Quoting: Xqb15a
What’s funny about EJ this year is that he is 1 of only 2 players to play every game this year. Go figure right. EJ is a great mentor still solid player but health issues and his salary are legit concerns but less so because he only has a year left on his deal. He is a BIG time locker room leader. Mittlestadt has a lot of the same issues Jost had, brought to the league to soon by a bad team, no defined role and it just sunk Jost’s development imo. Hope it works out for Mittlestadt though because it looks like he does have some tools to work with. One unrelated question for you, has there been any commentary around the Sabres about how much better or worse the team seems to be w/out Eichel. I ask because when the Avs & Sabres played I was really impressed w/Thompson and he and some others have seemed to flourish w/that hole dynamic removed?
Eichel has been out of the lineup for the entirety of Don Granato's tenure and the turnaround has been nothing short of impressive. One of the things I continually hear in interviews, dating back to the early days of Granato last season, is that practices are really high quality--you play how you practice, practice how you play. Even pre-Jack the reports from the practice rink had players in a country club frame of mind, and that dates back well over a decade. Granato, the coaching staff and players like Okposo and Girgensons all helped turn around practices and the players all had to remain focused because they were playing a new style. Credit to Donny Meatballs for a fun style of play that emphasized skill.
Jack Eichel is a supremely talented player, no doubt about it, but he had (has?) maturity issues. Am of the opinion that in no way, shape or form did he have the mental wherewithal to lead or be a leader. However, because of where he was drafted and what the team went through with the tank there was, imo, a savior factor that couldn't be overcome--on the part of him thinking he was "the man" while players and fans (probably) looking to him too much to carry the load. It's different now as this team is all in as a team. One of the great things with the influx of youngins is that they're all learning and growing as individual players within a group.
One last thing. Every coach the Sabres have had post Drury/Briere has leaned heavily on veterans. Granato, who came in with a knack for player development, had a lot of youngins at his disposal and he let them take their bumps and bruises in high-pressure situations. The group of vets he had on hand featured four or five who were pretty much useless at best, detrimental at worst and as the kids grew and the team got healthier they took over. Totally different team from late 2021.
There's probably more to it but that for me is the gist of it.