After missing the first 21 games of the season with a high-ankle sprain, Jack Eichel had an immediate impact both on and off the ice for the Buffalo Sabres when he returned last week.
In four games since, Eichel has three goals and one assist for four points. He has been dynamic and his presence has brought balance to the lineup of the Sabres, who are 2-1-1 in his four games.
On Tuesday, Eichel and the Sabres will host the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid. McDavid and Eichel, who were drafted first and second, respectively, in 2015, will be forever linked. The initial hype about their expected rivalry has subsided a bit, but the two were front and center as teammates for Team North America during the World Cup of Hockey in September.
While Eichel was rehabbing his injury, McDavid -- along with Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews and Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine -- started the season with a bang. McDavid leads the league in points and Laine has been in or shared the league lead in goals. Now that Eichel is back, he's ready to make up for lost time.
ESPN.com was there for his return and sat down with the second-year NHLer to talk about representing Team USA, getting creative, and the state of his rivalry with McDavid.
ESPN.com: How much fun has it been to be back?
Jack Eichel: It's been a lot of fun. It's been nice to see some goals on the board, nice to win and just nice to be back in the lineup playing, contributing.
ESPN.com: Did being sidelined make you realize how much you missed the game?
Eichel: Yeah, absolutely. Hockey is everything to me, so when you're away from it for as long as I was, it definitely bites at you and makes you that much more excited to get back.
ESPN.com: Many describe the crop of young talent in the league today as the "Golden Age of Youth." What does it mean for you to be a part of that group?
Eichel: More and more younger guys are getting opportunities and making the most of them. It's great for our league and fans. The game is obviously in a good place now, and we're going to keep doing the things that we're doing.
ESPN.com: It's going to be a big deal in the hockey world every time you play against Connor McDavid. Now that you know him better after being teammates for Team North America during the World Cup, what will it be like when you face him on Tuesday?
Eichel: It's the Edmonton Oilers versus the Buffalo Sabres for two points.
ESPN.com: How have you dealt with all the hype surrounding the start of your career?
Eichel: I've put all that past me and just want to be an impact player. I've played a year in the NHL now and I've played in the World Cup. We have a good fan base and they obviously appreciate me and our team. So as a group, we just try to use it as support and build off of it.
ESPN.com: When you made that jump from Boston University to the professional level, how long did it take you to get used to the speed of the game at this level?
Eichel: You get used to it pretty quickly. For me, it was a lot about confidence and realizing that you can make plays at this level. Last year, there was definitely a little bit of a transition at the beginning of the year, but the second half of the season things started to fall into place. It was important that I had played 40 games the year before at BU. Then it was about becoming more of a pro on a day-to-day basis, taking care of yourself a little bit better, more time at the gym throughout the days. I know I've only played three games [through Sunday], but going through rehab and things like that, preparing for each practice a little bit better each time you go on the ice -- it all adds up.
McDonald: How much focus have you put on your defensive game?
Eichel: That's probably one of the most important things for me. However I can find a way to contribute to our team and help us win -- whether that's scoring goals or playing [sound] defensively -- that's how I want to be. Some of the plays our team had made down the stretch ... if we don't make those, maybe we don't win the game. A lot goes into winning games at this level. As a group, we're starting to learn that. And, realizing how tight it is each night, we just want to be on the right side of these games.
McDonald: What advice would you give a young player today?
Eichel: Just make sure you enjoy the game. Don't get caught up in being stressed over what you're going to do. I've seen so many kids who kind of overthought it. Hockey's a game. Go to practice every day and try to get better. I'm a big believer that if you want success, it's up to you. Your own success is all in your own hands. So, if you want to be great, you can be great.
My dad instilled that mindset in me -- that however good you want to be, however far you want to take this game -- is just up to you and how hard you want to work and what type of sacrifices you want to make. That being said, I've been fortunate enough to have a lot of good people with me throughout my hockey career. More than anything, hard work is the key to everything in life, and hockey's no different.
McDonald: You're a creative player. How important is it to have that creativity in today's game?
Eichel: It's huge. There's a lot of coaching in today's game, and if you're going to win, you need to play a tight game. It's important for the fans to be able to see some creativity on the ice. It's exciting, and obviously it creates offense. Some of the best players in our game are the most creative and do some of the craziest things. I've even tried to become more creative within the last year. Watching hockey, seeing the tendencies of other players and what they like to do, I've just tried to mimic it.
McDonald: Can you learn to be creative? Or is it all instinct?
Eichel: It's a little bit instinctive, but you can learn it. If you're a student of the game and you watch it as much as I do, you're going to pick up on the things other people do -- and pick up tendencies of defensemen -- and build a little bit of an advantage for yourself.
McDonald: How much does communication play into being creative?
Eichel: That's something you build, chemistry and understanding the players you're playing with. I've played with Sam Reinhart a lot. We're trying a lot of different things in practice, and we try to carry that over into games. We talk a lot about it and I think it works pretty well. It comes with getting to know your linemates and the people you play with.
McDonald: You've represented Team USA in other international events. What would it mean to play in the 2018 Olympics?
Eichel: It would be great. It's a long ways away, but it's something I would love to do. I've [played for Team USA] a lot, but being able to do it for the national team, build a lot of patriotism, and I would take a lot of pride in it. You're representing your whole country and I always like doing it.
McDonald: You're a student of the game. If you had the opportunity to sit down and talk hockey with one former player, who would it be?
Eichel: That's a tough one, because there are so many I would want to talk to. Wayne Gretzky has the most points ever and he's the best player of all time, so probably him.