We're officially at six games on the "Jack Eichel is in an unprecedented slump" watch. The Vegas Golden Knights superstar has hit a bizarre slump that has Golden Knights fans worried about him.
"Is he hurt?"
"Did he party too much after winning Olympic gold with the United States?"
These questions have popped up regarding the superstar since the Olympic break concluded. Suddenly, those whispers about problems persisting beyond his control. Maybe he sustained a brutal hit that he's trying to shake off. Perhaps it's the wear and tear of an overwhelming schedule taking hold.
Whatever the case, Eichel better shake it off because the Edmonton Oilers are in town. The Pacific Division rivals are looking to elevate their playoff positioning with a big win and the Golden Knights are in their way. Looking at the last 10 games, Edmonton is 8-2-0 against Vegas (including the Stanley Cup playoffs).
Speaking of Edmonton, let's look at how Eichel's done against his biggest adversary. Has he dominated the club? Will he be on the fast track to ending that six-game pointless streak on Thursday? Or will he be looking for more water in the desert?
Jack Eichel has nine goals and 13 assists in 21 career games against the Edmonton Oilers
On the surface, nine goals and 13 assists in 21 career games sound like a sweetheart deal. He's done some incredible work while playing against Connor McDavid and company, putting up crucial goals when called upon. But digging deeper into the numbers reveals a more nuanced approach.
Eichel only has four multi-point games in his career against the Oilers. That includes a four-point game while he was with Buffalo, putting up a goal and three assists on January 23, 2018. The result? A 5-0 win that included a four-goal outburst in the second period.
Eichel had two multi-point games with the Golden Knights, adding a goal and two assists on March 25, 2023 and November 6, 2024. As for his special teams play, he has two power play goals and four power play assists against Edmonton. He added a short-handed goal in his last game on March 8, which gave him... more short-handed goals than power play goals this season.
If there was ever a great time to break out of a bad slump, it's against your most hated rival. The Golden Knights could use the offensive outburst from their best player, specifically in a playoff chase. Why not light up the Oilers and bring Vegas one step closer to clinching a playoff spot?