Buffalo Sabres To Pick Second In 2015 NHL Draft

As announced this evening, the Buffalo Sabres will hold the second-overall selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

The Edmonton Oilers won the draft lottery and will pick first overall for the fourth time in six years.

Connor McDavid, ranked as the top pick heading into the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, is still in the midst of his season with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League.

McDavid began his OHL career in 2012, at the young age of just 15 years old. He was granted exceptional status and permitted to play in the OHL before the age of 16.

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At 15, McDavid racked up 66 points in 63 games in his rookie OHL season. He had 25 goals and 41 assists, good for second on the team. Only captain Connor Brown had more goals, and beat out McDavid by just three points for the team scoring lead.

His sophomore season saw McDavid produce on a higher level, with 99 points in just 56 regular season games. He had 28 goals and 71 assists and was a plus-47 in the regular season alone.

As the Otters went to the postseason, McDavid had 19 points – 4 goals and 15 assists – in 14 playoff games.

This season, his third in the OHL, McDavid has been playing at an even more incredible level. In just 47 regular season games, McDavid scored 120 points. He missed part of the season due to the World Juniors, and another portion due to an injury sustained during a fight, but played at an unreal level the rest of the season.

As the OHL playoffs continue, McDavid has 23 points in just nine games so far. The Otters have reached the conference finals and will face the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds beginning next week for a chance at the OHL championship.

Jack Eichel’s freshman season with Boston University was an equally impressive one. He just won the Hobey Baker award — the first freshman to win the award since Paul Kariya did it in 1993.

He was named both rookie of the year and player of the year, and was one of three forwards named to HEWBA’s All-Hockey East First Team.

Just today, Eichel was named to Team USA for IIHF World U-18 championships, being held in Prague, Czech Republic in May.

Eichel has already hit the ice in Buffalo before, as he suited up in the All-American Prospects Game last September that was held at First Niagara Center. It was, for many Sabres fans, the first chance to see his talent on the ice, but now, Sabres fans will get plenty of chances to see what he can do, beginning with the U-18s.

Eichel had a goal and an assist and received Player of the Game Honors.

The North Chelmsford, Massachusetts native has represented the United States on numerous stages, too.

An alumni of the U.S. National U-17 and U-18 teams, Eichel represented the US in the Men’s Under-18 World Championships in both 2013 and 2014, winning a silver and gold medal. He registered 10 points (5-5) in seven games during the 2014 tournament, and two points (1-1) in the 2013 championship.

Eichel was named one of Team USA’s top three players for the 2014 tournament, as voted by the coaches. He also played for the U.S. National U-18 team that won the Five Nations Tournament in Russia in 2014; Eichel registered seven points (3-4) in four games and has previously played in the Four Nations Tournament, World Under-17 Challenge and Winter Youth Olympic Games.

Jack Eichel also played in the IIHF World Junior Championships in both 2014 and 2015, when the US won fifth place both years. Altogether in his young career, Eichel has put up nine points (2-7) in 10 World Juniors games and he’s still going to be eligible for the tournament in years to come.

Eichel was recently named an assistant captain by BU for next season, presumably just an honorable move considering the extremely slim chance that he returns to college. It’s likely that he comes right to the NHL, and imagine this:

A Buffalo Sabres lineup with Jack Eichel or McDavid, Sam Reinhart, Evander Kane, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nikita Zadorov…. a new head coach behind the bench…. plus whatever pieces come in via trade or free agency. That’s a pretty sweet deal either way, and assuming that McDavid gets selected first overall, Eichel will be a great addition to the Buffalo Sabres lineup.

Both McDavid and Eichel have an incredible amount of talent, and regardless of which one gets selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the second overall pick, there are plenty of exciting moments to come in the team’s future. You can’t go wrong either way.

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