McDavid, Eichel set to face off in Western 2nd Round

LAS VEGAS --Eight years ago, the NHL was uncharted territory for Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, who were selected with the No. 1 and No. 2 picks, respectively, in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Now, their paths will reconverge in the Western Conference Second Round between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights, which begins with Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS).

Back then, greatness for each was expected but not guaranteed. The only thing in question was what the path to success would look like.

So far, the two players have taken very different paths.

McDavid was selected by Edmonton with the No. 1 pick after he had 120 points (44 goals, 76 assists) in 47 games with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League.

Since then, McDavid has taken a straight line to superstardom, winning the Art Ross Trophy as the League's leading scorer five times (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023), the Ted Lindsay Award as the most outstanding player as voted on by members of the NHL Players' Association three times (2017, 2018, 2021), the Hart Trophy as most valuable player twice (2017, 2021), and the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the League's leading goal-scorer once (2023).

He is the best player in the League, rewriting the record books and quickly joining the pantheon of all-time great players. This season, McDavid had 153 points (64 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games, the most since Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins, another No. 1 pick, had 161 points in 1995-96.

With 850 points (303 goals, 547 assists) in 569 games, he could reach the 1,000-point milestone as early as next season.

McDavid is also playing in his fifth postseason with the Oilers, who are looking to build off a Western Conference Final appearance last season, when they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche. Against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round this season, McDavid had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in six games.

"What he is doing in the League is historical," Eichel said.

RELATED: [Complete Golden Knights vs. Oilers series coverage]

It has been a different story for Eichel, who was selected with the No. 2 pick by the Buffalo Sabres after he had 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists) in 40 games as a freshman with Boston University.

Although he has had success in the League, with 446 points (180 goals, 266 assists) in 476 games, Eichel played on a rebuilding team for his first six NHL seasons, never coming close to reaching the postseason. He also battled through injuries, including disk replacement surgery, which he had on Nov. 12, 2021, shortly after he was acquired by the Golden Knights in a trade with the Sabres.

Now in his eighth season, Eichel is experiencing playoff hockey for the first time. He had five points (three goals, two assists) in five games against the Winnipeg Jets in the first round and will look to replicate that against McDavid and the Oilers.

"They've got a really good hockey team over there, and we have a really good team over here," Eichel said. "It's going to be a competitive series."

McDavid isn't buying the No. 1 vs. No. 2 storyline, though, saying too much time has passed and that each player has developed his own identity at this point.

"We've been on different sides, conferences, and we really haven't played each other much," McDavid said.

"I think that story is long gone. It's been a long time. I don't think the Taylor vs. Tyler thing is still going on. It's been a long time."

McDavid was referring to Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin, who were selected No. 1 and 2, respectively, in the 2010 NHL Draft.

McDavid is right, in a way, when he suggests the head-to-head rivalry is not a huge storyline. But for Eichel, he knows he has an opportunity over the next two weeks to add an entry to his ledger.

"You are a competitor, right?" Eichel said. "Everyone wants to show their game off, play well against other good players."

Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said he believes this is a chance Eichel is ready to embrace.

"It's good for Jack," Cassidy said. "It's great for Jack to have an opportunity to play against the best. I think where Jack is right now, he wants to play in a playoff series period. So he has that under his belt. He's got a little momentum."

Most likely, there will be no avoiding McDavid for Eichel, who is Vegas' No. 1 center. It's also likely that he will go head-to-head against Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers' other superstar center, who had 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in the first round. And there may even be times when McDavid and Draisaitl play on the same line.

"I think everyone would be talking about that matchup," Cassidy said. "Whether it's fair to Jack or not, doesn't matter. It's playoff hockey."