Scoring 28 goals and 94 points in a single season will fetch you plenty of recognition. It gets you extracurricular activities, such as a 4 Nations Face-Off appearance and being considered for the Hart Trophy. But what happens when you place fifth in the voting process?
That's exactly what happened with Jack Eichel, who capped off a ridiculous season with a fifth-place finish. He placed ahead of Alex Ovechkin (eighth), Connor McDavid (10th), and Quinn Hughes (12th). Now THAT'S impressive work from the Massachusetts native. Pay the man, Kelly McCrimmon.
Final voting results for the 2024-25 Hart Trophy: pic.twitter.com/ATn5o24Z8g
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 12, 2025
Eichel also had five goals and 29 assists on the power play, leading the second-best unit in the NHL (28.3%). He also had three game-winning goals, a shorthanded goal, and a shorthanded assist. Overall, his season was like an Ice Cube song: "Today was a good day."
Yes, the vote total will indicate he was a ways away from winning the title (by the way, congratulations to Connor Hellebuyck). However, his placement in the NHL version of the MVP award is no joke.
In fact, it's an indicator of things to come. He showed hockey fans what he's capable of with a breakout season. That much is true. However, it stems beyond what he did on the ice as much as he proved his biggest skeptics wrong.
Why Jack Eichel's place in the Hart Trophy rankings matters
Remember all the talk of Eichel being washed after coming from Buffalo? He was dubbed a locker room cancer and couldn't fit in with anybody. On top of that, he was injured too often to even matter.
Well, he dispelled those myths with a historic performance. Not only did he break the franchise record for most assists in a single season, but he also scored the most single-season points in franchise history.
He also elevated his teammates to new heights, whether it was Mark Stone (19 goals and 48 assists) or Pavel Dorofeyev (13 power play goals). Fans might look at Dorofeyev and Hertl and say they were the main reasons behind the special teams unit soaring. However, look no further than No. 9 being the proverbial leader that he was acquired to be.
Imagine Eichel's game unleashed with a big move this offseason
The Golden Knights have a "golden" (waka waka) opportunity to capitalize on Eichel's prime years. They can get the perfect piece to complement the superstar on the top line, unleashing a faster attack. Of course, this would bolster his case for many reasons.
First, numbers. Those matter. The writers will see how well he's done carrying his team throughout the regular season. That's obvious on many levels, considering a move for Mitch Marner or another player would elevate the team.
But it would also offer that "golden" opportunity to shatter said franchise records broken. When you're given a player who complements you perfectly, you raise the game of your fellow teammates. Sometimes, you do that yourself.
Think of Jonathan Marchessault as a perfect example. He scored 42 goals in his last season with the Golden Knights. That was mainly because he spent the majority of his time on the top line. Imagine giving the former second-overall pick another solid winger that elevates his own game.
Brock Boeser would be back to scoring 40 goals. Marner could go beyond 102 points. All these are rich possibilities that would break the NHL. But placing fifth in the Hart Trophy race? That's just the beginning, my friend.