Eichel: Sabres 'think we can be a playoff team'

Jack Eichel believes the Buffalo Sabres are bound to take a big step forward after last season's disappointment.

Despite bringing in Kyle Okposo and Dmitry Kulikov last summer, the Sabres finished with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference. Eichel insists the Sabres are still confident in themselves and expects this offseason's changes at the top to help.

"We think we can be really good," Eichel said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "We think we can be a playoff team. That's what's important. We have to go into training camp with the right mindset, get the season off and running, put our best foot forward."

The Sabres fired general manager Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma in April, replacing them with Jason Botterill and former Nashville Predators assistant coach Phil Housley, respectively.

"We have a new GM, new coaches, so it's a new situation for all of us and we have to look at it with the right mindset," Eichel said. "No bad relationships. No opinions. It's important for a lot of guys who might have been on the wrong foot."

At the time of the firing, there were reports that Eichel told management he wouldn't sign an extension if Bylsma remained the team's head coach, though Eichel denied the report.