Jack Eichel Never Gives Up

Spirit’s Sports team is thrilled to highlight the close-to-home success story of Jackc  Eichel. Born and raised in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Jack is a professional ice hockey player and a member of the NHL team Vegas Golden Knights. In June 2023, Jack and the Vegas Golden Knights won their maiden Stanley Cup, the ultimate dream of every single hockey player to skate on ice.

         The signs were clear quite early, but though Eichel was touted as a member of a rising class of generational talents in hockey, it was never a guarantee to win the Stanley Cup. He played for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program team when he was 14 years old. Recognized for his outstanding play, he was named to the United States Hockey League Second All-Star team. Eichel became the second freshman in collegiate history to win the Hobey Baker Award as a first year at Boston University.

In 40 games with BU, Eichel led the nation in scoring (26 goals and 45 assists) with 71 points. He was the Hockey East scoring champion, Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and was named MVP of the conference tournament in 2014.

         In 2015 NHL draft, Eichel was selected by the Buffalo Sabres at second overall pick as a franchise savior. With his explosive speed, power, creativity, and size, he was expected to bring the Stanley Cup to Buffalo. But the Sabres had to extend the NHL’s longest playoff drought despite Jack’s individual success. In a March 2021 game, Jack hit his head against the boards, which resulted in herniated disk in his neck, leaving him forced to miss the rest of the season.

The team wanted to protect their investment (8 years and an $80 million contract signed in 2017) by doing anterior cervical discectomy fusion surgery, the traditional standard for NHL players. But Jack and his personal medical advisors chose to do an artificial disk replacement (ADR) surgery; a procedure that had never been performed on an NHL player before, in consideration for his long-term health benefits. According to the collective bargaining agreement with the NHLPA, hockey teams get the final say over a player’s medical care. Going against any professional team is akin to David fighting Goliath, but Eichel never wavered on his goals and priorities.

He was traded to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in November of 2021 and, a week later, his ADR surgery was performed. The rest is history now. Eichel made the most of his career first playoff experience by leading the entire NHL with 26 points and helping the Vegas Golden Knights to hoist their first championship trophy ever. He continues to inspire all of hockey – from the NHL all the way back to N. Chelmsford.