Since joining Vegas he’s averaged more than a point per game during the regular season with 343 (127 goals, 216 assists) in 315 appearances. He has 61 career postseason points (12 goals, 49 assists), all with Vegas, including 26 (six goals, 20 assists) during the Golden Knights march to the Cup three years ago.
Add it all up, and his journey, he says, has brought him something important: “Perspective.”
“You know, I dealt with a lot of time off there,” he said, searching to find the right words. “I dealt with a little bit of turmoil with the team that I was a part of. I dealt with a major injury and a lot of time away from the game. And, well, yeah, I mean, it was definitely really tough at times. Obviously I landed in a tremendous situation here in Vegas, and have so much pride in being part of this organization, them giving me a chance to get my health back, and obviously start playing again, and then be a part of the special things that we’ve been able to do here.
“But there were definitely some low points for me. And as I look back on them, obviously a lot’s changed in the last however many years, since, you know, since those things were going on. Just a lot of people, a lot of friends and family, and people that were in my corner, that kind of helped me, you know, dig myself out of it, and put myself in this position.
“Again, really grateful for all them, and obviously this organization.”
Being able to hoist the Cup over his head without significant pain in 2023 was the pinnacle of his career to that point. Now he’ll try to do that again, less than four months after becoming an Olympic champion in Milan.
With team leaders like Eichel, captain Mark Stone and defenseman Shea Theodore having all been part of that previous Vegas championship, there is no doubt this group understands what it takes to get four more wins. Whether they can pull it off, well, that remains to be seen.
“I think you can take lessons from experience that you’ve had, whether it be playing big games in the past,” Eichel said. “Obviously a lot of guys were here for that ’23 run, and there’s guys in this room that have played big games in other scenarios. I think you draw from those.
“But I think every day, every series, every game, whatever you want to say, has its own story. So you try to focus on that.”
