Newest Golden Knights Player Eichel Expects Recovery From Disc Replacement Surgery To Be Three Months
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
Jack Eichel and his herniated disc met the Las Vegas media Monday. He walked in the interview room at 11:17 AM and by 11:40 AM the newest member of the Vegas Golden Knights walked out and the media session was done.
The 25-year-old Eichel, the former captain of the Buffalo Sabres, appeared poised and relaxed in answering questions about moving to Las Vegas from Buffalo. Eichel and the Sabres had reached in impasse over how to treat his herniated disc. Eichel, noting he did extensive research, preferred artificial disc replacement for his herniated disc in his neck.
The biggest news item was that Eichel believed his recovery from surgery will take three months — which would allow him to fit into a super line with VGK captain and two-way star Mark Stone and high-scoring winger Max Pacioretty for the playoffs, assuming the Knights make the postseason.
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Eichel mentioned the first 24 hours after the trade were overwhelming, that he’s “looking forward to putting the doubts to rest” regarding his recovery from surgery and that his surgeon has performed this disc procedure for nearly 20 years.
He put it this way about the trade: “Relief was the best way to describe it.”
Eichel also appreciated the public support of VGK goaltender Robin Lehner in Lehner’s “Twitter rant,” as the new Knights player put it.
And he appreciated the VGK mascots and cheerleaders welcoming him at Red Rock Resort, which is next to the VGK headquarters at City National Arena. He recalled the VGK crew welcomed other players in big Knights trades like Pacioretty at the airport and joked, “I thought I was clear” when he grabbed his bags at the Las Vegas airport and didn’t see the welcoming party.
Eichel posted this on his Twitter account to tell the world he’s bound for Las Vegas.
Eichel will wearing number 9 on his jersey — the number of former VGKer Cody Glass.
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Speaking of jerseys, here are game worn Golden Knights sweaters of Alex Pietrangelo, Mark Stone and Chandler Stephenson being sold at the VGK team store at their training center in Summerlin, City National Arena. And their prices:
Stone: $5,000.
Pietrangelo: $3,000.
Stephenson: $2,500.
The Golden Knights begin a lengthy homestand Tuesday. The Knights will host the Seattle Kraken tomorrow. I will be reporting from T-Mobile Arena along with LVSportsBiz.com photographer J. Tyge O’Donnell.
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