Jack Eichel Injury Update: Sabres star out 4-6 weeks

It looks like the Buffalo Sabres will have to survive a while without star forward Jack Eichel.

As per TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the Sabres are anticipating that Jack Eichel will be out 4-6 weeks. Eichel appeared to suffer an ankle injury at Wednesday’s morning skate, but for now, there is no official diagnosis.

The 19-year-old center appeared to be in pain after going down during a drill at practice. Here is a video of the injury for those who have yet to see it.

Teammates helped Eichel off the ice, and he appeared to favor his left leg. This is not a good sign going forward for Buffalo, who open their season Thursday against Montreal. Eichel was the team’s second-leading scorer in 2015-16, posting 24 goals and 56 points.

Thankfully, they have what it takes to win without the 2015 second-overall pick. Ryan O’Reilly and Sam Reinhart are expected to step up in Eichel’s absence. Reinhart can slot in as the first-line center after finishing third on the team in scoring (42 points) last season.

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Hopefully, the official diagnosis doesn’t prolong the timetable for Eichel’s return. The Sabres will further evaluate the situation when more information comes out. For now, however, they are only focused on filling the void in their offensive lineup. And, if this is long-term, Buffalo will need to work hard to keep their playoff hopes alive for this season.

This is also unfortunate news for the NHL as Eichel is one of the rising stars in the sport after he was taken with the No. 2 pick in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. Not having him on the ice will be a blow to the Sabres to be sure, but also to the game who will be without one of the sports future stars.