Jack Eichel wasn't ranked as the top center, according to the NHL Network. That honor goes to--guess who?--Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers. However, the NHL Network did give him a friendly overall ranking on Wednesday.
A career-high 94 points has Jack Eichel moving up to #⃣6⃣ on our Top 20 Centers Right Now list! @GoldenKnights | #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/2D2xT7MSpn
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 20, 2025
Mind you, he was ranked sixth and was ahead of notable names such as Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, Eichel didn't make the top five, being edged out by the legendary Sidney Crosby.
Still, there's a good reason why the Golden Knights center was ranked so high. Last season, he scored 28 goals and 94 points, representing the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off. He also has Mitch Marner heading to town, which should help ease the burden off the former Hobey Baker winner.
He also showed what happens when he's given a relatively clean bill of health for a season. There was no neck problems, lower-body complications, or anything of the like in 2024-25. Instead, he played 77 regular season games and appeared in all 11 Stanley Cup playoff games.
Now, NHL fans know what the former second-overall pick can do when given a full slate of games (or nearly full) to work with. Finally, people are putting some d**m respect on his name and treating him like the elite superstar he is. It's refreshing considering Eichel had lofty expectations heading into his NHL career.
Now? He's finally living up to those expectations. Hopefully, Kelly McCrimmon and company can get a nice deal squared away for the center soon. Having a center in the Top Ten (according to NHL Network) isn't something that you simply encounter as a franchise. You want to capitalize on that and extend his welcome.
Get it, extend? Because he deserves a contract extension.