Jack Eichel showing ‘he’s his own man’ in rookie year
ANAHEIM – Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel quips he has the biggest room in Matt Moulson’s house.
On a Wednesday in Anaheim, the two roommates and teammates playfully banter back and forth with each other about Eichel’s living accommodations over Moulson’s garage.
“It’s a big area,” says Moulson while smirking. “It’s a big room.”
Before the season, Moulson asked Eichel if the 2015 No. 2 overall pick wanted to live with him. The hope was Eichel would learn the professional ropes from Moulson, a 32-year-old veteran.
The Sabres also acquired 35-year-old center David Legwand over the summer as sort of a mentor to Eichel. Both were second-overall picks and both are from the United States.
While Eichel said he’s learned from both, he’s quickly developed a personal style. He needs guidance and leadership but ultimately he’s turned into a quick study, picking up the lessons of his two Sabres ‘dads’ at home, at the rink, and on the road.
“He’s his own man,” said Moulson.
Eichel looks like a college sophomore. But the 19-year-old Eichel is every bit a grown man on the ice.
He gets a high amount power on his shot. Even in practice, he seemingly toys around with it, driving it towards the net with force and speed, even if it doesn’t look like he’s trying.
At his tender age, he’s already turned into a power forward that’s a load for mature NHL defensemen to handle.
But away from the rink, he’s like any other teenager, still needing some level of seasoning and growth. Which is where Moulson and Legwand come in.
Moulson lived with John Tavares when Tavares was a rookie. It worked so well with Moulson that Tavares is the godfather of his daughter.
“I think in a family atmosphere, when you get some home cooked meals and laundry done, you enjoy the family life as well instead of being on his own and thinking about things,” Moulson said.
Legwand has played 1,115 career games in a complex career that can be celebrated for longevity and also be seen for perceived wasted potential. He came into the NHL with the Nashville Predators after the 1998 draft heralded as another Mike Modano, but never notched more than 63 points or 27 goals.
At this stage of Legwand’s career, his role is more about going over the finer details with Eichel and some of the Sabres younger players and trying to show the type of mindset that leads to such a long career.
“He brings a lot of energy to the rink every day and a lot of experience,” Eichel said. “He knows how to handle a lot of situations and it’s been great for us.”
Eichel wasn’t considered a generational talent just because of his skills. Scouts praised his maturity, as a player with the unique professional-level mindset at a young age.
Did he like to have fun? Sure. But he still cared about winning and has a desire to be a top player in the NHL.
Living with Moulson, Eichel hasn’t needed to pick up nutrition habits because he already has good ones. He doesn’t need to ask about fitness because he’s already in peak condition.
“He’s going to be a good player for a long time and he wants to be great, so he’s an American breed,” Legwand said.
In some ways, Eichel doesn’t look up to Legwand and Moulson. He sees himself on equal footing with the two veterans.
“I would look at them as friends and good mentors,” Eichel said. “I think they respect the fact that I am my own man and they’re not telling me what to do. I think they give me advice on certain situations. At the end of the day I’m my own person and make my own decisions.”
It was expected Eichel would take over a leading role on the Sabres at some point, but the last 29 games he has been the organization’s best player with 27 points. He currently ranks second on the Sabres with 41 points in 61 games played.
“He’s a very powerful skater,” Legwand said. “He has hands. He can shoot the puck, and he’s a smart hockey player. He’s very gifted in the talents he has.”
When Legwand entered the NHL, his every move wasn’t picked apart and parsed like Eichel’s. When the Sabres picked Eichel last season, it came after what appeared to be a long-term plan to strategically put the team in position for one of the top two picks in the draft. This led to a lot of losing and made local fans clamor for a savior to pull their group out of the depths of the worst record in hockey.
But the hysteria hasn’t gotten to Eichel. Both because of his maturity and because he has some veterans he can talk with about life in the NHL. It’s proved right type of nurturing environment.
“Buffalo’s a hockey city. They’re hockey crazy there and I think the guys in our room appreciate that,” Eichel said.
Since Eichel’s come to Buffalo, he’s had a hamburger named after him and said he’s posed for a photo holding a one-week old child.
“When I came into the league there wasn’t the camera phone with the other stuff and the Twitter and the Facebook, Instagram and all these other things,” Legwand said. “It’s a different day and age and there’s more hype around these things.”
And around Eichel.
“We haven’t been good enough for our city the last few years. I think we’re going in the right direction,” he said.
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
