Morgans return problematic - there may well be opportunities for several | Forum

After missing the first 21 games of the season with a high-ankle sprain, Jack Eichel had an immediate impact both on and off the ice for the Buffalo Sabres when he returned last week. Mohamed Salah Liverpool Jersey .In four games since, Eichel has three goals and one assist for four points. He has been dynamic and his presence has brought balance to the lineup of the Sabres, who are 2-1-1 in his four games.On Tuesday, Eichel and the Sabres will host the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid. McDavid and Eichel, who were drafted first and second, respectively, in 2015, will be forever linked. The initial hype about their expected rivalry has subsided a bit, but the two were front and center as teammates for Team North America during the World Cup of Hockey in September.While Eichel was rehabbing his injury, McDavid -- along with Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews and Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine?-- started the season with a bang. McDavid leads the league in points and Laine has been in or shared the league lead in goals. Now that Eichel is back, hes ready to make up for lost time.ESPN.com was there for his return and sat down with the second-year NHLer to talk about representing Team USA, getting creative, and the state of his rivalry with McDavid.ESPN.com: How much fun has it been to be back?Jack Eichel: Its been a lot of fun. Its been nice to see some goals on the board, nice to win and just nice to be back in the lineup playing, contributing.ESPN.com: Did being sidelined make you realize how much you missed the game?Eichel: Yeah, absolutely. Hockey is everything to me, so when youre away from it for as long as I was, it definitely bites at you and makes you that much more excited to get back.ESPN.com: Many describe the crop of young talent in the league today as the Golden Age of Youth. What does it mean for you to be a part of that group?Eichel:?More and more younger guys are getting opportunities and making the most of them. Its great for our league and fans. The game is obviously in a good place now, and were going to keep doing the things that were doing.ESPN.com: Its going to be a big deal in the hockey world every time you play against Connor McDavid. Now that you know him better after being teammates for Team North America during the World Cup, what will it be like when you face him on Tuesday?Eichel: Its the Edmonton Oilers versus the Buffalo Sabres for two points.ESPN.com: How have you dealt with all the hype surrounding the start of your career?Eichel: Ive put all that past me and just want to be an impact player. Ive played a year in the NHL now and Ive played in the World Cup. We have a good fan base and they obviously appreciate me and our team. So as a group, we just try to use it as support and build off of it.?ESPN.com: When you made that jump from Boston University to the professional level, how long did it take you to get used to the speed of the game at this level?Eichel: You get used to it pretty quickly. For me, it was a lot about confidence and realizing that you can make plays at this level. Last year, there was definitely a little bit of a transition at the beginning of the year, but the second half of the season things started to fall into place. It was important that I had played 40 games the year before at BU. Then it was about becoming more of a pro on a day-to-day basis, taking care of yourself a little bit better, more time at the gym throughout the days. I know Ive only played three games [through Sunday], but going through rehab and things like that, preparing for each practice a little bit better each time you go on the ice -- it all adds up.McDonald: How much focus have you put on your defensive game?Eichel: Thats probably one of the most important things for me. However I can find a way to contribute to our team and help us win -- whether thats scoring goals or playing [sound] defensively -- thats how I want to be. Some of the plays our team had made down the stretch ... if we dont make those, maybe we dont win the game. A lot goes into winning games at this level. As a group, were starting to learn that. And, realizing how tight it is each night, we just want to be on the right side of these games.McDonald: What advice would you give a young player today?Eichel: Just make sure you enjoy the game. Dont get caught up in being stressed over what youre going to do. Ive seen so many kids who kind of overthought it. Hockeys a game. Go to practice every day and try to get better. Im a big believer that if you want success, its up to you. Your own success is all in your own hands. So, if you want to be great, you can be great.?My dad instilled that mindset in me -- that however good you want to be, however far you want to take this game -- is just up to you and how hard you want to work and what type of sacrifices you want to make. That being said, Ive been fortunate enough to have a lot of good people with me throughout my hockey career. More than anything, hard work is the key to everything in life, and hockeys no different.McDonald: Youre a creative player. How important is it to have that creativity in todays game?Eichel: Its huge. Theres a lot of coaching in todays game, and if youre going to win, you need to play a tight game. Its important for the fans to be able to see some creativity on the ice. Its exciting, and obviously it creates offense. Some of the best players in our game are the most creative and do some of the craziest things. Ive even tried to become more creative within the last year. Watching hockey, seeing the tendencies of other players and what they like to do, Ive just tried to mimic it.McDonald: Can you learn to be creative? Or is it all instinct?Eichel: Its a little bit instinctive, but you can learn it. If youre a student of the game and you watch it as much as I do, youre going to pick up on the things other people do -- and pick up tendencies of defensemen -- and build a little bit of an advantage for yourself.McDonald: How much does communication play into being creative?Eichel: Thats something you build, chemistry and understanding the players youre playing with. Ive played with?Sam Reinhart?a lot. Were trying a lot of different things in practice, and we try to carry that over into games. We talk a lot about it and I think it works pretty well. It comes with getting to know your linemates and the people you play with.McDonald: Youve represented Team USA in other international events. What would it mean to play in the 2018 Olympics?Eichel: It would be great. Its a long ways away, but its something I would love to do. Ive [played for Team USA] a lot, but being able to do it for the national team, build a lot of patriotism, and I would take a lot of pride in it. Youre representing your whole country and I always like doing it.McDonald: Youre a student of the game. If you had the opportunity to sit down and talk hockey with one former player, who would it be?Eichel:?Thats a tough one, because there are so many I would want to talk to. Wayne Gretzky has the most points ever and hes the best player of all time, so probably him. Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool Jersey . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Roberto Firmino Liverpool Jersey . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. http://www.liverpoolgear.us/...ke-Liverpool-Jersey/ . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday.Haseeb Hameed and Ben Duckett look to be the likely beneficiaries of the decision by Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan to miss the tour of Bangladesh, as Englands selectors prepare to name their Test and ODI squads.A recall for off-spinner Gareth Batty, who will be 39 by the time the Test series starts, is also anticipated, as well as his Surrey team-mate, Zafar Ansari.Duckett, who has enjoyed an outstanding season with Northants, looks set to come into the limited-overs squad, while Hameed has emerged as the likely replacement for Hales as Alastair Cooks opening partner in the Test squad.Other uncapped players with a chance of a call-up include the left-arm spinner Jack Leach, as well as Durhams opening batsman Keaton Jennings and the Surrey wicketkeeper, Ben Foakes.England look set to name an unusually large 17-man squad for the two-Test series, plus a 15-man squad for the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh. And, while the tour moves straight into a Test series in India without warm-up games, the ECB have specified that this squad will cover the Bangladesh segment only.The most contentious decisions ahead of the announcement of the Test squad (at 10am on Friday) focus on the identity of Cooks new opening partner, the identity of the reserve wicketkeeper and the identity of the sides third (and perhaps fourth) spin bowler.While Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid are sure to be named as the two main spinners in the squad, the battle for the remaining places is intriguing. Batty, despite his age, is expected to return as an experienced pro, with Ansari a strong possibility despite an injury-ravaged year. Jack Leach may have to be content with a Lions tour despite 58 Championship wickets at a cost of 22.60 this season.Liam Dawson, who has claimed only 15 Championship wickets at an average of 46.80 this season but is seen as a good controlling bowler, is expected to miss out, as is Ollie Rayner who has claimed 50 Championship wickets this season.The selectors have a similarly tricky decision to make over the opening position. While Sam Robson has looked in good touch this season - Warwickshire believe he played Jeetan Patel, Division Ones leading wicket-taker, better than anyone - it seems Hameed is the one who has made the biggest impression on the selectors. Aged just 19 and with fewer than 20 first-class games behind him, his selection would, in some ways, constitute a gamble. But he has impressed with his tight technique and unflustered temperament - his director of cricket at Lancashire, Ashley Giles, compares his hatred of losing his wicket as simiilar to that of Jonathan Trotts - and Englands head coach, Trevor Bayliss, is understood to have been impressed by the footage he has seen of him in action. Virgil van Dijk Liverpool Jersey. Jennings success this season is hard to ignore, though. Nobody in the top division of the County Championship has scored more runs - he has made 1,522 at 69.18 - or as many centuries (seven). Having just qualified for England (he is the son of Ray Jennings, the former South Africa wicketkeeper), he has made a compelling case for selection.Mark Wood looks sure to return, while James Vince looks set to miss out. Gary Ballance is another who faces an anxious wait, though he may well have done just enough.The choice of reserve wicketkeeper comes down to a choice between Foakes and Jos Buttler. Foakes has only had one full season as first-choice keeper, but is clearly a special talent, while Buttler has, at this stage, played only one red-ball game since he was dropped from the Test team last October. His record against spin isnt wonderful, either, though his talent is unquestioned and his appointment as stand-in ODI captain demonstrates the managements faith in his character.There was a time when the selectors suggested that nobody would be selected for England unless they had previously come through the Lions system. There is some sense in that stance, too, as it gives the management an idea of how their players will react in a new environment and, often, at a slightly higher level.But that isnt an option this time. The ECB did not arrange any red-ball cricket for the Lions over the winter of 2015-16 or over the summer of 2016, so there has been no chance to see how Jennings or Hameed might cope. To be fair, both have developed from relative obscurity and would have been unlikely candidates for a Lions tour this time last year.This winter, the Lions are hoping to play two four-day games (and five limited-overs games) in Sri Lanka and, subject to agreements, a three-day game against Afghanistan in Dubai before Christmas. The squad for those tours will be named on Monday.While Duckett is a pretty clear choice for the ODI squad - it is by no means impossible that a successful debut would render Eoin Morgans return problematic - there may well be opportunities for several other fringe players (the likes of Sam Billings and Dawid Malan, among them) if, as expected, England rest the likes of Joe Root and Moeen from the limited-overs section of the tour. Cheap Hoodies From China Discount NFL Shirts Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale China Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Fast Shipping China Jerseys Stitched Jerseys ' ' '