Eichel expecting to reach new level after neck surgery
Jack Eichel is confident he'll reach new heights once he suits up for the Vegas Golden Knights.
The superstar center is set to undergo his preferred surgery Friday to repair a herniated disc in his neck, which was promptly scheduled after the Buffalo Sabres traded him to Sin City. Eichel is hoping to debut for his new club three months after the procedure.
"I think I've got a lot more," Eichel said Monday at his introductory press conference, per NHL.com's Nicholas Cotsonika. "I think I'm only scratching the surface. Yeah, I think the season a couple years ago, I think that that was sort of the start of the way that I want to make an impact. Coming in here there's some really good hockey players, and I think this kind of environment, the culture here, is only going to push me to become better."
Eichel recorded his best season in 2018-19 when he racked up 82 points over 72 contests. He established himself as one of the league's best players soon after the Sabres drafted him second overall in 2015, posting 355 points across 375 games with Buffalo.
"I think there's a lot more in me, and this is about as motivated as I've been," Eichel said. "I think there's a lot of people out there that may be doubting me or don't think I'm going to get back to the form I was in, so look forward to putting all the doubts to rest and getting back to the level that I believe I can play."
Eichel's fallout with the Sabres mainly revolved around the best way to repair his neck injury. Buffalo preferred a traditional fusion procedure, while Eichel wanted to undergo artificial disc replacement surgery, which has never been done on an NHL player. Eichel has been sidelined since last March due to the ailment and failed his physical at the Sabres' training camp.
"I feel very, very confident in what I'm doing," Eichel said. "There's been other players that have dealt with herniated discs in other ways, but from what I've gathered speaking to them, they really were never given the option, and I feel very fortunate that my second opinion gave me this option to look at as being the superior surgery."
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