With Buffalo behind him, Eichel ready for surgery, new life with Golden Knights

Had Jack Eichel undergone the surgery he wanted, when he wanted it, he’d most likely be long recovered and again playing hockey.

Eichel was traded to the Golden Knights last week from the Sabres, with whom he had a public falling-out over the best course of care for his injured neck. That’s a major reason why a player of his caliber was available at all, and a major reason why he stood at the City National Arena podium Monday as the newest Golden Knight.

“Relief is the best way to describe it,” Eichel said. “I’ve been through a lot in the last eight months, physically, mentally and emotionally. I think just to put all that to rest and get back to playing hockey, it’s a pretty good feeling.”

Eichel is expected to undergo artificial disc replacement (ADR) surgery Friday and start the path of recovery that experts predict will last three to five months. Eichel is hopeful to hit the shorter end of that timeline, which could see him make his Vegas debut after the All-Star/Olympic break in late February.

And yes, this is a surgery Eichel wanted more than three to five months ago. He was injured during the Sabres’ March 7 game against the Islanders and has not played since. 

NHL players who have his type of neck injury more commonly undergo a procedure called anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (ACDF), which has a longer recovery time, and which one of Eichel’s doctors said could have a greater risk of reaggravation and more surgeries later in life.

ADR has never been performed on an NHL player, but is not uncommon outside hockey, even in the sports world. Eichel insisted on ADR, but the Sabres had the final call on his treatment, and they declined his request. 

They wouldn’t let him have ADR, and Eichel refused the fusion. It led to a stalemate that recently spawned rumors or grievances and lawsuits of how to resolve it. The relationship between Buffalo and Eichel was broken.

Eichel’s situation made national headlines and started a conversation about player autonomy. As outlined in the collective bargaining agreements (CBA) between the league and players’ association, teams have full say over treatment of their players.

“I think my situation shined light on some things that could be changed in our CBA and I hope that they are in the future,” Eichel said. “I think the whole process around this is maybe a little gray. I don’t necessarily agree with the team having the full say in what to do with your medical treatment. I think it should be a collaboration.”

He did concede that he did not know when a change may occur, considering the CBA was renegotiated just last year. It runs though 2026 in its current form.

While Eichel became an unofficial spokesman of players’ medical rights, he joins a former Buffalo teammate in Vegas who is also outspoken about players’ rights. Robin Lehner was one of the first to reach out to Eichel about his situation, and Lehner has been vocally in Eichel’s corner during his dispute with the Sabres.

“First and foremost I’m just happy for him,” Lehner said last week. “He gets to go and take care of his body his way. I think that’s a big step for all of us players in the league, that we respect his choice and I wish him the best in that recovery.”

Eichel was drafted second overall in 2015 by Buffalo with the promise of bringing a franchise with a rabid fanbase to new heights. He certainly did his part, making the All-Rookie team in 2016, amassing 139 goals and 355 points in 375 games with the Sabres and finishing eighth in the MVP race in his last healthy season.

But with Eichel, the Sabres never reached the postseason. One of hockey’s brightest stars has never had the chance to play when the games mattered most. Still, Eichel wasn’t ready to reminisce on any negative aspects of his on-ice tenure in Buffalo.

“I think when you look back at it big-picture you’re very fortunate,” Eichel said. “The city was so good to me, my family, we had a lot of great experiences there. Success-wise we didn’t achieve what we wanted to and that’s frustrating because the fans there were so good to us and they supported through good times and bad, so you definitely feel like you wanted to give them more and we weren’t able to.

“It was a little bit unfortunate I think the way things kind of ended, but with that being said I feel very grateful to have been part of the organization and wish we could have done more to bring success to the city.”

Eichel is in Vegas now, all the baggage of the ending of his time with Buffalo behind him. He received a hero’s welcome yesterday, arriving at his hotel to a welcoming party of mascots, showgirls and a band even as he joked he thought once he got through the airport without fanfare he was in the clear.

He joked about the weather and how after 25 years in Boston, Michigan and Buffalo he doesn’t know what it will be like living in Pacific Time and with warm weather. A Patriots fan, he said he’s always admired Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and is looking forward to checking out his new home’s football team.

“It’s probably a cliché, but everything happens for a reason,” Eichel said. “All the stuff that I went through all summer and dealt with, I think it brings you to this point here and I couldn’t be happier to be here.”