Buffalo Sabres Prospects: Jack Eichel And Team USA

The 2015 IIHF World Championships are underway in the Czech Republic, and will continue through May 17th. For Buffalo Sabres fans, this is the first chance to see how Jack Eichel will fair against NHL caliber talent.

Eichel has played on a large stage before, this past hockey season with the Boston University Terriers, he helped the organization through the Frozen Four to a National Championship appearance.

He played for Team USA at the World Juniors U18 tournament two years in a row, winning a silver medal in the 2013 games (Russia), and a gold medal in the 2014 games (Finland).

So far this year in the IIHF World Championships, on a roster playing with NHL talent against NHL talent, through three games, Eichel only has one assist and six penalty minutes. Despite Jack Eichel’s lack of scoring in the tournament, Team USA is in pretty good shape in the tournament, outscoring their opponents so far 11-4, and leading Group B with a 3-0 record, so far defeating Finland (5-1), Norway (2-1), and Russia (4-2).

Eichel’s one assist came in the game against Russia. Team USA has four more games remaining, playing Belarus, Denmark, Slovakia, and Slovenia

Rolling over their opponents so far, it looks like Team USA will be a lock for the medal round. Eichel had a slow start to the tournament, and is taking penalties that probably stand as penalties expected of a guy that is playing against NHL caliber talent for the first time.

According to John Vogl of the Buffalo News:

"The 18-year-old center, who looked calm and poised with the puck, took crucial faceoffs for the Americans and played on the first power-play unit."

Eichel may not walk into Buffalo Sabres training camp and over impress and take the league by storm next season. There is going to be a learning curve for the 18 year old center coming out of the NCAA and into the National Hockey League. Having former linemate in the locker room Evan Rodrigues will help with that transition.

He is being played in key moments of the game, and is performing as an 18 year old should. Are you concerned with the overall play of Eichel – not putting the puck in the net and taking penalties? I don’t see his draft stock falling off because of his performance, Russia was the biggest test so far for Team USA in the IIHF Worlds, and he performed well. Eichel isn’t fall off – he is hitting a learning curve, and growing with each step.

He is an 18 year old kid that will need to grow into an NHL body. At least a year will go by as he develops into the type of player the Buffalo Sabres will be looking for to lead the team into a more competitive spot in the National Hockey League. He will also be playing with better talent in the National Hockey League on the Buffalo Sabres, than the team he is playing with right now in the Czech Republic.

Jack Eichel is looking like the player the Buffalo Sabres and their fans are hoping for in the draft, and the future looks bright. What are your thoughts on the future second overall draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres?

Next: Will The Buffalo Sabres Have A Head Coach Before The Draft

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