The Boston College Eagles have fallen on hard times in recent years, lacking the high NHL draft picks that saw them dominate college hockey for a number of years.

Of the 22 players to suit up for the Eagles this season, eight have heard their name called at a recent NHL draft. It’s a modest number, but when you dive into it, six of those eight were drafted in the fifth round or later — the other two were third-round picks — showing a decline in successful recruiting.

Throw in the Eagles missing last year’s NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009, a last-place finish in the Beanpot for the first time in over 20 years, and a 9-7-2 record through the first half of the season, and it may seem like the woes are piling on.

But coach Jerry York’s team is turning a corner as they’ve gone 8-2-1 over their past 11 games, getting hot just in time for the inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational.

BC joins Northern Michigan, Arizona State, and first-game opponent Michigan Tech for the January 5 and 6 tournament.

Watch all four games of the Ice Vegas Invitational live — only on FloHockey!

The Eagles are gaining momentum, and with a 7-3-0 record away from home ice, they could stir up some trouble in Vegas, where two wins could bring a sweeping change to the future.

“We are always thrilled to showcase our program in new and exciting parts of the country against some of the top talent across the nation,” York said in an April statement. “We are honored to be a part of this tournament and excited to get there.”

They have a chance to claim the first-ever Ice Vegas Championship, which would be the best showcasing York could ask for.

Too beautiful for words. We’re back. pic.twitter.com/YYualE94XU

— BC Hockey (@BCHockey) December 30, 2017

A successful tournament could also add to their momentum for the second half of the season and, perhaps more importantly, help put the annually competitive team get back on the recruitment radar.

York’s team currently lacks superstar players; instead, a deep roster — six players have at least four goals over the first 18 games — supports the Eagles’ attack.

But a lack of game-changing talent, which is often achieved through recruits, is visible considering BC hasn’t had a third-period comeback all season; they’re 0-5-1 when trailing after two periods.

Game-changing talent is what made BC so deadly from 2006-2012.

In 2006 and 2007, the Eagles were the runners-up for the national championship. They learned from those losses by claiming the title three times in the next five years (2008, 2010, and 2012).

Back then, those teams were stacked with high-end talent, including but not limited to Chris Kreider, Cory Schneider, Kevin Hayes, Jimmy Hayes, Brian Dumoulin, and Brian Boyle.

All six of those players were drafted in the first or second round and have gone on to be legitimate NHL players.

“It’s funny before the game, you look at our lineup and their lineup next to each other on the board and half the team went to BC,” Kevin Hayes told Greg Joyce of the NY Post. “I play with them all summer, but it’s pretty cool. We all came from the same coach [York], same classes.”

Even for friendships that are built over one or two seasons, they’re friendships that last a lifetime, which was sparked by York’s program.

The dominant years began with the goaltending of Schneider in 2006 and 2007, Boyle’s last two years with the team, which he captained in 2006-07. They helped cement the team’s elite status, which boosted the recruitment process.

Kreider, the Hayes brothers, and Dumoulin, all joined the team in the coming years, who then carried the Eagles to championships and even more recruits.

Johnny Gaudreau, Mike Matheson, Colin White, and Alex Tuch, to name a few, followed in their footsteps.

That’s back in the “good old days” — when high-end draft picks flocked to BC and winning seasons followed.

It’s a dry spell in Boston, and Ice Vegas could have a profound effect on re-sparking the winning pedigree BC established even before their 2006-12 run.

So don’t miss the tournament, which will be streamed January 5 and 6, right here on FloHockey from game one to game four.

By Jacob Messing

Have a question or a comment for Jacob? You can find him on Twitter @JMessing23.