Chemistry can make or break a championship run, and the prospect of pairing the Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel with newest edition Mitch Marner has the hockey world buzzing.
These two players have definitely crossed paths before. Both were first-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft. Eichel went second overall to the Buffalo Sabres, while Marner was selected fourth by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Since then, they’ve always been on opposing sides of the ice. But now, as September approaches, the looming question is: will we see Marner and Eichel playing together right off the bat?
“They both (could) be good for each other in the sense that they've left markets and now are teammates after leaving part way through their career as star players,” Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy told the Leafs Morning Take podcast. “Jack went through it here, and Mitch is going to go through it. I think Jack could be a real good shoulder to lean on in that regard. Mark Stone did it in Ottawa. So those are some things, maybe off the ice and stuff, that Jack and Mitch will bond over. Whether they do that or not is up to them, but I'm sure that'll be discussed.”
🇺🇸 JACK EICHEL IS AN OLYMPIAN 🇺🇸
Our guy from North Chelmsford, Massachusetts has been named to Team USA for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games! 🎰 #VegasBornpic.twitter.com/kTanMeA0qn
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 16, 2025
Eichel enters the 2025–26 season coming off one of his most productive campaigns yet. Having played in a total of 77 games with the Knights last season, he tallied 28 goals and 66 assists for a total of 94 points, ranking him 8th in the league in scoring. His +32 plus-minus rating highlighted his two-way impact, and he continued to be a force, recording 5 power-play goals and 29 power-play assists.
The star center also maintained a solid 12.0% shooting percentage and averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game, proving his value and leadership abilities on the ice. On the international stage, he represented Team USA at the Four Nations Face-Off, contributing 4 assists during their run.
Marner, meanwhile, is coming off a career-best season with the Maple Leafs. He posted 27 goals and 75 assists, racking up a personal-high of 102 points across 81 games, marking his fourth consecutive season with at least 25 goals and 85 points.
Marner was a consistent offensive contributor on both the power play and penalty kill. He recorded 6 power-play goals and 27 power-play assists, totaling 33 points. Marner was also seen on the international stage playing for Team Canada at the Four Nations, contributing 1 goal and 2 assists across 4 games. His most notable moment came in the final against Team USA, where he assisted Connor McDavid’s game-winning goal, helping secure Canada’s victory. Looking ahead, Marner will face his former team twice early in the new year, January 15 and again on January 23.
Cassidy emphasized the importance of building a strong coach-player relationship, saying, “It's my job to get him to understand what the team needs from him, and it's my job to understand what he needs to be successful. You can't just hammer away on a guy and believe that he's just going to do it.”
Despite the adjustment period that is to come, Cassidy expressed confidence in the early stages of their relationship. “I don't think I'll have any problem communicating with Mitch,” he said. “I think he wants to win, he's a hockey player, and that's the common goal we're going to have.”
The overall consensus is clear—stats and similarities are there—but nothing will be set in stone till chemistry is built and seen both off and on the ice.
Source link
