BUFFALO – Your long wait is over, Sabres fans. Jack Eichel said this morning that “if the opportunity presented itself to make the team” next season, he would wear No. 15.
Of course, minutes after he mentioned the number, the Sabres tweeted a limited number of Eichel No. 15 jerseys will be available tonight at the First Niagara Center prior to the development camp scrimmage.
Eichel has been wearing No. 41 this week, a number that was given to him. He wore No. 9 at Boston University, a number worn by Evander Kane. Why did he pick No. 15?
“I had a few numbers that I had in mind,” he said. “I didn’t really want to make it seem like I was already content on making the team. It’s a number that my sister’s worn and my dad’s worn and I have worn before. It’s their lucky numbers and happened to be the year I got drafted. I like the number. It would be really nice to wear it if the opportunity presents itself to be on the Sabres next year.”
He said about No. 41: “It was just a number and I’m sure I’ll get another number at training camp. Fifteen’s not my number until I make the team. I think that’s really about it.”
Expect to see plenty of Eichel jerseys in the crowd tonight. More than 13,000 tickets have been sold.
From hockey-reference.com, here are the No. 15s in Sabres history:
