffalo as the kids mature to finally take this franchise over the top?

[@SabresGuy87]

Dahlin has played a lot of Right side before coming to Buffalo and he had a goal and an assist in Power's first game with Dahlin on the Right side and paired with Samuelsson. Power can actually put Rasmus in a better spot on the ice and more confidence to do his thing more. Great times are coming for sure but we need a solid #1 vet goalie for UPL, Anderson has been decent but we need better and more consistent goaltending over him

[@kosmicwizard]

@@SabresGuy87 I agree! It's a good thing goalies actually move around a bit ...

[@jgzero18]

I'd rather take 4-5 consistently contributing forwards over one superstar that has to carry a team.

[@jakeladd6569]

Skinner is so underrated. He deserved the contract, he will be part of the culture change. His shit year last year was due to the unstableness of the organization. Why would you take someone who scored 40 goals on the top line off of it. Made literally 0 sense. Kind of like taking one the leagues top power play scorer Matt Moulson and LITERALLY shipping him off to the LA organization for nothing. Some of the decision making on this team has made 0 sense

[@iMeeped]

This guy ran us through coaches and GMs and ran other star players out of town, and then blamed the franchise and came at the fans. It was best for both parties to move on.

[@cjkavy2299]

Life without Eichel is fucking great!!

[@FlawlessEagle14]

Great video! Again

[@xZigeRx]

It's been over a decade of hearing the sabres are trash, that they should be relocated or that this or that player is the worst thing ever, man through thick and thin sabres fans, we are here, we finally get to watch hockey, are opinions are finally not devalued for simply being a Sabres fan... finally we get to believe in the staff, finally we get to be excited for the team we love

[@bobsimon4545]

Unfortunately when the first sentence is incorrect I did not continue to listen. Jack Eichel asked for a trade a year before his neck injury

[@xMarik96]

Love this analysis.

[@ItsTheJake9]

Plus a top 10 and top 20 pick this year… scary

[@dancarpentieri7762]

Love the effort, but anyone that uses point totals as their primary gauge to evaluate NHL players isn't doing said evaluation justice.

[@uj5436]

If you watched them play you’d know that they play with a lot of grit, heart, and hit at a pretty decent rate, combine that with the countless leaders on the team, big and young defenders core, elite offensive forwards and 3 great goalie prospects, this team is more than just point getters.

[@liteney]

Go Sabers.... Great video, love it. Cheers eh. :)

[@B0RGUS]

Tuch wasn't selected in the expansion draft like you said. Otherwise great video.

[@omniomega7254]

Vegas didn't select Tuch in the expansion they selected Haula and received him in compensation for not selecting their defenseman

[@waynedavis5640]

Life is good!!!!

[@danielfielding1938]

Given hindsight, a lot of Sabres fans would probably be happy trading Eichel for Tuch straight up, nothing else involved. Personally I would trade Eichel for Krebs straight up. But getting both Tuch and Krebs, plus a decent draft pick, is just highway robbery.

[@davebarnes9626]

Eichel is a malcontent. Anywhere he goes he will be brooding and unlikeable. Good luck to the Sabres with this young group!

[@jakeladd6569]

Long story short : it’s been good 😎

[@uj5436]

Tommer ties Eichel’s career high goal total after last game

[@krt88nc]

If skinner is scoring well, what does his contract have to do with anything? It’s fine since we don’t need to pay anyone.

[@BenWebster84]

I'm sure it'll be Power and Tuch

[@waynedavis5640]

Kruger fucked up so many players minds. Skinny is coming around again and will have a good season next year. Donny is the man and Adams is turning out to be brilliant.

[@jacekk3244]

I still don't think the knights shouldve traded away krebs. We traded away all our good future talent like krebs suzuki and glass for better players right now, not accounting for our future. Idk guess we'll see how eichel plays out next season when we have no cap space and gotta get rid of some guys

[@ResilientOne2112]

👏👏👏👏

[@unknown4091]

Playoffs 2022-23, book it.

[@chrisnowinski2912]

Let Jack Eichel be a lesson to all you hockey fans out there that think it's the star players that win you cups or get you to the playoffs..it's not. Is it nice to have them? Sure. However, they often do more hard than good. McDavid, Eichel and Mathews will prolly never see a cup in their lifetime and maybe not even a playoff series win. Successful NHL team require all these parts ..1) Team chemistry, 2) Team defense, 3) A goaltender what can steal you a game that you shouldn't have won and 4) timely scoring. Noticed that I put scoring last. It's the least important. Too often stars provide you the stuff that's important but not so much..and severely lack what's really important. Eichel was a lazy player with a poor attitude. All the Sabres needed was a GM that understood the blueprint of a cup winner (after all he won one himself as a player) and the gumption to execute his plan. Sabres fans can relax now because we have a bright future. I have never seen a team with so many giant mobile hulking dmen before. This team is huge and fast and is going to be fun to watch for sure

[@nosny3570]

the Sabres must bring Mike Foligno and Larry Playfair out of retirement

[@omars9768]

eichel was the problem, who would've thought

[@jayem1826]

Nice video. All you need to do is get a harmonizer and deepen your voice IMHO

[@danieljones8658]

I still think the Sabres are 5-6 years away from the playoffs. Hopefully they dont clean house at all between now and then..

[@JesseLyn22Americano-Filipino]

lol So much better right? Players are still the same old players don't let this fool you because you will find the next goat. Go Sabres

[@dannyf21]

goofy guy, they just need a few good Veterans, they already got good picks playing good in Buffalos Farm system bandwagoner fake hockey fan

[@henrygary6089]

Invest in Elon dogelon mars crypto currency

[@mikelachey824]

LOLOL Good to see that they are still feeding the same shit as they do every year. This year they are going to be a force, next year they are going to be a force. This team has spent so much time in the toilet tanking games on purpose, that they can't even win accidentally and even look like they are attempting to win. There are no fans left in the stands and the players look miserable and wishing they were anyplace at all, on the ice.

[@Aaron-kq7rd]

Buffalo is a joke. This is not going to change quickly. Losing culture permeates the city. You are like the leafs you cannot evaluate your players accurately. You think everyone you have is the best and every other team is not that good. Even though you are the laughing stock of the NHL along with Pheonix and Leafs. However if the leafs start winning playoff rounds they will shake that mantle. Pheonix is trash and in a college rink so kudos to the Sabres for having a nice arena at least. #delusional

[@dannyf21]

shut yo dum as up, not even a real hockey fan, bandwagoner

[@stonebone316]

What is this, window lickers unite day? You're the second dumbass who's had a god awful take on sports fans and teams. You don't get to tell sabres fans what they "think". This comment of yours won't age well.

[@krisburgess2857]

What about Owen power what about Owen power what about Owen power