Jack Eichel entered college hockey with high expectations and met all of them without issue. Even though he only played one year at Boston University, Eichel is still one of the greatest players to ever skate at the Division I men's ice hockey level.
Let's take a look back at his short, but impactful career in college.
The vitals on Jack Eichel
- School: Boston University
- Position: Center
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 192 pounds
- Years active: 2014-15
Here are Eichel's stats in his one year of college hockey.
| YEAR | GAMES | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots | Plus/Minus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | 40 | 26 | 45 | 71 | 168 | +51 |
Where did Jack Eichel go to college?
Eichel played just one year at Boston University. That year, 2014-15, BU went 28-8-5, finishing first in Hockey East and winning the Hockey East playoffs. The Terriers went all the way to the Frozen Four that spring, but lost to Hockey East rival Providence, 4-3, in the national title game. Eichel's 71-point season earned him the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which annually goes to the top NCAA men's ice hockey player in the nation. We'll get to all the other awards he racked up later on. Those 71 points led the nation and were the most ever by a freshman at BU.
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What kind of prospect was Jack Eichel before college?
Entering the 2014-15 campaign, Eichel was by far the No. 1 overall recruit in College Hockey News' rankings. Mix in the local element of Eichel being from North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and this had the makings of a perfect marriage. Shortly before walking on campus in the fall of 2014, Eichel was a top player for Team USA in the U18 World Championship, helping his squad secure the gold. In the season before BU, Eichel posted 38 goals and 87 points for the US National U18 team, which was fourth-highest in NTDP history.
What were some of Jack Eichel's best games in college?
Eichel posted a 2014-15 season more than good enough to raise his NHL draft stock to be a consensus top-two pick. The Massachusetts native would've been a No. 1 pick in almost any other draft, but a player by the name of Connor McDavid was (correctly) dubbed a once-in-a-generation talent and went No. 1 that summer to the Edmonton Oilers. The Buffalo Sabres selected Eichel at No. 2.
Here are the games that Eichel stood out the most in his one year at BU.
BU 8, UMass 1 | Nov. 10, 2014
It's hard to imagine a better tone-setter for the Eichel experience at BU. In his first game in scarlet and white, Eichel registered two goals and two assists in the dominant win at UMass. The most important part was all four points came in the third period.
BU 4, Providence 1 | Oct. 31, 2014
In what would end up being a national championship preview game, Eichel helped the Terriers secure an important, early-season win over the Friars in Providence, posting a goal and an assist.
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BU 4, Merrimack 2 | Dec. 6, 2014
Eichel assisted on all four Terrier goals, most notably setting up linemate Danny O'Regan's hat trick.
BU 6, Wisconsin 1 | Jan. 10, 2014
After a 3-3 tie in the first game of the second half of the season, Eichel led the Terriers to a big, non-conference 6-1 win over Wisconsin, potting two goals and adding two assists.
BU 9, UMass 5 | Jan. 30, 2014
Eichel posted another four-point night against UMass, this time in an offensive explosion. The four points came by way of two goals and two assists.
BU 5, UMass Lowell 2 | Feb. 6, 2015
In an important Hockey East matchup against a really good UMass Lowell squad, Eichel tallied three helpers to help lead the Terriers to a big conference win.
BU 5, UMass Lowell 3 | March 21, 2015 (Hockey East Final)
Eichel posted one of his best games of the season on the biggest stage (at that point), scoring two goals and an assist in BU's win over the River Hawks to win the Hockey East playoffs.
BU 5, North Dakota 3 | April 9, 2015
In his most important performance of the season, Eichel posted two goals and an assist to beat North Dakota in the Frozen Four semifinal.
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Awards won by Jack Eichel
With all of those great performances, Eichel had no issue winning a lot of individual awards in his season with the Terriers.
- Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner
- CCM First Team All-American
- Hockey East Player of the Year
- Hockey East Rookie of the Year (he was only the third freshman ever to claim both of those awards)
- Hockey East Tournament MVP
- Hockey East All-Tournament Team
- Hockey East First-Team All-Star
- Hockey East Player of the Month (November 2014)
- Hockey East Rookie of the Month (October & December 2014, February 2015)
Pretty impressive for just one year, wouldn't you say?
What did people say about Jack Eichel?
Then-Buffalo Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma, after his team drafted Eichel second overall: "You're talking about an elite player with elite speed and ability to accelerate down the ice. He makes everyone on the bench and in the stands notice him right away. To be able to add that to our team is pretty exciting."
Elite Prospects scout Curtis Joe in 2014: "When Jack Eichel is on the ice, the pace of the play shifts; if players can't keep up, they are left behind. A consistent scoring threat on the ice, Eichel possesses next-level hockey-IQ, an elite-level skillset and the natural size and work ethic to let him play his role as a scoring power center. All-in-all, Jack Eichel is that uncontainable, dynamic center that can make other players look out of place in his wake."
Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr prior to the 2015 NHL draft: "He is proving to be such an amazing game-breaker. He's relentless and driven on the play and has the smarts, speed and skills to deliver a needed scoring drive to tie up or win a game."
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