Jack Eichel scores first NHL goal (VIDEO)
The Buffalo Sabres drafted forward Jack Eichel with the second-overall pick in the 2015 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Along with Connor McDavid, who was taken first-overall by the Edmonton Oilers, Eichel is considered to be the jewel of the draft.
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In his NHL debut, the youngster from Massachusetts did not disappoint.
Jack Eichel's first career NHL goal - patience and precision. http://t.co/RUD1VNPGqq
— Mike Morreale (@mikemorrealeNHL) October 9, 2015
What a shot. Eichel shows some maturity by waiting after he receives the puck before firing an absolute missile of a wrist shot under the crossbar, pulling Buffalo within a goal of the Ottawa Senators.
The Sabres are not expected to do much in 2015-16, with some believing Buffalo is the worst team in the league. Still, folks who don the blue and gold have reason to watch and hope, with Eichel looking to be one of the best rookies the NHL has seen in some time.
Only 18 years old, Eichel was drafted out of Boston University, where he played only one season and scored 71 points in 40 games. Eichel’s performance earned him the Hobey Baker Award, which goes to the best collegiate player in the country. Eichel is only the second freshman to ever win the trophy, with Paul Kariya being the other.
Eichel originally caught the attention of scouts across North America when he played on the United States Development Team as a high school kid. In his first season on the team, Eichel scored 52 points in 58 games before exploding in 2013-14, amassing 87 points, including 38 goals, in 53 contests.