Buffalonians Welcome Eichel Home (eichel buffslo)

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Buffalonians Welcome Eichel Home

By GARTH'S CORNER

Jun 6, 2015 • 6:17 pm

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Updated:

It was as if Erie Otters center Connor McDavidand Boston University center Jack Eichel were attached at the hip from the moment the fervor and excitement of the 2015 NHL Draft began to take shape in September.

The build-up reached new levels this week at the 2015 NHL Scouting Combine during the interviewing phase with NHL teams and fitness testing at First Niagara Center and HarborCenter in Buffalo.

As expected, NHL scouts, general managers and a heavy media contingent couldn't help but keep a close watch on the two projected generational talents as they worked their way through the final nine tests conducted at HarborCenter on Saturday.

Eichel got the best of McDavid in five of the six tests that posted results, including the standing long jump, vertical jump, pro-agility test, bench press and pull ups. He also exhibited more endurance than McDavid during Friday's VO2 max stationary bike test, which measures the endurance capability of a player's heart, lungs and muscles.

McDavid and Eichel didn't hesitate when asked which of the nine tests on Saturday offered the greatest challenge.

"It was obvious, the Wingate (bike test); that one was absolutely crazy," McDavid said.

The Wingate Cycle Ergometer peak power output test, the last test of the day, was a 30-second all-out sprint on a stationary bike that measures a player's explosiveness. Ironically, McDavid lasted 0.7 seconds longer than Eichel in the Wingate test.

McDavid said he wasn't exactly sure how well he did on the Wingate after initially glancing at the score (17.49) after completing the test.

"I thought I scored OK; I don't really know what is a good number for that," McDavid said. "I felt pretty good afterwards though. The number comes on the board and seemed to be OK, I don't really know."

Eichel considered the Wingate tougher than expected, primarily because it was the last test of the day.

"It's at the end of the testing, you’re tired, and you've done a few tests already," Eichel said. "You're sore and then have to jump on the bike and go really hard for a 30-second sprint with some resistance."

Since Eichel was in the group of prospects testing one hour behind McDavid's group, he was able to see McDavid's scores when he reached each station. He said it didn't make a difference to him.

"I was looking at the scoreboard and saw he was on there but I was looking at what I did," Eichel said. "It's in anyone's competitive nature to want to top all the scorers on that list."

McDavid said he thought he had executed nine pull ups, but the spotters at the station recorded six.

"I guess they were pretty tough on that; they're looking for tempo and form," McDavid said. "Some guys thought they deserved better but I guess I don't have to worry about that now."

Eichel, winner of the Hobey Baker Award for the NCAA’s best player, was particularly impressive in the standing long jump (115 inches), bench press (16 repetitions) and pull ups (nine).

"It was a great week," Eichel said. "I think it's a great experience. It was just another piece of the season and step toward the Draft. I think Buffalo did a great job putting on this event and hats off to the Buffalo Sabresorganization and everyone else involved."

Eichel is expected to be selected by the Sabres with the second pick in the draft on June 26 at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.

"Buffalo has been very welcoming," Eichel said. "I've gotten a lot from the locals. I've heard 'Welcome home' and 'We're happy to have you here.' The people here are very welcoming, they care about hockey."

Eichel led the NCAA with 71 points, 45 assists, a 1.77 points per game average and plus-51 rating in 40 games.

"Everyone around here is pretty excited," Eichel said. "Nothing is set in stone but it seems that this is where I will end up; people are really excited about the future."

Now he's just looking forward to the draft.

"It'll be a dream come true for me [at the NHL Draft] and a dream come true for my parents," Eichel said. "They've done a lot for me to get to this point and I think they're just as excited as I am. It's a neat experience to be able to go through this with my family."

McDavid, who was named the Canadian Hockey League Sportsnet Player of the Year, finished third in the OHL with 120 points and tied for fourth with 44 goals in 47 regular-season games. He had nine fewer points than League-leader and Erie teammate Dylan Strome despite playing 21 fewer games.

He said he is looking forward to getting a little rest prior to the draft. The Edmonton Oilers are expected to select McDavid with the No. 1 pick. McDavid did mention that he bought a new suit for the big day.

"It's been an exciting journey and I'm surely looking forward to [Draft day] getting here," McDavid said. "I know it's going to be a long couple of weeks. There's great anticipation for it but I'm looking forward to experiencing it with my family and friends. It'll be a dream come true."

He had points in 45 of 47 games, 36 multi-point games and a point streak of 27 games, the longest in the OHL since the 2007-08 season. He also helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship; he was tied for the tournament lead with 11 points and was named to the tournament all-star team.

"I thought overall it was a very well run week and the testing was hard in terms of going through a long year and then coming to the Combine," McDavid said. "You look at the number of games some players have played. Nick Merkley (Kelowna Rockets) must have played over 100 games this year but he came here and do all this."

Source: NHL

***

Buffalo is an All American city with a blue collar work ethic. Jack Eichel is a good American boy with an All World skill set.

Linked together, Buffalo and Eichel form an indestructible bonds that is forged in Lackawanna steel.

The two will live in Hockey Heaven at the end of this month.

Buffalo Mayor Brown once gave NFL star Terrell Owens the key to the city of Buffalo.

Bases in the impact that Jack Eichel has had on the Queen City this week, Brown owes the 18 year old phenom a brass ring full of keys and the entire city hall complex.

Buffalo is smitten with Eichel.

“Everyone around here’s pretty excited for the Sabres’ future,… Eichel said this afternoon following his fitness testing inside HarborCenter. “Everyone’s really welcoming. Nothing’s set in stone. It seems like this is where I’ll end up. People are really excited about the future.…

Ask any rock star, pro athlete, politician or VIP and to a man they will tell you that Western New York loves with all it's heart. Just like my Italian aunts who grab your face, kiss you oin bith cheeks, and smother you with hugs. Then they push a plate of pizzelles inn my face and make me eat ll of them.

“I’ve gotten a lot from locals from, ‘Welcome home,’ to, ‘We’re happy to have you here,’… Eichel said. “Just everything. They’re really welcoming. Obviously, they care a lot about their hockey.…

Eichel has been trying to “trying to get a feel for what it would be like to play here.…

“If that ends up happening,… he said. “Just like anything else, it helps me think about some things, made my experience really nice. I really enjoyed being in Buffalo for the week"

All of the suffering and anxiety that we have endured the past two and half seasons now seems worth it. Doesn't it?

Thanks, Sabres.com

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