When the puck drops on USA Hockey's All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo on Thursday night, all eyes are going to be glued to No. 9 in blue. Though the 2015 NHL Entry Draft is about nine months away, Jack Eichel is becoming one of the hottest names in hockey right now and with good reason.The 18-year-old North Chelmsford, Ma s., native is viewed as the next great American prospect. Some have said he's the most exciting since 2007 No. 1 overall pick , others even going back as far as Mike Modano, who went first overall in 1988. Though both of those may be too-lofty comparisons, there's no question that the hype is building around Eichel.He'll be suiting up for Boston University in a few weeks as the college hockey season starts, but before he can do that, he will be the featured player in Thursday night's prospects game. Now in its third year of existence, the All-American Prospects
Dennis Seidenberg Kids Jersey Game is meant to provide a showcase for both scouts and hockey fans of the top American-born players eligible for that year's draft. Given the hype surrounding the game this year, it even got a home on TV on the Network in the US.Over the next nine months, the players competing in this game will be watched closely as fill out their draft boards, but there will probably be no player more scrutinized than Eichel himself. Considered the only real threat to consensus No. 1 pick Connor McDavid, Eichel carries lofty expectations in what should be an extremely challenging season for the gifted center.Eichel's profile has been high in scouting circles for years now. He was a top performer at the 2012 Youth Olympic Games for Team USA and ever since, he has just gotten better.Over the past two years at the vaunted National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich., Eichel put up 139 points in 111 games. His 87 points with the US National Under-18 Team during the 2013-14 season was the most since Kane put up 102 in 2005-06 at the NTDP. Eichel's season was tied for the fourth-most productive all-time for a program that has developed the likes Kane, , and . For him to knock McDavid from the top spot is going to be a tall order, especially since Eichel will be attempting to
Noah Dobson Women Jersey make an impact as a true freshman in college hockey this season. He will go up against players that are going to be, in some cases, five years older. Though he won't be judged on production alone, it could prove difficult for Eichel to put up the gaudy numbers often a sociated with top-level picks.Eichel, who would have been a senior in high school this year had he not accelerated his schooling to enter BU early, enters college hockey as its most anticipated freshman since Ke sel and in 2005-06.Toews, who ended up as the third overall pick at the 2006 NHL Draft, can attest to the difficulty in producing as he had 39 points in 42 games at the University of North Dakota in his draft season. By college standards, that's fantastic even if it doesn't look like the 100-plus points some of his counterparts in the Canadian major junior ranks were putting up. Ke sel had a dynamite freshman year with 51 points in 39 games and he managed to slip to fifth overall despite going into the season as a favorite to be the No. 1 pick. There are definitely going to be challenges ahead for Eichel, but if he succeeds in meeting them throughout the year, he'll have a chance to remain in the first-overall discu sion.The NHL's draft age requirements have changed over the years, which means most players are selected in the draft before they ever get to college. Only two players in the history of the draft have been selected first overall directly from college hockey -- Rick DiPietro
Ryan Pulock Jersey in 2000 and Joe Murphy in 1986. went first overall in 2006, but that was the year before he entered the University of Minnesota. Eichel will be looking to enter a pretty exclusive group as a result.Though Eichel is going to get a lot of attention, he is part of another interesting storyline to follow heading into this draft season. The American cla s overall for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft has the potential to be one of the better groups in recent memory. As of right now, 17-year-old defenseman Noah Hanifin is widely viewed as the No. 3 prospect in this draft. The gifted two-way blueliner also accelerated his schooling to attend college early. He'll be patrolling the blue line for Boston College this year, so the two best American prospects of the
Islanders Blank Jersey year will e sentially be in the same area, which is going to make for some fun games in that heated rivalry.Hanifin and Eichel have a chance to become the first American duo to go in the top three since the 2007 NHL Entry Draft when Kane and van Riemsdyk went first and second overall.That 2007 draft also included 11 American-born first rounders, including New York Rangers defenseman , Montreal Canadiens sniper and St. Louis Blues defenseman , all of whom were US Olympians this year. Depending on which preseason draft lists you subscribe to, there are about 11 American-born players, give or take a few, who have a legitimate shot at being first-round picks in 2015. All of them will be participating in the All-American Prospects Game at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo on Thursday on NHL Network at 7 p.m. ETHere's a look at some of the top American players to watch heading into the season.Jack Eichel (F, Boston University, NCAA):The game looks easy to Eichel, a lanky center with deceptive speed. He was a top performer as an underage player at the World Junior Championship last year and was dominant at the National Team Development Program. A suming he performs up to the standard he set for himself last season, Eichel is probably going to be ready to hop directly into the NHL after his draft season. At 6-feet-2 and 195 pounds, Eichel uses his frame well in puck protection and has a knack for getting to the tough scoring areas with a mix of power and skill. Noah Hanifin (D, Boston College, NCAA): Hanifin is going to get challenged as a 17-year-old playing college hockey, but there's such poise and fluidity in his game. Hanifin is an elite skater with good puck skills. His hockey IQ is
Anthony Beauvillier Jersey extremely high as he makes a lot of good, mature decisions with the puck. If he can manage the college transition as smoothly as his skills should allow him to, it will only strengthen his already sound draft stock.Colin White (F, US National U18 Team, USHL): White turned heads last year at the NTDP by putting up 33 goals and 63 points. He particularly stood out in leading the US to the championship at the World U17 Challenge with a staggering 18 points in six games. His offensive skills are on point, and he's on a lot of radars as a potential top-10 pick right now. He is slated to attend Boston College next fall.Kyle Connor (F, Youngstown Phantoms, USHL): The USHL often doesn't get enough credit for just how challenging it is for individual players, which is why Connor's 74 points i
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