Jack Eichel has been selected to represent the Buffalo Sabres at the 2018 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa on January 28.
This is the first of many All-Star Game selections of Eichel's Buffalo Sabres career.
Eichel leads the Sabres with 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points this season. Eichel is currently 16 points shy of the career-high he set in an injury-shortened campaign last season. He's already matched his career-high for even-strength goals (16), set in 81 games as a rookie in 2015-16.
Eichel has totaled 15 points (9G, 6A) in his last 11 games, dating back to December 15.
Eichel ranks in the top five in the NHL in goals (T-1st, 9), points (T-5th, 15), even-strength goals (1st, 8), even-strength points (T-3rd, 12) during that stretch.
The Boston University Terriers product has scored at least two goals in four of those 11 games and entered play Wednesday tied for fifth in the NHL with four multi-goal games this season, just two off the NHL leader, Anders Lee of the NY Islanders.
Eichel has shifted the focus of his offense production from the power play last season to even strength scoring this season.
Eichel is currently on pace to surpass his personal bests in goals (24), assists (33) and points (57) on the strength of improved production at even strength (T-8th in NHL in even strength goals, T-13th in even strength points).
Eichel’s 16 even-strength goals through 43 games match his career-best total from the 2015-16 season when he played in 81 games.
Eichel’s 31 even-strength points through 43 games are two shy of his total from last season (61 games) and are just four shy of his career-best total from 2015-16 (81 games).
Take a look at Eichel’s points production trajectory. You will see that a Eichel has become a more consistent, confident even strength point producer. Earlier in his career, Eichel feasted on power play scoring.
In 2015-16, Jack played in 81 games, scoring 24 goals and 32 assists for 56 points.
Of his total points production, Eichel scored 16 even strength goals and 19 even strength assists for 35 EV points.
In his rookie season, the Sabres were 11th overall in power to play success rate. Eichel scored 21 play points.
In his injury-shortened 2016-17 season, Eichel played in 61 games scoring 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points. Of his 57 total points, 14 of his goals were scorers at 5v5 and 19 of his assists were scored at even strength.
The Buffalo PP was ranked first overall in 2016-17 and Eichel scored 24 power play points.
In 43 games this season, Eichel has already popped 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points. The fascinating trend this season for Eichel is that he has only scored one power play goal while scoring 16 even strength goals. Eichel has already chipped in 15 even strength assists for 31
total even strength points.
The Sabres are currently ranked 30th in the NHL on the power play. Eichel has just six power play points this season.
As Eichel goes, so goes the Buffalo man advantage scoring, eh?
Eichel has transformed his game while becoming a more reliable scorer and points producer at even strength.
Eichel is currently on pace to score 32 goals 42 assists for 74 total points. If he continues to score at this current pace while at even strength, Eichel will finish this season with 31 even strength goals and 28 even strength assists for 59 even strength points.
Of Jack Eichel’s 39 points so far this season, 23 have been goals or primary assists recorded during 5-on-5 play (excludes 6-on-5 situations).
Through 43 games, Eichel’s 23 primary points (12G,11A) during 5-on-5 play have already surpassed his 61-game total from last season (11G,10A) and are just one shy of his total from his 81-game rookie season (12G,12A).
Eichel finds himself in the 2017-18 Primary Points Leaders Club at 5-on-5 (Before January 10 games)
1. Nikita Kucherov
20 goals
8 primary assists
28 primary points
2. Nathan MacKinnon
10 goals
15 primary assists
25 primary points
3. Patrick Kane
12 goals
12 primary assists
24 primary points
4. Jack Eichel
12 goals
11 primary assists
23 primary points
***
Forty players were selected to the All Star Game by the NHL, joining the four division captains elected by fans via the 2018 NHL All-Star Fan Vote:
Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning (Atlantic), Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (Metropolitan), P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators (Central) and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers (Pacific).
Here are your complete rosters for each division, comprised of six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders per team:
2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game Rosters
Atlantic Division (All-Star appearance)
F Aleksander Barkov, FLA (1st)
F Jack Eichel, BUF (1st)
F Nikita Kucherov, TBL (2nd)
F Brad Marchand, BOS (2nd)
F Auston Matthews, TOR (2nd)
F Steven Stamkos, TBL* (5th)
D Mike Green, DET (2nd)
D Victor Hedman, TBL (2nd)
D Erik Karlsson, OTT (5th)
G Carey Price, MTL (6th)
G Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL (1st)
Head Coach: Jon Cooper, TBL (1st)
Metropolitan Division (All-Star appearance)
F Josh Bailey, NYI (1st)
F Sidney Crosby, PIT (3rd)
F Claude Giroux, PHI (5th)
F Taylor Hall, NJD (3rd)
F Alex Ovechkin, WSH* (7th)
F John Tavares, NYI (5th)
D Noah Hanifin, CAR (1st)
D Seth Jones, CBJ (2nd)
D Kris Letang, PIT (4th)
G Braden Holtby, WSH (3rd)
G Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (4th)
Head Coach: Barry Trotz, WSH (3rd)
Central Division (All-Star appearance)
F Patrick Kane, CHI (7th)
F Nathan MacKinnon, COL (2nd)
F Brayden Schenn, STL (1st)
F Tyler Seguin, DAL (5th)
F Eric Staal, MIN (5th)
F Blake Wheeler, WPG (1st)
D John Klingberg, DAL (1st)
D Alex Pietrangelo, STL (1st)
D P.K. Subban, NSH* (3rd)
G Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (1st)
G Pekka Rinne, NSH (2nd)
Head Coach: Peter Laviolette, NSH (3rd)
Pacific Division (All-Star appearance)
F Brock Boeser, VAN (1st)
F Johnny Gaudreau, CGY (4th)
F Anze Kopitar, LAK (4th)
F Connor McDavid, EDM* (2nd)
F James Neal, VGK (3rd)
F Rickard Rakell, ANA (1st)
D Brent Burns, SJS (5th)
D Drew Doughty, LAK (4th)
D Oliver Ekman-Larsson, ARI (2nd)
G Marc-Andre Fleury, VGK (3rd)
G Jonathan Quick, LAK (3rd)
Head Coach: Gerard Gallant, VGK (2nd)
* Fan-elected captain
For the third straight season, the All-Star Game will feature a three-game tournament, played in a 3-on-3 format, showcasing teams from each NHL division competing for a $1 million winner-take-all prize pool.
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