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Buffalo Sabres Young Guns Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart Excelling Together

By Jacob D. Strozyk

Mar 7, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Buffalo Sabres center Sam Reinhart (23) talks to center Jack Eichel (15) as they warm up before playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 7, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Buffalo Sabres center Sam Reinhart (23) talks to center Jack Eichel (15) as they warm up before playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Buffalo Sabres Young Guns Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart Excelling Together

Since February 21st, the Buffalo Sabres have been without their All Star center Ryan O’Reilly. When the injury occurred, many fans found themselves groaning and disappointed at the fact that one of the most exciting players to watch in recent Sabres history was down for the count. It was at this time that Sabres coach Dan Bylsma made a bold but highly anticipated move. He moved Jack Eichel up to the first line to center wingers Evander Kane and Sam Reinhart.

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Eichel had played alongside Kane for a decent portion of the season, but had not seen much action with Sam Reinhart to that point. Many Sabres fans were calling for this move to happen nearly from the start of the season, but it never came to fruition. With his hands tied, and a need for a player of high skill to play first line minutes, Eichel was the best choice for the position.

Jack Eichel is making a name for himself as a creative and shifty goal scorer. Recently he broke the 20 goal plateau against the Toronto Maple Leafs and he became the youngest Buffalo Sabres player to accomplish that feat since Pierre Turgeon.

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Sam Reinhart is living up to the name he made for himself in Juniors as “The smartest player on the ice,” as he has flourished on the Sabres top line for some time. He is currently tied for second on the team in goals (19) and sits fourth on the team in points (33).

In recent games, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart have been the primary sources of offense for the Buffalo Sabres. Respectively, Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart have point streaks of 4 and 3 games, which are both career highs for them. Since their placement together, they have combined their skills to create a deadly and effective offensive surge. Both of them can shoot the puck very well, and the creativity each of them have allow them to set up the other with ease. Just last night, Jack Eichel found Reinhart with a slick dish for an attempted comeback against the New York Rangers. 

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    • Both Sam and Jack had high expectations coming into this season, and so far they have not disappointed. As the Buffalo Sabres are a team that still is outside of the playoff race, their goal is to look forward to the future. These two are the top prospects in their system and to see them play with such skill and poise is the most promising thing on the planet for them.

    As the Buffalo Sabres move forwards in their season and towards next year, they know they already have a consistent power player in Ryan O’Reilly, but I expect Jack Eichel to attempt to dethrone him from his top line spot in the coming year.

    When O’Reilly returns to the Sabres lineup it would be foolish to break up these two youngsters. They are developing the kind of chemistry that resembles some of the top dynamic duos in the NHL (Alex Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau back in their hay day, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn) and to separate them in any way would be downright ridiculous. Ryan O’Reilly is a very versatile player and can play alongside nearly anyone and excel. When he returns, the Sabres coach needs to realize what he has in these two young players, and the potential they have together.

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    The potential they have together far exceeds their potential apart. Apart they will both still become fantastic players for the Buffalo Sabres organization, but with the possibility to create an elite scoring force with players like O’Reilly and Evander Kane “under” them is the kind of offense that challenges for championships.

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