It Only Took Him 8 Years To Get There, But Jack Eichel Is One Of The Best Playoff Performers Of All Time
Icon Sportswire. Getty Images.I'm sure the lovely people in Buffalo hate to see it, but if you're anybody else in the world right now you have to feel great for Jack Eichel. I mean if this isn't the pure definition of living out the American Dream, then I don't know what is.
This is American, dammit, and in America we believe in free-market capitalism. We believe in private citizens being able to work their ass off and make their own decisions to better their own situations. Shit wasn't working out for Jack Eichel in Buffalo. He was wasting away the prime of his career with an organization that hasn't won a playoff series since the first iPhone was released. He wasn't willing to risk his health for an organization like that and get the surgery they were pushing for on his neck. So he sat out, orchestrated a trade out of Buffalo to Las Vegas, got the disk replacement surgery that he felt was best for his body, and now?
He's now up to 14 points in 11 career playoff games. The Vegas Golden Knights are 8-3 so far through these 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In each of their 3 losses, Eichel had been held off the scoresheet. So the equation here is pretty simple. Every time Jack Eichel gets a point, the Golden Knights win a hockey game. Seems to be pretty valuable to me. In fact, some might call Jack Eichel the most valuable player of his team during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
So much so that he's now the co-favorite to win the Conn Smythe trophy this year.
Just imagine that for a moment. After the wild and crazy ride that Jack Eichel took to get to this moment, that he ends up winning a Conn Smythe in his first trip to the playoffs. That would sure as shit be one way to get himself out of that massive McDavid shadow.
