EBERLE PASSES AROUND THE CREDIT

Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
rPublished: Friday, October 12, 2007

r

Jordan Eberle is the leading goal-scorer in the WHL, which apparently makes him the luckiest goal-scorer in the WHL.

r

At least, that's what he'd have you believe.

r

The Regina Pats' right-winger has a habit of downplaying his personal success by attributing it to a combination of his linemates and old-fashioned good luck.
rEberle must be getting a lot of "lucky bounces" this season, since he's currently No. 1 in the league with seven goals in just six games.

r

"You try not to think about stuff like that," Eberle said of being the WHL's top-ranked sniper. "When it happens, it's nice to know, but it's a lot easier when you're playing with guys like Tim Kraus and Michael MacAngus. Any guy could be up there right now."

r

As the saying goes, you have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good. Eberle is a mixture of both.

r

The 17-year-old Regina native potted a hat trick in Friday's 4-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors. Two of the goals were vintage Eberle — right place, right time, quick release — while the other marker was a centering pass that went off a defender's skate.

r

"You can't get much luckier than that," he said with a laugh. "At the same time, my focus is you have to work hard. When you work hard you're going to get bounces like that."

r

Eberle, who led the Pats last season with 28 goals in 66 games as a WHL rookie, is the early front-runner in the league scoring race despite the fact he missed two games with tonsillitis.

r

Some quick math reveals that he's on pace to record 82 goals this season. It may be a worthless stat, but it does illustrate just how good he has been in the early going.

r

"It doesn't surprise me," Pats GM Brent Parker said of Eberle's production, which also includes four assists for 11 points. "He's a gifted player. He thinks the game so well and is such a smart player that he gets himself in position to get pucks in scoring positions. And he certainly knows what to do when he does get it."

r

Kraus has only been Eberle's linemate for three games, but he's already amazed by the composure and puck sense of the youngster. In particular, Kraus noted Eberle's veteran-like ability to "slow everything down" when he's under pressure.

r

"I've seen a lot of skilled players come through this league and he's probably one of the most skilled," said Kraus, 20, a former Memorial Cup champion with the Vancouver Giants. "I played with (current NHLer) Gilbert Brule and watched him when he was 16, 17. Gilbert, he's a different (kind of) player. The things he did in this league are pretty impressive. I've only seen Eberle for a little bit but he has just as much, maybe more skill than Gilbert had."

r

Not that you'd know it by talking to him.

r

"I don't think that him (downplaying his success) is a line of B.S.," added Parker. "He has a real belief in his ability but he's also very humble. I think he is appreciative of playing with good players and he understands that without the efforts of other guys he doesn't get those opportunities. He has lots of learning to do still and lots of developing to do, but because he has such a good temperament and a good head for the game, I just see him continuing to grow and get better and better."