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Eichel Effect: More than 17,000 fans attend Sabres scrimmage

2015 NHL Draft - Round One

2015 NHL Draft - Round One

Getty Images

If Buffalo Sabres fans are disappointed about their team landing Jack Eichel instead of Connor McDavid, they have a funny way of showing it.

More than 17,000 people - the Buffalo News pegs it at 17,115 - showed up to watch the Sabres scrimmage on Friday night. That’s a crowd that exceeds some NHL arena’s capacities to witness low-importance hockey in July.

(Italics seemed appropriate in a case like this.)

Even Dan Byslma, Stanley Cup-winner, was taken aback as onlookers “jammed around the rink.”

WGRZ reports that Eichel said he wasn’t surprised when hundreds showed up for a development camp practice back on Monday, but this is a pretty impressive turnout by any measure.

Fans shared a few shots of the surprising atmosphere:

Wild stuff.