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US National Team Development Program star Jack Eichel of Chelmsford, Mass. has signed his National Letter of Intent to play college hockey at Boston University. A projected top-five pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, Eichel and his NTDP teammates just won the Gold Medal at the World Under-18 Championship.
Eichel had a terrific offensive season for Danton Cole's Under-18 team at the NTDP. He was the youngest member of the United States team at the 2014 World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden.
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Signing the LOI will not cease the repeated attempts by the QMJHL to poach Eichel, but it does further the notion that he and his family are committed to the college route.
Eichel was selected by the Halifax Mooseheads in the 2012 QMJHL Draft, but he was re-entered into the 2013 draft when he didn't sign with the Nova Scotia team. The Saint John Sea Dogs picked Eichel in the 2013 draft, but the organization is supposedly willing to trade his rights, according to Sunaya Supurji.
Sea Dogs GM Darrell Young's willingness to trade Eichel's rights lends more credence to the thought that Eichel and his family are unwilling to go the major junior route.
Boston University has one of the strongest recruiting classes in the country led by Eichel. The Terriers are coming off a disappointing first season under new head coach David Quinn, but BU should be much better in the 2014-15 campaign.