Eichel could be cleared for contact after All-Star break
Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer said injured superstar Jack Eichel could be cleared for contact shortly after the club reconvenes from the All-Star break.
"The doctor was adamant that three months from surgery, there would be absolutely no contact," DeBoer said, according to the Review Journal's David Schoen. "I think coming out of this break, that's going to be on the table."
Eichel underwent artificial disc replacement surgery on his neck Nov. 12, shortly after Vegas acquired him in a blockbuster trade with the Buffalo Sabres.
He's back skating, but being cleared for contact is the key remaining hurdle before a possible return to game action.
"There's been a couple (practices) in the last week where he's maybe the best player on the ice, so I would say he's progressing pretty well," DeBoer said, per Sportsnet.
"We haven't started contact yet, I think that's the next step, and that's a big step. Obviously, everything changes once we get into full contact, but from a sheer practice and skill point of view, he's elite, elite. Every day we're out with him, I think the group gets more excited."
Eichel's addition to the Golden Knights' lineup could be what the franchise has been looking for to put it over the top. The 25-year-old is one of the top centers in the game, and he recorded 355 points over 375 games with Buffalo.
Vegas leads the Pacific Division through 46 games with 57 points. It returns to the ice after All-Star festivities Feb. 8 versus the Edmonton Oilers.