Welcome back, Jack
Eichel set to play in his 1st game in Buffalo as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights
The hockey world has its eyes set on the Buffalo Sabres this week, whether it be for better or worse.
Jack Eichel returns to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Thursday, March 9th. The Buffalo Sabres then head to Hamilton to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Heritage Classic on March 13th.
By the Numbers š
Record: 18-32-8 (44 points) | Division: 7th | League: 29th
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 44.7% (30th in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 43.5% (28th in the NHL)
Quick Hits
Will Butcher, Zemgus Girgensons, Henri Jokiharju, and Colin Miller return to practice from injury
Jack is Back
The Jack Eichel era in Buffalo was certainly an interesting one. Back in 2015, he was hailed as the savior, the final piece to the intricate team-building puzzle.
Unfortunately, that would not be the case. Yes, Jack Eichel would eventually show that he was exactly the player the Sabres thought they were getting in 2015. However, three head coaches and three general managers would fail in building a winning team around him.
The Sabres were stuck with their wheels spinning in the mud. I can read off their mistakes one by one, but itās just a story that has been heard many times over.
The organization would quickly learn that the āget rich quickā strategy of torching a team to acquire an elite draft pick just doesnāt work in a sport where a player can only have so much of an impact on a 60-minute game.
Fast forward to Thursday night and it is going to beā¦weird. Ask 10 different Sabres fans what they think about Jack Eichelās time in Buffalo and youāll get 11 different answers.
This is why I think the most interesting part about the game against Vegas may very well be the Eichel tribute video, which is confirmed to be happening:
I truly cannot think of a more polarizing player return in Sabres history. Daniel Briere? He was universally booed. Ryan Miller? He was universally cheered. Jack Eichel? There will be boos, jeers, cheers, neutral stares, and everything in between.
According to Eichel, there are no hard feelings between himself and the Buffalo Sabres organization:
The game against Eichel and the Golden Knights is certainly going to be one to remember. Thereās going to be a buzz in the KeyBank Center that has not been felt in quite some time.
Line making: A game of balance
Some may call the creation of lines in hockey somewhat of an art form. Itās the coachās job to find the perfect balance in their forward groups. The coach should be looking to match players who can neutralize each otherās negative attributes while maintaining their positive attributes.
Which young Sabres forward has needed the most ābalancingā this season? Dylan Cozens.
I like to go back to this tweet from Corey Sznajder to describe Cozensā game:
While many young junior stars tend to convert to a more conservative style as they transition to the NHL. Cozens is still his old self: very aggressive in the transition game, oftentimes leading to solid offensive results.
However, his rocket launcher approach in the neutral zone can lead to some shortcomings defensively (particularly in the form of counter-attacks). The best solution? Toss a ādefense firstā forward on his wing like Rasmus Asplund or Kyle Okposo to better handle counter-attacks.
The numbers speak for themselves:
Prospects Update: Quinn returns, Levi stays hot
Jack Quinn has finally made his return from an injury suffered in a game against the Dallas Stars on January 20th. He re-started things down in the AHL where he has 3 points in 2 games since his return.
Just check out this beautiful goal from Saturday:
Devon Levi managed to close out his regular season with a bang. He only allowed 2 goals across 3 games last week, making a total of 85 saves. He is now up to 10 (!) shutouts on the season and boasts a stat line of 20-8-1, 1.45 GAA, .953 SV%.
Levi and the Northeastern Huskies head into the postseason as the #1 seed in the Hockey East conference. If they win their conference tournament, they are in the NCAA Tournament. If they lose, they may find themselves on the outside looking in on Selection Sunday.
Game Preview: Vegas Golden Knights @ Buffalo Sabres, 3/9/22
Happy āJack Eichel returns to Buffaloā Day for those who celebrate
Golden Knights By The Numbers
Record: 32-22-4 (68 points) | Division: 3rd | League: 15th
5v5 Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%): 52.3% (11th in the NHL)
5v5 Goals-For Percentage (GF%): 52.3% (14th in the NHL)
Scouting the Golden Knights
Fast and Furious: Vegas is a team that loves to push the pace on their breakouts and they have the talent to do so effectively. They have one of the top rush offenses in the NHL
High-Event: the Golden Knights create a good amount, but they also give up a decent amount defensively. Expect more of a high-event game than usual
Players to Watch
Alex Tuch (BUF): itās going to be Tuchās second game against his former team. It will probably be his most intense game in a Sabres uniform to date. It will be interesting to see how he steps up on this special occasion
Jack Eichel (VGK): yeah thereās really nobody else I could have put here. Eichel finally looks to be getting his feet back under him and you know he will be bringing his A-game against his former team