Jack Eichel underwent successful disc replacement surgery, the Golden Knights announced Friday, TSN.ca reports. Eichel was traded from the Sabres to the Golden Knights earlier this month. Eichel is considered one of the best players in the NHL, but the Sabres and Eichel were at an impasse over what type of surgery Eichel should undergo to treat the injury. Eichel preferred disc replacement, while the Sabres wanted him to undergo fusion surgery. This led to Eichel waiting almost eight months to get the injury fixed and also his trade to the Golden Knights, who were okay with Eichel having the replacement surgery.
If you’re wondering why the Sabres didn’t want him to get the replacement surgery, it’s because that type of surgery had never been performed on an NHL player before. The team determined that was too much of a risk for them to sign off on, and the stalemate ensued.
Now that Eichel has undergone surgery, he is expected to be out of action for about three months. This puts him back on the ice at some point in mid-February, should everything go according to plan. Eichel is hoping to help the Golden Knights during the last couple of months of this season and to participate in the Olympics.
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