Scheifele says Eichel should win Hart Trophy: 'He can do it all'

Mark Scheifele gave Jack Eichel one of the greatest compliments the Buffalo Sabres captain could receive from a peer when the Winnipeg Jets forward said Eichel should win the Hart Trophy for the 2019-20 campaign.

"Whenever we play Buffalo, he's the first guy we look to try to nullify," Scheifele wrote of Eichel for a Players' Tribune article naming his award winners for the season. "He's a monster in the offensive end and an absolute pain to play against when you're trying to score. He can do it all. He's one of the most complete forwards in the game. And he doesn't take a shift off."

The Hart Trophy recognizes "the player judged to be the most valuable to his team," and Scheifele notes that although there were several deserving talents, Eichel was his pick based on that description.

"I've been watching a lot of the Sabres this year whenever I get the time because of how dominant he is when he's on the ice," Scheifele said. "Every time he steps out there he seems like he's just got another gear over everyone else. To do that night in and night out? That's impressive."

Eichel has been sensational for the Sabres this season, netting a career-high 36 goals in 68 games. His 78 points are 28 more than his next-closest teammate and his nine game-winning goals rank second in the NHL. Eichel's 17-game point streak was also the longest in the league this season.

When the season was suspended in March, the 23-year-old center was on pace for a career-best 93 points. That would have marked the highest single-season total by a Sabres player since Daniel Briere notched 95 during the 2006-07 campaign.

Scheifele also named his picks for a couple of other awards, selecting Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes as his Calder Trophy winner and Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck as the Vezina Trophy winner.

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