Eichel ‘grateful’ for time with Golden Knights as they return to Stanley Cup Final

LAS VEGAS -- Jack Eichel wondered if he’d play in the NHL again.

If he’d ever be able to pursue his Stanley Cup dreams again.

If he’d even have a normal pain-free life again.

Now, five years after a herniated disc in his neck threatened both his career and his long-term health, the 29-year-old is savoring how fortunate he is, having won a Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 and an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in February, and now returning to the Final here in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

It could have all gone so wrong. Instead it’s ended up so right.

“I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a low point,” Eichel told NHL.com in a candid 1-on-1 on Friday.

“I think, looking back on it, you know, I'm grateful. I think that, going through something like I did, it gave me a lot of gratitude towards the game, and not to take anything for granted when it comes to your health, being able to do this, being able to do what we love.

“Here I am, with an organization that gave me a chance, with teammates who are great, having a chance at a second Cup. You feel great to be at this point, feel fortunate for the opportunity and just appreciate every part of it.”

For their part, the Golden Knights, and in particular coach John Tortorella, appreciate what Eichel has brought during their run to the Final. He’s second in NHL playoff scoring with 18 points (two goals, 16 assists) in 16 games, three behind teammate Mitch Marner, all the while being called “the best 200-foot player in the game” by Tortorella.

But all this success doesn’t keep Eichel from thinking about the long and sometimes hazardous road he took to get here. He doesn't shy away from it. In some ways, it motivates him.

Eichel was selected No. 2 overall in the 2015 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, one pick behind Connor McDavid, who went to the Edmonton Oilers. From 2015-21 he scored 355 points (139 goals, 216 assists) in 375 NHL games with Buffalo and was the face of the franchise.

Then came the health issues.

Eichel admits he’d been dealing with neck pain for years, although he can’t pinpoint an exact moment or incident that caused the discomfort that would plague him. 

The situation came to the forefront during a game against the New York Islanders in March 2021 when he hit his head against the boards, resulting in a herniated disc in his neck that caused him to miss the final 33 games of the season. 

The Sabres were not comfortable with Eichel’s desire to have artificial disc replacement surgery, which had never been performed on an NHL player before. Having asked for a trade, Eichel subsequently failed his physical prior to training camp in September and was stripped of his captaincy by then-Buffalo general manager Kevyn Adams.

On Nov. 4, 2021, Eichel was traded to Vegas along with a third-round pick in the 2023 or 2024 NHL Draft, for forwards Peyton Krebs, Alex Tuch, a first-round pick in the 2022 or 2023 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in the 2023 or 2024 draft. 

The Golden Knights allowed him to have the surgery he was seeking, which took place eight days after they acquired him.

Three months later, on Feb. 16, 2022, he made his Golden Knights debut.

The rest is history.

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 a 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.”

In Eichel’s case, it’s a story that has left Tortorella impressed in the two months since he replaced the fired Bruce Cassidy. In fact, there’s only one thing the coach would like to see changed in his game.

“I wish he’d shoot the puck more. I think we all want him to shoot the puck more,” Tortorella said Friday. “I’ve said it to him about 20 times.”

To be precise: Eichel has taken 42 shots in 16 games this postseason, about 2.65 per. Tortorella wants to see that number increase.

“He needs to get out of his own way (sometimes),” Tortorella said. “He gets it.

“He’s gone through a process. I saw him come into the League and where he was early in his career, to where he is now.

“He’s just such a great asset for this organization.”

One that's given him a new life, on the ice and off.