So given the fact that the numbers suggest the line has been among the NHL's elite, it was interesting to hear Eichel say Tuesday that there's another level of consistency they've yet to reach. Kane agreed with his assessment when asked on Wednesday.
"I think we've got some chances, I just think we need to capitalize better on them, myself included," Eichel said. "I'd like to see us be more consistent on a shift-to-shift basis of getting that sustained pressure in the offensive zone, continuing to successfully make our plays that we're trying to make.
"It just takes time. You don't build chemistry overnight, you don t build it over the course of there week. It just takes time to figure out somebody's ins and outs of what they're thinking on the ice. I think we're trying to still do that now, and practice is a good time to get used to each other."
Eichel and Kane have skated together on lines at several points throughout the past two seasons, and their mutual skating ability has always made them a threat to outrace defenders on the rush. But this season, Eichel said, they've begun to understand each other's tendencies more than ever before.
The duo showed that chemistry on their first shift of the game against San Jose on Saturday. Eichel skated hard down the left wing side into the offensive zone, and then stopped hard to create a passing lane across the ice. He found Kane wide open, but the shot was saved.
Kane agreed with the prospect of his and Eichel's chemistry being at an all-time high.
"For sure," Kane said. "I think kind of ever since training camp, we pretty much have been together most of the season]. Just getting to know each other better helps build chemistry and we're good friends off the ice."
In the past when Kane and Eichel skated together, the line was often completed with Sam Reinhart on the right wing. With Reinhart playing mostly at center this season, Phil Housley used Pominville in that spot to open camp and saw Eichel feed him for a goal in their first preseason game.
Eichel said he knew Pominville had finishing ability just from watching him in the past and facing him over the last two seasons. He told him, "Just try to get me the puck and get open, I'll try and find you back." So far, the recipe has worked.
"I know that he's going to bury the chances that I give him," Eichel said. "He's done that consistently this year. You've got to credit the guy, he can score. If the puck's near him and he's letting it go, if he's in tight there, he's got great hands around the net, he picks his spots well and he's got a really quick release."
Pominville said early in camp that handling passes from Eichel [would take some getting used to. Eichel called back to their first regular-season connection, in the opener against Montreal, to exemplify just how well Pominville has done in that regard:
