Team USA's Jack Eichel has grown into captain's role
Always being one of the youngest, at least by birth certificate, has built up to top NHL draft prospect Jack Eichel wearing the 'C' for Team USA.
Having Eichel as captain of a national junior team before he's even old enough to be drafted is, really, an accident of birth. The Boston University Terriers star, as Maine coach Red Gendron notably pointed out recently, would be in the NHL if it wasn't for the technicality of being six weeks too young to qualify for last summer's selection. Eichel's a pro already, just not in name, and he's used to speaking his mind to older players.
"Him being a leader, I think it really showed at the U18 worlds this spring," said Team USA teammate Alex Tuch, a Minnesota Wild first-rounder. "Jack had an 'A' but he was really our guy who would stand up in the middle of our locker room in between periods and tell us what we did right or wrong. It takes a lot of courage to do that, and we all support him.
"He's come a really long way in the past three years," added Tuch, who was Eichel's linemate last season with the U.S. under-18 team before they become college rivals, with the latter now playing for the Boston College Eagles with another surefire high NHL pick, defenceman Noah Hanifin. "We have a lot of unspoken leaders but he is unquestionably the captain."
Eichel took the honour as his due but was still humbled by it.
"To be honest, it could have been a few guys," he said. "I have experience in the [world junior] tournament from last year. I'm a pretty vocal guy and I just try to lead by example. I'm extremely competitive as well."
"We kind of had a leadership group that had been established in Boston [at training camp] and our coach [Mark Osiecki] grabbed a few guys on Monday and he just told us what his feelings were. We gave him feedback and I think we're all pretty happy with where things are."
Eichel added that he matured rapidly during his two seasons with the U.S. national team development program, particularly during his 16-year-old season two years ago when he was bumped up to play with the older prospects. That's led him to this place.
"I think Ann Arbor was a great experience for me," he said. " I got to play on the under-18 team when I was an under-17 [16 years old]. J.T. Compher was the captain — great leader, him and Johnny Hayden, Steve Santini. It was good seeing how those guys went about their business. And just last year with the world junior, I saw some of the older guys handled being in this type of tournament. And this year at BU, we have a great captain, [Boston Bruins draft pick] Matt Grzelcyk. He's somebody you really look up to."
Essentially, ever since he was an adolescent playing with teens four and five years older in the Boston Jr. Bruins program, Eichel has accepted that hockey demands that with great talent comes great responsibility.
"That's another great experience for me," he said. "There were a lot of older guys who went about their business the right way so I was able to grow and mature at the right age."
Team USA put on a clinic of skill and speed while trouncing Sweden 10-5 in its final WJC dress rehearsal on Tuesday in Kingston. Its concerns likely revolve around goaltending — Vancouver Canucks pick Thatcher Demko, of Boston College, hasn't exactly locked down the No. 1 job — and team defence. New Jersey Devils prospect Steven Santini, who just had the cast removed from a fractured arm on Monday, might not be at full effectiveness by the time the tournament begins in two days.
"We had a high-tempo game but I think we can tighten up a lot," said Tuch, who had 26 family members and friends make the approximately two-hour drive north from Baldwinsville, N.Y., to Kingston for Tuesdays game. "We had a few too many turnovers, so going into the tournament that has to be in the back of our mind."
The U.S. draws Finland in its opener on Boxing Day. It's unlikely they will be able to pump 10 goals past Finn goalie Juuse Saros.
"They're typically well-coached and have a good team that plays within their system," Eichel said. "They have a tough goaltender as well so we're really going to have to focus."
Eichel did not take many shifts during the final 20 minutes on Tuesday. In the second period, he needed to shake off a blow to his leg, but completed his shift. He downplayed that afterward.
"There's nothing nagging, I feel 100 per cent," he said. "Just a coach's decision."
Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.
