Jack Eichel 'in game shape' for Sabres

BUFFALO -- Center Jack Eichel returned to Buffalo Sabres practice Wednesday ready to take what he learned playing for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey 2016 into his second NHL season.
Team North America captivated fans with its up-tempo brand of hockey but ultimately fell short. Despite defeating Team Sweden 4-3 in overtime in its final preliminary-round game, one of the most entertaining of the tournament, and finishing 2-1-0, it failed to advance to the semifinals.

"Unfortunately, the fun ride had to come to an end and we're all a little bit bummed," Eichel said, "but I'm definitely very excited to get back to Buffalo and I've been looking forward to this season for a while now, and it's great to have one under your belt to come in here and you expect more out of yourself every day. It's a great group, and we're all excited for the season."
Eichel rejoins the Sabres after a strong rookie season when he had 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists). He was Buffalo's top goal-scorer and second in points to center Ryan O'Reilly, and second among rookie scorers to Chicago Blackhawks left wing Artemi Panarin (77 points).
Playing in the World Cup proved to be terrific preparation for the rigors of an 82-game NHL schedule.
"I think it was great," said Eichel, who had a goal and an assist in three games at the tournament. "Now you're stepping into camp and you've already played six real high-end games against the world's best and you're ready to get going and hit the ground running. I think that you're in game shape and you feel good; I feel good on the ice now. It's really nice."

Eichel said Team North America, which was comprised of players 23 or younger from the United States and Canada, let its opportunity to advance to the semifinals slip away during a brief stretch in its second preliminary-round game.
"It was obviously not the outcome that our team wanted, but looking back on it, it's hockey history, so it's great to be a part of it," Eichel, 19, said. "Looking back on it, it's probably six minutes, eight minutes in the tournament that cost us, in that second period against Russia (a 4-3 loss on Sept. 19), and you play eight bad minutes in a tournament like that and you're out after three games."
The Sabres are looking to end a five-season playoff drought, and how Eichel and fellow second-year forward Sam Reinhart each progresses in his development may determine that.
"Last year, I feel like I was dipping my toes in a little bit, a little nervous, I mean, I hadn't played in the NHL before," Eichel said. "Coming back after the World Cup, you just played against the world's best. You come back to training camp and, I think for myself, Year Two, you've got to expect a lot more out of yourself. Every day you come to the rink, be a leader, be a leader in the locker room, be a leader on the ice, be better in practice, and I think for our group, we're all excited.
"Last year, we had a lot of new faces coming in, a lot of different bodies, people didn't know each other that well. This year we come in, I mean, we came together really quickly as a team last year, and I think the second half of the year definitely showed that. We come together off the ice and that translates to on the ice. … I think that for us, training camp, we want to get better every day and figure out our identity again. Just hit the ground running in Game 1 of the season and I think as a group we have to expect more out of ourselves."