It's not easy being Jack Eichel. You left a heartless organization that didn't want to grant you your neck surgery and dealt with an array of injuries in the process. You're also getting an endless wave of texts from Vegas Golden Knights fans telling you to shoot the puck more.
Man, life isn't fair.
It feels like you can't win no matter how hard you try. A record-breaking 66 assists and 94 points that established you as the best franchise player ever? Forget about it.
It seems the hockey gods were at it again. This time, Eichel finished fifth in the Selke Trophy voting. Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers finished first in the voting with a whopping 1,363 points. He was followed by Panthers teammate Sam Reinhart (837), Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning (828), and Nico Hischier of the New Jersey Devils (477).
Eichel received five first-place votes and earned a total of 256 points. Now this isn't saying that the center should be the winner. That message was sent loud and clear with Barkov's incredible two-way game. However, the Golden Knights superstar should be recognized further for his two-way work.
Why Jack Eichel deserves more love as a two-way center
Let's compare Eichel's numbers from his Buffalo Sabres days to his current reign with the Golden Knights. Fans will notice an upward trend during his Vegas stay, particularly in his defensive stats. Mind you, he's played six seasons in Buffalo compared to four seasons in Las Vegas (stats courtesy of Hockey Reference).
Team | Goals | Assists | Blocked Shots | Takeaways |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Buffalo | 139 | 216 | 203 | 205 |
Vegas | 100 | 153 | 207 | 160 |
Now, I know what you're thinking, dear reader. You notice a massive discrepancy between his Buffalo Days and his Vegas tenure, particularly in the assists department. Yes, that's true.
However! One can't forget that Eichel's franchise-record 66 assists happened this season. It's part of what happens when your best player stays on the ice for nearly the length of the regular season.
The same goes for the takeaways. He's boosted his takeaways from his Buffalo tenure, marking a rise in his forechecking.
Eichel is more than an even-strength player, though
But also look at the blocked shots between both teams. Eichel has more blocked shots with the Golden Knights than the Sabres. He's elevated his game in Bruce Cassidy's system, sacrificing himself for the betterment of the team.
Mind you, 11 of those blocked shots came on the penalty kill this season. Overall, Eichel has 27 blocked shots during his Vegas tenure, marking an evolved player.
You can thank Bruce Cassidy for unleashing his potential and making him the two-way player he is today. Otherwise, it would've been Pete DeBoer carrying his Sabres legacy over to the Golden Knights (along with a back-stabbing of another goaltender). That's something nobody wants to see.
Are there some things that can be improved? Absolutely. If he can win face-offs during the penalty kill (42.2% face-off percentage during his Vegas tenure), that will definitely boost his case.
But Eichel is becoming one of the most underrated Selke Trophy candidates in the NHL. It's only a matter of time before he jumps to the forefront of the conversation. Finally, life will be fair.