Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) celebrates with defenseman Brayden McNabb (3) after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks at T-Mobile Arena Wednesday, April 6, 2022.
Monday, April 25, 2022 | 6 a.m.
There were two low points during the eight-month period as Jack Eichel waited to get neck surgery.
The first was watching. After injuring his neck last March, he watched from afar as his Buffalo teammates continued playing. Knowing he couldn’t do anything in what was a hopeful season for the Sabres irked him the most.
The second was watching everyone gather for training camp that following fall and knowing there was nothing more that could be done to repair the relationship between the Sabres and their captain.
“It was on my mind every day and you’re sort of like, ‘when am I going to get past this?’” Eichel said. “I would’ve never thought last spring it would carry on until November.”
Of course, the discord led the Sabres to trade Eichel to the Golden Knights this past fall, get the preferred neck surgery he wanted, and eventually suit up for Vegas for the first playoff push in his career.
Eichel’s return and his groundbreaking surgery decision made him a unanimous nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.”
The nominees are determined by each chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
“It’s a big honor,” said Eichel, the Golden Knights’ center. “There have been plenty of guys that have had surgery and rehabbed and come back on the ice. It’s probably the magnitude of the situation.”
Eichel acknowledges that there are much more deserving candidates for this award, but choosing him goes beyond just coming back off neck surgery.
It’s what his decision has done not just for him, but other players.
Eichel’s decision to undergo an artificial disk replacement procedure, rather than a fusion, had never been done before on an NHL player. UFC fighter Chris Weidman underwent the same procedure in January 2019 and fought three times that very year.
After Eichel had the procedure, he was back in full contact within three months.
“I think when you get there, with the COVID restrictions and everything, I was by myself,” said Eichel, who had the procedure done in Denver at Rocky Mountain Spine by Dr. Chad Prusmack. “It was seamless. You’d be surprised by how smooth everything went, how well I felt after the surgery.”
Chicago Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson underwent the same procedure two weeks after Eichel. Johnson, who said his injury happened some time around 2017 or 2018, reached out to Eichel beforehand to get his take.
“I think guys will always go through similar situations,” Eichel said. “It’s always tough to be the first person to do something. I’d be lying if I said there were times I wasn’t nervous. I felt really comfortable with it and confident enough to make that decision. I felt like it was the best one for me.
“[Johnson] just wanted to pick my brain on the whole process, why I came to the conclusion I did. It was good conversation. He had a lot of similar questions I did.”
Not only has Eichel returned at all, but he’s been productive for Vegas since making his debut Feb. 16. He has 21 points in 31 games and just played his 400th NHL game on April 9.
Should Eichel win, he would become the third current Golden Knights player – joining goalie Robin Lehner in 2019 and forward Max Pacioretty in 2012 – to win the award.
“When you’re faced with some of the situations that some of the guys have been faced with, it’s remarkable to see their recovery and where they’re at,” Eichel said. “I’m just honored to be in the same conversation.”
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.