BUFFALO, N.Y. — Whatever aspirations Buffalo Sabres second-year center Jack Eichel had of representing the United States at the Winter Olympics have been put on indefinite hold. Same goes for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rookie-of-the-year candidate Auston Matthews.

The NHL closed the door on USA Hockey’s next generation of stars — and the league’s players from every other nation, for that matter — by abruptly announcing it wouldn’t compete at the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea.

“It’s a little bit disappointing as a player who takes a lot of pride in representing his country and who’s done it before,” Eichel said. “As a young kid just breaking into the league it’s something I definitely watched growing up and looked forward to.”

The news hurt even more for Eichel when recalling how he and Matthews showed glimpses of their potential playing together on Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey.

The NHLPA said in a statement that players are “extraordinarily disappointed and adamantly disagree with the NHL’s shortsighted decision.”