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A20 SPORTS
Wednesday 6 March 2019
Oilers, Sabres sagging despite being led by McDavid, Eichel

By JOHN WAWROW The game against Edmon- The Oilers have advanced
AP Hockey Writer ton was an example of to the playoffs just once
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — While Okposo’s viewpoint. Eichel with McDavid, in 2016-17,
keeping open the possibil- scored twice, including when they were knocked
ity of a late playoff push, his career-high-matching out in the second round
Edmonton Oilers captain 25th, but the Sabres squan- by San Jose. Buffalo is in
Connor McDavid acknowl- dered a 3-1 second-period the midst of a franchise-
edged how much losing lead. worst seven-year playoff
has worn on him this year. McDavid and Eichel are drought, and finished last
In Buffalo, Sabres captain the faces of their respective overall twice with Eichel.
Jack Eichel grew irritated franchises based on both Both teams also have
when asked about his production and salary. The changed GMs and coach-
team’s inability to win con- 22-year-old McDavid is in es since 2015. The Oilers
secutive games in nearly the first season of an eight- fired general manager
three months. year, $100 million contract, Peter Chiarelli and coach
“I don’t have an answer for Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel, right, and Edmonton Oilers and the 22-year-old Eichel Todd McLellan in separate
you right now,” Eichel said forward Connor McDavid, left, battle for position during the first is in the first season of an moves this season. The Sa-
following a 5-2 loss at Toron- period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, March. 4, 2019, in eight-year, $80 million deal. bres dismissed GM Tim Mur-
to on Saturday, a day after Buffalo N.Y. Their respective teams ray and coach Dan Bylsma
beating Pittsburgh. Associated Press have barely made a dent in April 2017.
What’s becoming abun- so-called “once-in-a-gen- player,” Sabres forward in the standings, with both It doesn’t come close to
dantly clear since McDavid eration” star to transform Kyle Okposo said before entering the final month of the expectations right af-
and Eichel were selected a losing team into a con- a 4-3 loss to the Oilers on the season in jeopardy of ter the 2015 draft in Florida,
with the top two picks in tender. Monday night. “They can missing the playoffs. where the Canadian-born
the 2015 draft is it takes “It’s a team sport. Things certainly help. But it’s a col- The comparisons are strik- McDavid was picked first
more than the arrival of a don’t get fixed with one lective effort.” ing. and the American Eichel
second, to the delight of
each team’s respective
fan base.
As much as McDavid and
Eichel dislike the compari-
sons to each other, they’re
in agreement in saying
how unfair the expecta-
tions were.
“I don’t think that’s pos-
sible at all,” McDavid said
of one player changing
a franchise’s trajectory. “I
don’t think in this league,
where it’s so competitive
each and every night, that
one guy can change it.”
McDavid has won two
scoring titles and was the
league’s MVP in 2017.
Overall, McDavid’s 348
points (120 goals, 228 as-
sists) in 271 games are third
among NHL players since
2015-16. Eichel has 249
points (98 goals, 151 assists)
in 272 games, and ranks
29th over the same span
following Monday’s game.
Inconsistency has all but
scuttled the Sabres’ play-
off chances this season.
In going 13-22-6 since a
10-game winning streak in
November, they’ve gone
from briefly sitting atop
the Eastern Conference
standings to 11th, and nine
points out of contention.
It’s a slide during which Buf-
falo has failed to win con-
secutive games since Dec.
11-13. Eichel has been
among the few constants.
His worst point drought last-
ed five games.q