Now, he needs to show he's worthy of the eight-year, $80-million contract extension signed with the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
And he knows it, too.
"I think I have a lot to prove," Eichel said back in training camp. "Actually I think I've proven nothing, so it's a huge year for me personally and as a team.
"If you look at what I've done, it hasn't been a whole lot; two mediocre seasons on a losing team, so we just need to be better as a group this year, and I think everyone went home with the mindset this summer that we wanted to get better and head into the season and hit the ground running."
It's true that Eichel, the second overall pick in 2015, hasn't exploded onto the scene along the same lines as other recent top picks like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Patrik Laine. He doesn't have any individual awards, has not appeared in any playoff games, and maxed out last season at 24 goals and 33 assists, well below his highly touted contemporaries.
The caveat here, of course, is that Eichel started 2016-17 on injured reserve after spraining his ankle just before the regular season began. Unable to play until Nov. 29, he went on to post those aforementioned totals over the course of 61 games, good for a point-per-game average of 0.93.
Among all players to appear in at least 61 games, Eichel ranked 11th in that category, giving a more accurate reflection of his place in the hockey landscape.
What's more, Eichel ranked first in shots per game with 4.08 last season, but was stuck on a shooting percentage of 9.6. As a point of comparison, Sidney Crosby led the league with 44 goals on 255 shots (17.6 percent success rate), firing only six more pucks on net than Eichel.
With that in mind, Eichel should be in for a monster 2017-18 - one that should justify or even surpass expectations for the average annual salary that only five other players will match this sesaon.
Indeed, that's why his agent suggested he play out the final year of his entry-level contract before signing an extension, in the belief that Eichel could command even more next summer.
It's a testament to Eichel's drive to win that he "settled" for the $80 million, and it's a contract that could look like a bargain for the Sabres in a few years if Eichel can skate the skate, so to speak.
Buffalo has experienced way too much losing for this marriage not to work out.
At several different points, wading through the fruitless summer months and meaningless preseason games seemed impossible, but we've reached the light at the end of the tunnel, and hockey is officially back.
As we begin another NHL voyage, here are three things to keep an eye on during opening night. Only 27 weeks until the playoffs!
Matthews vs. Laine (and Leafs vs. Jets)
Wednesday marks another meeting between 2016's top two draft picks, and if their rookie season was any indication, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are destined to provide another classic. The electric Finn bagged a hat trick in their first matchup while Matthews notched three assists in round two, giving each side a win.
The sophomore phenoms will draw most of the attention, but the Maple Leafs and Jets have several supporting candidates capable of stealing the spotlight: William Nylander, Mark Scheifele, Mitch Marner, and Nikolaj Ehlers, just to name a few.
Both meetings between Winnipeg and Toronto last season were high-scoring overtime thrillers, and we should all be hoping for more of the same.
Penguins raise banner
The Penguins' quest for a three-peat begins Wednesday, with the defending champs hosting the St. Louis Blues on banner-raising night.
The target on Pittsburgh's back grew even larger after adding another ring - a rather flashy one - to its collection, and the Blues should offer a tough test right out of the gate.
Even if the game is tightly contested or low scoring, there should be no shortage of entertainment with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Vladimir Tarasenko sharing the same ice surface.
Battle of Alberta Vol. I
Based on personnel alone, the Oilers and Flames have the potential to be the most entertaining rivalry in the NHL. Both sides have hated each other for a long time, but it's been quite a while since Edmonton and Calgary have each entered a season with such high expectations.
Edmonton swept the season series last year, but Calgary has an early chance to erase those memories with a win Wednesday night. The Flames added Mike Smith and Travis Hamonic over the summer to help fix defensive issues the Oilers were able to expose, and it will be interesting to monitor how well their new pieces perform.
Oh, and there's that Connor McDavid guy. He's pretty fun to watch, too.
Nikoaj Ehlers is beginning the 2017-18 NHL seasons with some long-term security, as the Winnipeg Jets have locked up the 21-year-old winger to a seven-year, $42-million contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.
Ehlers, the ninth overall pick in 2014, will play out 2017-18 on his entry-level contract before the extension kicks in next season.
The 21-year-old had an outstanding sophomore season, suiting up in all 82 games, registering 25 goals - 20 of which came at even strength - and 39 assists. His 64 points were good enough for a tie for third on the Jets.
Winnipeg begins its season Wednesday night versus Toronto.
There are plenty of intriguing storylines heading into the 2017-18 campaign, and some of the NHL's most significant subplots could yield unexpected results.
From long, drawn out trade negotiations that will mercifully come to an end, to a brand-new franchise avoiding the basement, here's a handful of things we're expecting to see this season:
The Predators will get Matt Duchene
David Poile knows a thing or two about reeling in a superstar who's on the trade block, and the Nashville Predators' general manager is going to swing another blockbuster trade.
The Predators' only real weakness entering the season is up the middle, and Poile undoubtedly understands the club's need, the importance of getting back to the Stanley Cup Final, and the opportunity that presents itself in Duchene's availability.
Ryan Ellis' injury made it temporarily impossible for the Predators to trade one of their top-four defensemen to the Colorado Avalanche, but Nashville made a play for the talented forward over the summer, and Poile still has pieces he can offer.
The Predators aren't the only team in the mix, but they'll put a package together that Avalanche GM Joe Sakic will ultimately accept.
Alain Vigneault will be fired
The New York Rangers are on the decline, and that will accelerate this season, despite the fact the club boasts a few talented forwards and power-play point producer Kevin Shattenkirk. They've been carried by Henrik Lundqvist over the last couple of years, but the veteran goaltender is 35, and Ondej Pavelec is New York's Plan B, so this won't end well.
