LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jack Eichel came to Las Vegas in 2021 with lofty expectations that he has mostly fulfilled, including helping lead the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup championship two seasons ago.
Now he has taken his game to an even higher level.
He has 58 points in 46 games, putting him position to set a series of career highs as well as plant himself at least in the fringe of the Hart Trophy conversation that goes to league MVP.
More important is the fact that Eichel has, despite this current 1-5-1 skid, taken Vegas to the top of the Pacific Division, though the Edmonton Oilers are just a point behind. The Golden Knights are there despite losing some key players in the offseason, such as Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and Alec Martinez.
“My feeling on this in general is (Eichel) walks into training camp in September, some guys that have had voices around here, some guys that have been here a while are no longer here,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I think he saw a little bit of a void and said, ‘I want to be that guy. I'm going to bring that.’"
Always a talented scorer, especially sniping shots from the circle, Eichel is an elite playmaker who has only gotten better. His 46 assists entering Wednesday's play were fourth in the NHL and just eight short of his career high with nearly half the season to play.
Eichel has a 24 plus/minus rating also was fourth in the league and two behind his career best set two seasons ago.
His 12 goals aren't on pace to match the 31 that Eichel scored last season, one of his relative shortcomings. That is a number that can improve given his making 8.3% of his shot attempts, a noticeable drop from the double-digit shooting percentages each of the past three years.
Should Eichel begin to find the back of the net more like he traditionally does, he could rise in the Hart odds. BetMGM Sportsbook lists him eighth, which would still be ahead of the highest finish for a Golden Knights player. Mark Stone was ninth four years ago.
Eichel said there wasn't anything specific he worked on in the offseason to elevate his play.
“Consistency, trying to be dedicated to my routine and process as I can all the time,” Eichel said. “I do the same things day in and day out.”
Other players have noticed.
“His preparation is the best in the game," forward Ivan Barbashev said. “The night before the game, thinking about what he needs to do, he's focused.”
Cassidy said getting that kind of commitment from one of the team's best players helps set the tone. He compared Eichel's leadership to standouts he coached with the Boston Bruins in Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron as well others in Las Vegas that include Stone and Alex Pietrangelo.
“When your best players are your hardest working in practice and the guys that are the most professional, for a coach, GM, culture of your organization, that's the first thing you would want,” Cassidy said. “Every young guy that walks through the door is going to look at that and say, ‘I guess that’s the way we do it around here, so that's the way I'm going to do it if I want to stay around here.'”
Eichel's dedication to his craft began well before this season, and Barbashev said his teammate has been on a different level since the Golden Knights won the Cup two seasons ago.
That's the place Eichel hopes to help lead Vegas back to and before this downturn, the Golden Knights were on a championship-like tear.
“Obviously, the team's been in a little bit of a funk lately,” Eichel said. “So I think the only thing on any of our minds now is just trying to find our game again and rattle off some wins.”
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Mark Anderson, The Associated Press
