Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/900955
DECEMBER 2017 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 29 on the roster. Wa iting in the w ings is last year 's first-round pick, Casey Mittelstadt from Eden Prairie, Minn. I n a d d i t i o n t o H o u s l e y , w h o h a s represented the U.S. as a player and coach a t n u m e r o u s e v e n t s , t h e S a b r e s h a v e A m er i c a n s C h r i s H a j t , w h o g r e w u p i n B u f f a lo a nd pl aye d i n t he World Ju n ior C h a m p i o n s h i p , a n d To m Wa r d o n t h e coaching staff. With so many fresh faces on the roster and a new coaching staff and general manager in Jason Botterill, many obser vers believe the Sabres need a little time to adjust and grow together. "There's a lot of good players in this room a nd t her e 's a lot of go o d pie c e s ," E ic hel said. "We're a pretty tight group, so I'm just excited to see what 's going to happen when we all grow a little bit more and start to be a more consistent team, get used to each other a little bit more. " We're pretty tight off the ice as a group. I just look forward to when it translates on the ice." I n t he me a nt i me , Hou sley, w ho s p ent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Na shv ille Predators, ha s helped keep the Sabres in a good place. "He brings a good attitude ever y day, he brings a good energ y, a nd that 's what you need," Eichel said. "There's a lot of ups and downs in an NHL season, so you need that type of consistency and positivity every day at the rink." Eichel has been arguably the Sabres' most con si stent player t h i s sea son . A f ter less than three years in the leag ue, the Boston University product often dominates a game. But something else inside Eichel makes him a special player. "He's a tremendous competitor, h e w a nt s t o w i n ," Hou s le y s a i d . "Deep down, sometimes he takes too much bu rden on h i m sel f, a nd t h at 's one of t he things we're trying to help him with is that he's not a lone, this is a team game, no one individual can win a hockey game." McCabe said Eichel's "competitive nature of wanting to be the best" helps separate him from other players. " He 's a lw ay s lo ok i ng at ot her pl ayer s, ot her ga mes," McCabe sa id . " He's one of those g uys who rea lly keeps track of how other guys are doing and he really wants to be the best. "It 's one of those things that drives him ever y d ay, a nd h i s bot tom l i ne i s he ju st wants to win. … Everything thing he does, I can't say enough, he really wants to win." P Bill Hoppe is a f re ela nc e w r iter bas e d in Buffalo, N.Y. AND THE restless restless Inked to a new eight- year deal, 20-year- old superstar Jack Eichel is being counted on to deliver big things to Buffalo.