Remember when Vegas Golden Knights fans were worried about the team's prospects after Mark Stone was listed as week-to-week? Fans were worried that powerful teams like the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers would run ragshod all over the Golden Knights.
Well, it appears that Jack Eichel put those concerns to rest quickly. The superstar center had a goal in Monday's 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. What's more, it's the first loss of the season for Carolina, leaving no more undefeated teams in the NHL.
Eichel wasn't alone in the festivities, though. Mitch Marner had two assists in the game, making it a better day with the Toronto Blue Jays advancing to the World Series. Cue up Ice Cube because "Today Was A Good Day" for Marner.
But let's turn the attention to the Golden Knights for a second. They go to 5-0-2 for the season as they prepare for a three-game East Coast swing. It seems the last two games have been the confidence builders the team needed, especially after an enigmatic start to the season.
Almost everything was good with Vegas on Monday... except for one minor thing. It involves Adin Hill and we'll get to that in a bit. But let's celebrate Monday's victory with one of the league's best players, shall we?
Is it time we started having a serious discussion about Jack Eichel for the Hart Trophy?
Jack Eichel got his sixth goal of the season in the first period, kicking off the scoring. He has 10 assists to go with that, establishing him firmly atop the NHL statlines. In fact, his lead is starting to establish itself nicely.
There's a serious case for the newly-extended center to be considered as the league's MVP. He plays both ends of the ice well and is terrific in any situation. It's easy to see why he has a compelling case to win the Hart Memorial Trophy.
However, one thing must happen for the center: stay healthy. Eichel's track record indicates that he's been limited, whether it's his neck or lower-body injuries. Sadly, that's an aspect that nobody can predict, making his case complicated.
Still, fans can't deny that No. 9 deserves serious consideration. He has a point in every game to start the season, making him one of the league's biggest threats. That could mean being the first Golden Knights player in history to win the Hart Trophy.
The Golden Knights have a goaltending problem with Adin Hill hurt
While the first period was fun, it was also nail-biting. Adin Hill suffered an injury that took him out of commission, leaving Akira Schmid to pick up the pieces. With Carter Hart waiting in the wings, Vegas likely has a security blanket if Hill goes down for a while.
Granted, Akira Schmid was terrific in relief, stopping 22 of 23 shots. That's good enough for a save percentage of .957 and earning one of three stars on the night.
However, the pressure's on Vegas to clamp down defensively. Luckily, the group has found its groove in the last two games, allowing just two combined goals. Still, the group must continue blocking shots and taking away shooting lanes to keep the netminders upright. Otherwise, things will unravel quickly.