Buffalo Sabres name Jack Eichel captain

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel (15) looks on during the first period of an NHL hockey game. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP)

The Buffalo Sabres have named Jack Eichel as captain, the team announced Wednesday.

Eichel has been the face of the rebuilding franchise ever since he was drafted second overall in 2015, and the decision to name him captain was certainly expected. He was part of the club’s leadership group last season, a year in which the team did not have a captain. (Brian Gionta wore the ‘C’ from 2014-17 but wasn’t re-signed as a free agent.) The 21-year-old is going into his fourth NHL season — the first of his eight-year, $80-million extension he signed last summer. In 209 career NHL games so far, he has registered 73 goals and 177 points and has led the team in points the past two seasons.

Zach Bogosian and Kyle Okposo were named alternate captains.

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