2020-21 Prove-it Season for Buffalo Sabres and Jack Eichel

The Buffalo Sabres need to prove to Jack Eichel that they can contend for the Stanley Cup in order to prevent him from leaving the franchise.

It’s no secret that Jack Eichel is frustrated with the Buffalo Sabres for their lack of success in the NHL, particularly when it comes to making Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Entering the prime years of his career at the age of 24-years old, Eichel wants to at least be hopeful for making a run at the Stanley Cup sometime soon, but Buffalo has struggled to give him that satisfaction.

Since the American-born forward was drafted to the Sabres No. 2 overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, the team has had a 156-188-53 record (2015-2020). In the 354 games played out of the total 396 games in that span, Jack EIchel has tallied 137 goals and 200 assists for 337 total points, which is astounding, but the same cannot be said for his abysmal plus/minus (plus represents being on the ice during a Goal For/ minus represents being on the ice during a Goal Against), as he’s a minus 60 in his career.

The plus/minus alone should tell you that the Buffalo Sabres are outscored quite often. While 24-years old is a young age to be worrying about Stanley Cup rings, playing for a team for five years without winning more than 35 games in a season – his rookie year – can surely take a toll on one’s confidence and motivation. The team has struggled to groom their elite prospects, and it’s led to major deficiencies in the organization.

Overpaying for subpar players, like Jeff Skinner ($9 million cap hit in 2020-21), struggling to put the puck in the net (21st in the NHL with 193 goals for), struggling to keep the puck out of the net (20th in the league with 215 goals against), and an abhorrent penalty kill unit (30th in the league with a 74.6% success rating), are just a few of the many issues that the Buffalo Sabres had in 2019-20.

This past offseason, however, Buffalo shook it up in order to make a strong push for the postseason by signing elite Free Agent left wing Taylor Hall (1 year, $8 million), while signing center Cody Eakin (2 years, $4.5 million) and acquiring center Eric Staal via trade. Upon these moves, Jack Eichel expressed his gratitude to the franchise for making a considerable push for something more than mediocrity in the 2020-21 season.

Jack Eichel wants to be remembered in the NHL. Not as player who could’ve been one of the best players of his generation, but as a player who was one of the best.

He has the competitiveness, the confidence, and the skill set to be a top 5 player in the NHL, but whether he’ll be that guy on the Buffalo Sabres or not is up to the team itself as they head into the 2020-21 NHL season.

What made Connor McDavid pop out in the NHL and become the best player in the league was his first Playoff appearance, in which he simply dominated everyone. Jack Eichel needs the same chance to showcase his abilities on the highest platform possible and without a winning team, he’ll never get it.

The Buffalo Sabres has the firepower to give him his shot, but if they falter and fail to provide him his spotlight, Jack Eichel will never forgive them.