Reprinted with permission from hockeybuzz.com
Jack Eichel's Boston University linemate and Terriers alternate captain Evan Rodrigues is reportedly headed to Buffalo. The 5'10" 175 lb. winger had a monster season last year finishing with 21 goals and 61 points while riding shotgun with Eichel, the "presumed" second overall pick in this year's draft. Rodrigues finished second in the nation in points and assist playing in Hockey East, one of the toughest conferences in the NCAA.
Rodrigues went undrafted and is now the second player Buffalo GM Tim Murray has signed out of college this spring. The first was RIT forward Matt Garbowsky who had 26 goals and 28 assists in 40 games. His 56 points placed him tied for 4th in the nation. With the presumed selection of Eichel at the draft this June, Murray will be bringing in three of the top five college scorers in the nation.
A right-handed shot who flourished on Eichel's left wing, Rodrigues' output this year dwarfed his previous numbers. In 105 games prior, he scored a grand total 21 goals plus a total of 39 assists, showing just how much of an impact Eichel had on BU.
Rodrigues is described as a skilled two-way forward who was able to impact the game in multiple facets according to The Daily Free Press at BU. “You guys see us play, it speaks for itself,” Eichel said back in February after Rodrigues notched a pair of milestones. “He’s so skilled, he’s so smart and he works so hard, so if you put these three things together, he’s obviously tearing it up for a reason. I really enjoy playing with him.”
Said BU coach David Quinn, "I’ve seen it ever since I got to BU. He’s just an incredibly smart player, works hard, competes, has a great skill set and he can skate. Other than that (he said with a laugh,) he can’t really do too much.”
Back on April 9th with the Terriers getting ready for the Frozen Four, Quinn had high praise for one of his senior leaders. “You don’t have 60-plus points and not be a huge reason why we’re in the situation we’re in,” said the second-year coach. “He’s made so many clutch plays, might be our best penalty killer. And he’s the most intelligent college hockey player I’ve ever seen.”
Note: Scott McLaughlin of WEEI Boston broke the story last night.
Thanks to Sarah Kirkpatrick and Conor Ryan for their work at the Free Press as well as Michael Whitmer of the Boston Globe
Links:
http://dailyfreepress.com/2015/02/07/evan-rodrigues-notches-pair-milestones-win-lowell/
http://dailyfreepress.com/2015/04/21/bu-hockeys-evan-rodrigues-to-sign-deal-with-buffalo-sabres/
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/04/08/for-senior-evan-rodrigues-turnaround-satisfying/d3EJBHS1BoWsLLUZg1fhbI/story.html
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