Trading Derek Stepan and Antti Raanta to the Arizona Coyotes over the summer will come back to haunt the Rangers, who'll sputter to a sub-.500 record into December, costing head coach Vigneault his job.
Lindy Ruff was brought in as an assistant coach to add some experience behind the bench, and that move is going to prove prescient when the former Buffalo Sabres and Dallas Stars bench boss takes over the Rangers in a misguided and ultimately unsuccessful attempt by GM Jeff Gorton to right the ship.
2 teams will be worse than the Golden Knights
Expansion teams are usually terrible in their inaugural seasons, but there are a few reasons why the Vegas Golden Knights won't be the worst team in the NHL this season.
Secondly, the Avalanche are going to be awful again, and if they finally trade Duchene, they could be even worse than they were last season, when they set the salary-cap era record for futility.
Lastly, the Vancouver Canucks are also going to be very bad. Beyond the development of Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko, there isn't much to look forward to for the Canucks this season, particularly given the uncertain future of the Sedin twins.
The Golden Knights won't be good either, but the Avalanche and Canucks will be here to remind them it could be worse.
Someone will score 5 goals in a game
Three players scored four goals in a game last season, and given the amount of offensive firepower in the NHL, it's not too far-fetched to expect someone to pot a handful during a game in 2017-18.
It's even more of a possibility when you consider there will be more power plays this season, with minor infractions now being handed out for failed offside challenges, plus more calls for slashing and faceoff violations.
Jonathan Drouin will finish with 30 goals
Defense is going to be a recurring issue for the Montreal Canadiens all season, but offense from the top six won't be a problem.
Whether Drouin sticks on the Canadiens' primary unit centering Pacioretty or slots in on the wing, he'll build on the 21-goal, 53-point season he put together with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2016-17.
Montreal has enough talent on its top two lines to ensure Drouin enjoys a breakout campaign regardless of where he ultimately lands in the lineup.
Three of his 30 goals this season will come Dec. 28 in his return to Amalie Arena, and the 60-point plateau is a realistic target for the dynamic 22-year-old.
Bickell played 384 of his 395 career NHL games with Chicago. The other 11 came as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2016-17, but his season was interrupted by a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis last November.
"As any professional athlete will tell you, stepping away from the game is extremely difficult especially given my circumstances," said Bickell. "I’m honored to be retiring a Chicago Blackhawk - a team that has given me and my family so many great memories. I appreciate Rocky Wirtz, John McDonough, and Stan Bowman for allowing me this opportunity."
Bickell scored 65 goals and added 70 assists over his 10-year NHL career. He upped his game and became a fan favorite in the playoffs, however, scoring 20 goals and adding 19 assists in 75 appearances, all with Chicago.
"We are thankful to Bryan for his accomplishments on the ice and we look forward to hearing his voice in raising awareness for multiple sclerosis as he fights the disease," added Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman.
Bickell was able to rejoin the Hurricanes for the final two games of the regular season, and he capped his career by scoring a shootout goal in his final act as a pro hockey player. He was also honored at the 2017 NHL Awards for being able to play following his diagnosis.
On the eve of the start of the NHL regular season, much is always to be made about the players who were the given the heartbreaking news that they're not among those to crack their perspective team's roster.
On the flip side, many received news that they had done enough to earn their spot, even if it was a bit of a shock. With that, here are five players who surprisingly earned opening-night roster spots:
Seth Griffith
Seth Griffith has broken through the American Hockey League barrier.
After being placed on waivers several times last season and spending the majority of his time with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL, Griffith has claimed a spot on the Buffalo Sabres roster.
Griffith had a respectable preseason with the Sabres, tallying a goal and an assist in four games. His roster spot looks to be the result of paying his due in the AHL, where he's tallied 66 goals and 202 points in 203 career games.
Haydn Fleury
The Carolina Hurricanes defense corps has quickly become one of the more desirable ones in the league.
Sure Fleury was the seventh overall selection in 2014 and looks to be a great talent, but it's somewhat surprising he was able to muscle his way into the lineup after just one year of seasoning in the AHL.
The 19-year-old is just 5-foot-8 and 154 pounds, but what he lacks in size, he more than makes up for in offensive prowess. The Edmonton Oilers forward finished second on the club in preseason scoring behind only Connor McDavid and led the team with five goals, while adding two assists in six games.
Considering Yamamoto was just drafted this past June (22nd overall) and given his size, there's no question he had to fight for his spot, but it appears it has been well earned.
David Booth
Given that he hadn't played in the NHL since the 2014-15 season - on a lowly Toronto Maple Leafs squad - it seemed a return might be out of the cards for David Booth.
However, after two years in the KHL, the 32-year-old inked a professional tryout with the Detroit Red Wings and made the most of it. He tallied just one assist in five games, but proved he can create offense, firing the second-most shots on the club (16) during the preseason.
Booth is expected to slot on the fourth line, according to MLive.com's Ansar Khan, but after a two-year absence from the league, he'll take it.
Victor Mete
Prior to training camp few people had likely heard about Victor Mete, but very quickly he has become one of the better stories to come out of camp.
The 19-year-old earned a spot on the Montreal Canadiens' blue line after proving he can contribute offensively while also taking care of things in his own end.
His four points during the preseason were just one point shy of the team lead, while his three power-play points paced the Canadiens. Not bad for a 2016 fourth-round pick.
Eichel's agent Peter Fish said that the 20-year-old chose to take less money to allow the Sabres more room to make moves under the salary cap, according to John Wawrow of the Associated Press.
"It was important for Jack to get a deal done that was friendly for both sides and would not hamstring the Sabres going forward," Fish told Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News.
