Jack Eichel is already right there on the doorstep of a franchise first. The Vegas Golden Knights have never produced a 100-point player, and Eichel came the closest in 2024-25 with 94 points before following that up with 90 the next season. For a player who has already established himself as one of the NHL’s elite, the next step is obvious: get to 100 and do it in a Golden Knights sweater.
The simplest answer is the one Eichel gave himself: "Stay healthy."
That’s not a throwaway line. It’s the whole foundation.
In the NHL, one heavy hit can change a season in a heartbeat, and Eichel has seen how injuries can derail both a player’s numbers and a team’s rhythm. Mark Stone and William Karlsson have dealt with that same reality, and the Golden Knights have felt the impact when key guys are out for long stretches.
Stone’s case last season makes the point even clearer. If he had played all 82 games, his 1.22 points per game would have put him over 100 and given Vegas its first 100-point season.
Health may be the first box to check, but it won’t be the only one. Eichel has other ways to push past the century mark, starting with a shot volume that already shows he’s willing to drive offense.
Over the past four seasons, he has topped 200 shots every year, including 223 in 2022-23, 278 in 2023-24, 233 in 2024-25 and 260 in 2025-26. His high-danger xGoals also stayed in strong territory across that stretch, from 8.17 to 10.97 to 11.25 and then 9.71.
Even with the ups and downs, the base of his game is there: he gets to dangerous areas and fires often enough to keep the scoreboard moving.
The power play is another obvious place for him to add more. Eichel managed only one power-play goal last season in 2025-26, which is a surprisingly low number for a player who led the team in points.
That number doesn’t need a dramatic leap to change the whole picture. If he gets more aggressive in those high-danger spots, that total can climb fast - even early in the season.
And then there’s the cast around him. Eichel has developed into more of a distributor in recent seasons, especially when he’s playing with Mark Stone and not forcing the issue.
That kind of patience helps open up scoring chances for everyone. He’ll also have Mitch Marner and Ivan Barbashev in the mix, giving him more options to turn good possessions into points.
With Pavel Dorofeyev out of the picture, the burden on Eichel on the power play becomes even heavier, and that makes his supporting cast even more important.
If the Golden Knights are going to finally get their first 100-point season, Eichel has the clearest path to it. Stay on the ice, keep shooting, and let the playmakers around him finish the job.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Camp Cuts Just Put Bubble Players On Notice
Kelly McCrimmon began trimming the training camp roster by sending nine players to AHL Henderson and placing five more on waivers for assignment there, an early sign that the Golden Knights are moving from evaluation mode toward the more practical business of sorting out who can stick. Three players remain week-to-week with injuries, while five others are headed back to their junior teams for the 2026-27 season, leaving the organization with a clearer picture of the camp landscape as preseason approaches.
The next checkpoint comes quickly, with Vegas set to open preseason play at T-Mobile Arena on September 24 against the Utah Mammoth before wrapping up two nights later against the San Jose Sharks. For the players still in the mix, the message is plain enough: the margin for error is shrinking, and the coming week will go a long way toward determining who stays in the conversation and who is headed elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Juho Piiparinen Just Put One Key Golden Knights Question In Focus
Juho Piiparinens first few looks with the OHLs London Knights are already giving Vegas a clearer picture of what it has in the 2026 first-round pick. The young defensemans recent game offered the kind of early snapshot teams want from a prospect in a new setting, with his defensive work standing out as he settles in and adjusts to the pace and demands of major junior hockey.
For the Golden Knights, the bigger question is how Piiparinen develops beyond being reliable in his own end. The path to becoming a true two-way defenseman will likely depend on him adding more offense to his game, including getting more pucks on net, and that balance will be worth watching closely as his role expands in London. [Read more 🡒]
