– Cole Eichler –
Don Mills Flyers (GTHL) | Right Wing | 2019 OHL Draft Eligible
Toronto, Ontario | 6-foot, 190-pounds | March 28th, 2003
Cole Eichler is another of many highly talented Don Mills forwards this year. Often playing the wing on a line with Shane Wright and Brennan Othmann, Eichler has a keen sense of the ice and an innate ability to position himself in the right place at the right time. Not the most fluid skater in the league, Eichler still has the speed and know-with-all to play an effective role on the Flyers’ first line and top powerplay unit.
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Eichler has demonstrated the skill to compete and thrive against even the strongest of competition, totalling eight goals and 15 assists for 23 points in 16 games of tournament action this year. Eichler consistently displays an impressive compete level, especially below the dots in the offensive zone, where he battles hard for puck possession and isn’t afraid to drive the dirty areas.
Strengths:
- Net-Front Skill
- Cycle Game
- Vision
Perhaps the best way to sum up Eichler’s game is as a skilled grinder with offensive upside. He has all the essential traits that make him a valuable winger who is willing to go hard into the corners and battle along the wall for loose pucks or to force turnovers. Eichler is excellent below the dots, using his lower-body strength to protect the puck and feed his linemates.
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A beast in front of the net, Eichler can deflect pucks or hunt down rebounds, and can regularly be found doing this on the man advantage. He is an underrated playmaker as well, as he frequently displays tremendous vision and sense of the ice by finding passing lanes through traffic and by skating to a zone which offers him multiple options to distribute the rock.
Area of Improvement:
- Wrist Shot Release
Cole Eichler demonstrates all the traits of an effective power forward, but would be able to add the description of “dynamic” if he were able to improve the release of his shot. As is, Eichler shows above-average strength to his wrist shot, but more typically will score the dirty goals instead of highlight-reel worthy ones.
If Eichler were able to improve upon the release of his shot, including it’s quickness and deceptiveness, he could potentially develop into a quiet sniper. He has the strength and power to beat goaltenders, but needs to get his shot off before they have time to get square to his shooting angle. This slight adjustment would make Eichler all the more dangerous in the offensive zone, while adding another tool to his offence-generating arsenal.
Future Potential:
In short, Eichler is a strong, grinding forward who is willing to do the hard work in order to generate scoring chances for his team. He battles hard along the boards in order to turn pucks over and retain possessions in the offensive zone. Eichler is an intelligent playmaker with intriguing upside, as well as impressive vision and net-front skills.
Playing on what is arguably the top line in Ontario, Eichler consistently generates offence and plays a reliable, 200-foot game with solid speed and physicality. He projects to be a top-30 overall pick at the 2019 OHL Draft.
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