In the world of professional hockey, the on-ice battles are only half the story. As the Vegas Golden Knights gear up for another campaign, their most significant challenge isn’t a rival team, but a negotiation table. At the center of it all is their superstar pivot, Jack Eichel, a player who has become synonymous with the franchise’s identity and its championship pedigree. With Eichel entering the final season of his eight-year, $80 million contract, the clock is officially ticking on an extension that will not only define his future but also shape the team’s salary cap structure for the next decade.
No Panic in Paradise
Despite being eligible for an extension for over two months, Jack Eichel remains unsigned. For many fanbases, this would be cause for widespread panic. In Las Vegas, however, the mood is decidedly calm. Both the organization and the player have projected an air of confident patience, suggesting this is a matter of “when,” not “if.”
Golden Knights General Manager Kelly McCrimmon has been unequivocal in his stance, stating that re-signing Eichel is a top priority for the club. He’s lauded Eichel as a “great player” and has made it clear that there’s a mutual desire to get a deal done. While talks between McCrimmon and Eichel’s high-profile agent, Pat Brisson, are still in their infancy, the foundation of shared interest appears solid.
For his part, Eichel has poured cold water on any speculation that he might test the open market. “At this moment, yeah, I’d like to stay,” he told ESPN, leaving little room for ambiguity. He spoke glowingly of his home in the desert, praising the organization, the city, his teammates, and the fans. “It’s a great place to live,” he affirmed, “and a great place to play hockey.”
While the situation is described as “trending,” Eichel is keeping his primary focus on the ice, preparing for the upcoming season. The possibility of him starting the year without a new deal in place doesn’t seem to faze the front office, which has a history of hammering out extensions with key players mid-season. The message from both camps is clear: don’t mistake a lack of speed for a lack of commitment.
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The Price of a Champion
While goodwill is plentiful, the negotiation will ultimately come down to dollars and cents. Eichel’s current contract, which carries a $10 million average annual value (AAV), was signed when he was the face of a struggling Buffalo Sabres franchise. He is no longer that player. He is now a Stanley Cup champion and the undisputed offensive engine of a perennial contender.
His performance speaks for itself. Last season, he led the Golden Knights with 94 points in 77 games, and his points-per-game average has remained elite over the past three seasons. However, his true value was forged in the crucible of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In that dominant championship run, Eichel was a force of nature, posting an incredible 26 points in 22 games. That performance didn’t just win his team a championship; it fundamentally altered his market value, elevating him from a star to a bona fide clutch performer who delivers when the stakes are highest.
Because of this, his next contract is expected to be monumental. If he were to entertain free agency, rumors suggest his asking price of $13-14 million AAV would “skyrocket,” with some projections pushing the figure as high as $15 million per season. Sources indicate the total value of his next deal could easily surpass the $100 million mark, placing him in the rarefied air of NHL players with nine-figure contracts.
Shifting Landscapes and Superstar Comparables
The financial landscape of the NHL is not static, and several recent contracts have set new benchmarks that will undoubtedly influence the Eichel negotiations.
First, there’s the internal comparable of his new running mate, Mitch Marner. The Golden Knights’ blockbuster sign-and-trade acquisition this offseason saw Marner ink an eight-year, $96 million pact ($12 million AAV). Tellingly, some believe Vegas is prepared to offer Eichel an even “heftier deal” than Marner’s. This establishes Marner’s contract not as a ceiling, but as a potential floor for what Eichel can command.
Looking outside the organization, the deal that truly “changed the landscape” for elite centers was Leon Draisaitl’s recent extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Draisaitl’s eight-year, $112 million contract carries a staggering $14 million AAV. As a dominant, point-producing #1 center, Draisaitl represents the most direct and potent comparable for Eichel, and you can be sure his agent will be using that number as a starting point in discussions.
But the biggest X-factor in all of this also looms in Edmonton: Connor McDavid. As the first overall pick in the 2015 draft, McDavid has been Eichel’s peer and measuring stick his entire career. McDavid is also in a pivotal contract year, and the structure of his next deal could send shockwaves through the league. If McDavid opts for a shorter-term deal, as has been rumored—something in the range of four years at a mind-boggling $19 million AAV—it would completely reset the market. Such a deal would give Eichel’s camp the leverage to argue for a contract in the $15 million range, a figure that would have seemed unthinkable just a few years ago.
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The Ace Up McCrimmon’s Sleeve
How can Vegas possibly afford such a colossal contract? The answer lies in two key factors: a rising salary cap and a general manager who is unafraid to make difficult decisions.
The NHL’s salary cap is finally experiencing a significant post-pandemic boom. It’s projected to climb to $104 million for next season and could reach as high as $113.5 million by the 2027-28 season. This projected growth provides the Golden Knights with the financial breathing room to give Eichel a substantial raise of $4 million, $5 million, or perhaps even more per year, without completely hamstringing the rest of the roster.
Furthermore, Kelly McCrimmon has earned a reputation as one of the league’s shrewdest and most pragmatic executives. He has a well-documented history of making “cutthroat” decisions—trading away fan favorites and popular players—to maintain cap flexibility and retain his core superstars. This track record should reassure fans that he will find a way to navigate the cap gymnastics required to secure Eichel for the long haul. The pieces will move, but the cornerstone will remain.
As training camp opens, Eichel is expected to start on a line with Mitch Marner, a combination that has fans and hockey analysts salivating at the offensive potential. A hot start to the season will only increase Eichel’s leverage, making the timing of these negotiations critical. The longer this process drags on, the higher the price may go.
Ultimately, the question isn’t whether Jack Eichel will remain a Golden Knight. All signs point to a shared commitment to that future. The real drama lies in the final number on the contract, a number that will reflect the price of a champion in today’s NHL and set the course for the Vegas Golden Knights for years to come.
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