Archives for July 5, 2015

‘In no other time in recent memory has an American hockey player been trumpeted the way Eichel has been over the past year. He has been hailed as a savior for the Sabres, who selected him as the centerpiece of their rebuild. They’re hoping he can help turn around the franchise in a revitalized city that’s starving for a championship. It’s a tall order.’

‘”Of course it was probably hard for me,” the 22-year-old from Pori, Finland said Saturday at the MTS Iceplex after Day 2 of the Winnipeg Jets development camp. “A little bit harder because it was my first trade and that doesn’t happen in Europe a lot.”‘

‘”So I flew right to St. Paul — I forget the rink, but it was a small rink — and watched him play. Oh my God, he took one rush in the first five minutes and I told Rudy we don’t have to see him anymore.”‘

‘That means it would be a 44-point jump for Buffalo to get in next April. Even if the playoff barrier returns to the historical 93 or 94 points, as it has been since 2006, the Sabres are still looking at a 40-point turnaround.’

‘”He communicates well with everybody whether it be a serious matter or a joking matter,” team captain Sidney Crosby said. “In meetings, he keeps everyone on their toes and gets people involved through questions or hearing other guys’ thoughts.”‘