But a pair of ankle sprains his next two seasons kept him on the sidelines for long stretches, much to the frustration of Eichel and Sabres fans who watched him get drafted No. 2 overall in 2015.
He was minutes away from finishing the final practice before the 2016-17 season when he injured his left ankle at practice, forcing him to miss the first 21 games of his second campaign with the Sabres.
Last season offered more frustration. Entering a game in Boston against the Bruins, Eichel feels he was playing the best hockey of his pro career.
But then he got tangled up behind the net with Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
Eichel is entering his fourth pro season in a great frame of mind.
After living in Boston the previous two summers, he decided to spend this summer living with his parents, Bob and Anne, at their North Chelmsford home. His sister, Jessie, who's he very close to, got married this summer.
"I'm excited. It's obviously a new looking team. We made some pretty major moves in the offseason. I think we got a lot faster, which is what we needed to do."