Jack Eichel spoke with Stu Grimson and Jamie Hersch of NHL Network, saying what being part of the Vegas Golden Knights organization meant to him.
Eichel’s career has not gone as he and many others believed, but since joining the Golden Knights organization, he has proven to himself and others that he is the player he once thought he could be.
Drafted second overall to the Buffalo Sabers in 2015, Eichel was supposed to be the player to rival Connor McDavid. A nearly impossible and unfair task that Eichel believed he could accomplish. With injuries and a terrible Sabers team, Eichel’s career was derailed a bit and discussions about the two stars ceased to exist.
A serious neck injury and disagreements with the Sabers over what surgery he should undergo led to a trade request and the Golden Knights swooped and acquired the North Chelmsford, Massachusetts native.
The Golden Knights allowed Eichel to have the surgery he wanted, and once he was healthy, he proved why it was the right decision. He was the driving force offensively in the Golden Knights Stanley Cup winning streak and also defeated McDavid in the playoffs.
Related: What offensive heights can Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel reach?
Now, with every Golden Knight UFA leaving this offseason, the 27-year-old will need to carry the offensive burden once again and prove he is the franchise player. The Golden Knights believe in him and he believes in the Golden Knights organization.
“Joining the organization and being a part of it is such an easy place to play hockey in the sense that the organization takes really good care of us, there are so many great guys in the locker room. amazing people, so for me it was a perfect transition. I feel very fortunate to be a part of the Vegas Golden Knights organization and everyone from Bill Foley to the equipment managers to the coaches makes you feel so welcome from day one.
With greater offensive duties, Eichel must stand out and further prove the player he is and how much he cares about the organization’s success.
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