Freshman Hockey Star Forward Jack Eichel eyed in Talk of the the next NHL Sport

“Obviously it’s a of mine to play in the NHL,” says Eichel, “but I’ll make the jump when the time is right.”

This season, there is one Hockey and USCHO.com rankings. The difference makers. What is truly ex- reason that Sports Illustrated, ESPN, last time the Terriers topped both polls citing is that the best is yet to come for and dozens of NHL scouts come to was in November 2010. both these talented young players.” . And he’s a freshman. While he was too young (just 17) for When asked, Eichel skates grace- Jack Eichel (CGS’16), who came to the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, he will be fully around his plan for the future. “I BU as the number-one player in his eligible this June and is expected to be have a lot of things to work on and get recruiting class, according to College neck and neck for the first-place spot, better at,” he says. “I’m not going to Hockey News, is now perhaps the overall, with the Hockey put a timetable on how long I’ll be in best player in college hockey, mainly League’s Connor McDavid. The college. Obviously it’s a goal of mine to because of what head coach David competition has been the subject of play in the NHL, but I’ll make the jump Quinn describes as his “God-given feature stories in Sports Illustrated when the time is right.” ability” and competitiveness. and the Times, Eichel picked up a WEB EXTRA “When you add those two things and came to a pinnacle in Watch plastic hockey stick at an interview with Terrier up at our level, you have a special December as the two led the age of three and hockey star Jack Eichel player,” says Quinn (CAS’89). “In one- their respective countries at bu.edu/bostonia. learned the game with on-one situations, he’s as competitive in the World Junior Cham- help from his dad on as any one I’ve ever been around, and pionships. Team USA lost to Russia in a frozen pond near their home in the you add to that his size, skating ability, the quarterfinals; Canada then went blue-collar town of Chelmsford, Mass. vision, and , and you have a guy on to beat Russia in the finals to win He started playing for the Junior who can step into college hockey and the competition. Bruins (an elite hockey program) have the start he’s had.” Dan Marr, NHL director of central at 13, and moved to for USA Often compared to NHL stars and scouting, says the rivalry between the Hockey’s National Team Development Hockey Hall of Famers Mike Modano two stars will be closely watched until Program, where stars like Patrick and Mario Lemieux, the 6ˇ2ˇˇ, 194- the draft. “[They are] two remarkable Kane and Phil Kessel had developed pound forward led the Terriers to a young hockey players who make it their skills before joining the NHL. number-one spot in the nation earlier fun to go to games,” says Marr. “They Eichel skated for Team USA at the

in the season in the USA Today/USA are a real treat to watch and are both 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games SCOTT CYDNEY

8 BOSTONIA Winter–Spring 2015

04-15_Bostonia_WS15_r1.indd 8 2/4/15 2:54 PM in Austria and helped Team USA capture the gold medal at the U18 U.S. News Ranks BU 37 of World Championship in 2014. Before he turned 15, he was offered Top 500 Global Universities scholarships by BU and Boston College. And while he admits to having once Princeton Review lauds LAW faculty been an Eagles fan, he says his choice of school came down to the recruiting process, and his was led by former Boston University has men’s coach been named 37th among (SMG’68, Hon.’97), who produced 500 Best Global Universi- future NHL stars and Olympians ties in a new U.S. News & during his 40-year career at BU. World Report ranking that “It was tough for me to decide compares the academic between the two,” says Eichel. “But research and reputation BU is just a better fit for me. I liked of institutions around everything about this place, and I could the world. The rankings, see myself more as a Terrier than an published in October, Eagle. Ever since I made that decision, considered 750 universi- I’ve never doubted myself.” ties in 49 countries. With the end of Comm Ave deter- “This new ranking mined, Eichel was eager to return from U.S. News & World to Boston from the Midwest. With Report demonstrates tutoring, summer school class, and how strong our global much encouragement from his mother, competitiveness is,” says a nurse at Boston Medical Center, Jean Morrison, University Eichel finished high school in three provost. “It refl ects the The ranking is years. Because he spent the last three outstanding performance an important years away from home, his family has of our faculty, whose recognition of been making up for lost together time commitment to excel- the quality and global reach of by being in the stands for every game lence in scholarship and BU, according to they can. groundbreaking research followed closely by phys- Jean Morrison, University provost. They looked on in November as BU continues to place BU in ics, clinical medicine, and faced Maine, coming from behind to a very enviable spot both molecular biology, which tie the game. Just two minutes into nationally and globally.” received rankings of 30, category in the 2015 , they saw their son scoop up The new report cites 30, and 33, respectively. rankings (Duke was the puck behind the BU net, skate up BU’s global score of U.S. News emphasizes number one) and seventh the left side, weave around a Black Bear 66, based on 10 indica- that none of the data from in “best classroom” defenseman and, instead of gliding past tors that include global its annual Best Colleges experience among the a second defender, use him as a screen and regional research rankings, which most re- 169 law schools surveyed and snap a shot from the left circle over reputation, percentage cently put BU at number by the test preparation the ’s left shoulder to end of highly cited papers, 42 among US colleges, and college admissions the game as a 3-2 Terrier victory. international collabora- is used in the Best Glob- resources fi rm. “Eichel plays with authority,” says tion, number of PhDs al Universities rankings The Princeton Review Marr. “He always rises to the occasion. awarded, and number of and that the methodol- surveyed 19,500-plus He’s an amazing game breaker and PhDs awarded per faculty ogy used to compute law students nationally scores the timely goals, and has an member. The University the Best Global Univer- and collected information exceptional gear to pull away with the was also ranked in com- sities rankings diff ers from school administra- puck, and has the smarts and skills to parison with other leading from those used for Best tors to come up with its deliver and finish a scoring chance.” institutions on a range of Colleges and Best Grad- annual rankings in 11 Eichel says his approach to the academic subjects, from uate Schools. categories. Other catego- game will remain the same next year, medicine to economics ries besides professors no matter what happens. “I always try to neuroscience to envi- PRAISE FOR LAW FACULTY and classroom experience to play really hard,” he says. “There ronment/ecology. In The School of Law con- included “best career have been things in my career that these categories BU tinues to win high marks prospects,” “toughest to haven’t gone as well as I would like, fared best in social sci- from the Princeton Re- get into,” “best quality of but I try to use those things to moti- ences and public health, view, placing second in life,” and “most diverse

VERNON DOUCETTE vate me to work even harder.” AL with a ranking of 25, the “best professors” faculty.” RICH BARLOW

Winter–Spring 2015 BOSTONIA 9

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