If you ask Erin Basil about her fiance’s daily routine, she might react with an eye roll and a sigh, then give a detailed list on what that looks like.
At least that’s how Golden Knights center Jack Eichel thinks she would react.
Think about doing the same things day by day. Eating the same meals. Doing the same workout routine. Cooling down from that workout.
Now think about doing that every day for an entire season.
“She, for sure, gets sick of it,” said Eichel, laughing. “Constantly asking her to cook the same things, and we have to do this a certain way or that a certain way.”
Eichel wouldn’t call it superstitious, but it is a way of life.
It’s worked up to this point, as he’s eclipsed the 80-point mark for the second time in his career. He’s now scored more points in a season than any other Knights player, surpassing William Karlsson’s 78 points from the 2017-18 season.
A 100-point campaign with 15 games remaining isn’t out of reach. Eichel is two points from tying his career high set in 2018-19 and six from 600 in his career.
He’s already surpassed his career high in assists with 59, breaking the Knights’ record of 50 set by David Perron.
Credits teammates
Eichel takes pride in these kinds of milestones, but it’s a product of the people around him, he said.
“Whenever you reach an individual feat, it’s accompanied by some sort of team success,” he said. “Our team’s been very good this year. Our power play’s been very good. I’ve played with good players. In that sense, I think I’ve been the benefactor of having the opportunity to be part of a good team. I think that’s elevated my play.”
Whenever Eichel is asked about why he’s having the best season of his career, it’s the same word: consistency.
Part of that goes into his daily routine. Whether it’s game-day meals, utilizing his sauna or cold tub, or how he mentally prepares himself the day before a game, Eichel is a creature of habit.
Even for a player such as Eichel, you would think it would take a toll doing the same things over and over. For him, it’s about finding a center.
“I’m really structured with my time away from the rink in preparation for the games,” he said. “I take care of myself in what I’m doing. It’s not a magic formula. It’s just consistent. You have to find what works for you and be consistent.
“For me, I try to find enjoyment in the process in what I’m doing. It is extremely repetitive over the course of the season.”
Pencil him in the lineup
It’s not broken, so there’s no need to fix it. Especially if he can stay in the lineup like he has this season.
Eichel has missed one game — Jan. 12 against the Minnesota Wild because of an illness.
Other than that, he’s been available and consistent every night. Only three forwards in the NHL have at least 80 points and are a plus 20 — Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl and Eichel.
Eichel wouldn’t admit to it, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was running on adrenaline. He’s played in every game since coming back from the 4 Nations Face-Off with 11 points in the past 11 games.
“All the guys that were involved in that event are probably a little more fatigued than they would’ve been,” Eichel said. “We’ve played a lot of hockey this year. You look around the league, nobody’s making excuses. This is crunch time for everyone. You’ve got to find it within yourself.”
Rest is going to be valuable for Eichel and the Knights. They’re off until Thursday when they host the Boston Bruins, then have a back-to-back against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday and Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.
There was a possibility for load management at some point for Eichel, captain Mark Stone and defenseman Noah Hanifin after the tournament. The condensed schedule and a tight race in the Pacific Division might not make that feasible.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Eichel slow down at some point. He is human, after all. But the creature of habit in him might say otherwise.
“He’s an amazing player,” Hanifin said. “It’s been awesome to be able to play with him. He’s such a great teammate, a great leader for our group.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
Up next
Who: Bruins at Golden Knights
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: T-Mobile Arena
TV/radio: KMCC-34; KKGK (1340 AM, 98.9 FM)
