Sharp-Dressed Eichel On The Difference Between His Draft-Night Suit And His First Custom-Tailored Suit: "Probably Just The Size Of My Bank Account"

LAS VEGAS -- Jack Eichel, easily one of the sharpest-dressed players in the NHL, remembers the suit he wore as he transitioned from amateur to professional as the second overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Eichel donned a single-breasted, three-button gun-metal grey suit, over a white shirt with a soft grey-striped tie.

He also remembers the first time he arrived at an arena wearing a custom-made suit, roughly seven months later on Jan. 25, 2016. There was no better place to do so, and break out your first custom-tailored suit than Manhattan for a game inside Madison Square Garden.

"I had met the tailor in New York the night before, he brought the suit to the hotel and it was the first one I had - it was cool," Eichel said. "I remember going to MSG, it was the first time I'd ever been there. I had a custom suit on, you're walking up the ramp, you're 19 years old, you think you're the man."

It marked the first time he had a deeper appreciation for his gameday drip while also realizing the biggest difference between draft night and walking into the Mecca of sports arenas.

"Probably just the size of my bank account," Eichel said, with a laugh. "By the time I was halfway through my rookie season, I had a couple bucks to my name. Draft night I had nothing. Draft night was on Mom and Dad.

"After that, it's been on me."

Set for his 10th season in the league and fourth season with the Vegas Golden Knights, Eichel certainly won't be short on choices for Wednesday's home opener against the Colorado Avalanche. Though he hasn't gotten with his tailor for this year's new crop of suits, he has a process when it comes to his purchases and choices for the ever-important arrival photos upon entering the arena.

Call it a matter of feel and flow, beginning with what he's worn the past few seasons - be it double-breasted or three-pieces and then plaid- or solid-patterned suits - before narrowing it down to colors while accessorizing along the way.

"I (also) sort of just try and find inspiration in other places ... I might see a suit on Instagram that I like, I might see somebody wear something that I think's cool, and just kind of go with that," Eichel said. "Blue is great. I think a double-breasted blue suit in a pinstripe. Just any sort of blue for me, that's probably where I have the most suits.

"I really like burgundy and dark purples and purple, I think that's a really nice color. And I think Brown is beautiful. I think there's a lot of nice browns, whether it's a houndstooth or different plaid patterns, I think it's timeless and there's just a lot of things you can do with it."

As for the styles themselves, Eichel loves the look of a trend from the early 20th century, particularly in the 1920s and 1930s, when fashion began moving away from the more conservative Victorian styles, and into a more relaxed and modern look when wide lapels were a part of the "Golden Age" of men's tailoring during the 1930s.

It was also an era that saw a preference for sharply tailored suits with wider shoulders and lapels. This style was partly influenced by the need to create a more structured, masculine silhouette.

"Picture Tom Ford," he said. "Not that I wear Tom Ford suits, but that's a lot of the inspiration I like in suits. I like big, wide-peak lapels. Very tightly cut, tapered around the waist, jacket fits tight. Collar (and) wrists (on the) dress shirt outside of the jacket ... big collar on the dress shirt (with a) wide tie."

And the shoes? That's an easy one.

"I probably have the most pairs of Christian Louboutin," Eichel added. "I like wearing boots, honestly. I like a nice Chelsea boot, and I think YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) makes a great boot. Here in Vegas, loafers are great."

Don't offer the 27-year-old Dolce Gabbana or Alexander McQueen style dress sneakers, though, as Eichel said he's goes by an old-school vibe of wearing dress shoes.

"I think when you wear in a suit - once in a while I'll wear it with sneakers - but I always think if you're wearing a suit and you're dressing up you have to finish the outfit with the proper pair of footwear," he said. "So I think there's definitely times where you can wear sneakers with your suit. But I'm personally not a fan of it."

Whatever Eichel has planned for the 2024-25 season, expect him to remain one of the league's sharpest-dressed players.