Golden Knights center Jack Eichel one step closer to playing

Two Golden Knights got back to work after the All-Star break a little sooner than everyone else.

Center Jack Eichel and defenseman Alec Martinez hit the ice an hour earlier than the rest of their teammates Monday to do some one-on-one drills and battle as they work their way back from injuries.

It was a major step for Eichel. It was the start of his first practice as a full participant for the Knights after he was cleared for contact.

Coach Pete DeBoer said he doesn’t have a timeline of when Eichel is expected to play. Martinez’s future is unclear as well. DeBoer said he is still not close enough to be considered a game-time decision Tuesday against Edmonton.

The Knights could use Martinez back soon because DeBoer said defenseman Zach Whitecloud has a broken bone in his foot. The news put a damper on an otherwise positive first day back for the team featuring an almost full practice and Eichel’s progress.

“Now it’s a matter of how does he respond?” DeBoer said. “Do a little bit more the next day, a little bit more the next day. Hope for no setbacks. He feels good right now, talking to him. He’s excited.”

Eichel getting cleared for contact is the latest step in his recovery after undergoing artificial disk replacement surgery Nov. 12 to deal with a herniated disk in his neck.

General manager Kelly McCrimmon said when the Knights traded for Eichel on Nov. 4 he was expected to be back in three-to-five months.

Eichel skated on an extra “fifth” line in practice Monday with center Nolan Patrick and right wing Michael Amadio, suggesting he’s not ready to enter the lineup yet. But the 25-year-old did mix in with the first power-play unit to get acclimated to his teammates and how they set up.

Even though he’s only been practicing, he’s still managed to turn heads. DeBoer said at All-Star Weekend media day Friday there have been practices where Eichel has looked like the Knights’ best player.

“He’s pretty damn good,” defenseman Ben Hutton said. “He’s a great skater. He’s powerful. He’s strong. He’s going to help this lineup a lot.”

Eichel’s progression to full participation puts the Knights one step closer to full health.

They also got defenseman Nic Hague back at practice after he missed their last game Feb. 1 against the Buffalo Sabres while on injured reserve.

Hague, Martinez and Eichel all practicing while on IR meant the Knights had 15 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders at Monday’s skate.

The Knights hope that’s closer to their new normal after enduring an injury and COVID-19 absence-plagued first 46 games of the season.

“You get a lot of rest between reps, which isn’t the worst thing,” right wing Reilly Smith said.

Whitecloud was the Knights’ only notable absence. He has 12 points — including a career-high six goals — in 31 games, but this is his second major injury of the season. He previously missed 12 games after a blocked shot Oct. 22 against Edmonton led to hand surgery.

Luckily for Whitecloud and the rest of the Knights’ injured players, they’ll have plenty of time to heal up in February. The team only has seven games the rest of the month. The Knights don’t play again until Feb. 16 after their back-to-back Tuesday and Wednesday in Edmonton and Calgary.

“It’s a great opportunity for us and we have to use it,” DeBoer said. “We’re going to be smart about how we plan it out, but we’ve got to use this as a good month to lay a real good foundation for the stretch (run).”

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.