The furthest thing on the mind of Boston University freshman Jack Eichel these days is the 2015 NHL Draft.

Jack Eichel Boston University Terriers 2015 Beanpot (Steve McLaughlin/BU Athletics)

Eichel, No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of the top North American skaters eligible for the draft, is a projected top-two selection in the opening round on June 26 at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.

No one could blame him for living in the present at this point in the season. There's just too much going on.

Boston University is one of four programs to earn an automatic bye into the quarterfinal round of the Hockey East Tournament, something the Terriers haven't won since 2009. The Terriers (21-7-5 overall; 14-5-3 Hockey East) will play the lowest seed at Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University on March 13. The Terriers last reached the league championship game in 2013 but lost a 1-0 decision to the UMass-Lowell at TD Garden.

Eichel (6-foot-2, 196 pounds) is enjoying his first year in Beantown, both on and off the ice. He was named the Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Month for February, the fourth monthly honor from the conference this season. He had three goals and 15 points to help the Terriers win the Hockey East regular-season crown and the program's 30th Beanpot championship.

Eichel has 18 goals, 55 points and a plus-36 rating in 32 games and leads the nation with a 1.72 points-per game average. He said has enjoyed working with his coaches and teammates and thought the 'We Like Eich' promotional buttons handed out to the student body during the Beanpot final at TD Garden was a great compliment.

In an interview with NHL.com, Eichel was asked if he would consider returning to Boston University as a sophomore even after the NHL Draft.

"I don't know," he said. "That's a tough question to answer right now. It's only March and the draft is in June so it's a little bit away. I'm sure when the time comes and I have to make a decision, it will be made with my parents, my advisors, and my coaches. I really haven't put much thought into it. It's something that will be handled when the time comes and right now it's pretty important for us to live in the present and make sure we're focusing on our task at hand and that's winning our [Hockey East] playoff series."

Whichever team drafts Eichel will have his rights until after he leaves college.

To those who know Eichel, his response isn't too surprising. He, his coaches and teammates refuse to turn this season into the Jack Eichel hockey show. There has been a team-first mentality throughout and that's not about to change even with the NHL Combine and Draft on the horizon.

"You face adversity wherever you go and I think this has been a really good learning experience for me," Eichel said. "I've picked up a lot of things, not only on the ice but off. I've learned good lessons in life and have met a lot of great people along the way. It's the reason I wanted to go to college."

Eichel, who is on an eight-game point streak, is the first freshman at Boston University to reach 50 points since Tony Amonte with 58 in 1989-90. His 2.00 points-per game average (44 points in 22 games) against opponents from Hockey East is the highest since the 2.21 average produced by Jason Krog (53 points in 24 games) at the University of New Hampshire in in 1998-99. Krog was awarded the Hobey Baker Award that season as the top collegiate hockey player.

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