Jack Eichel Signs Million-Dollar Extension with the Golden Knights
Star center Jack Eichel has secured his future with the Vegas Golden Knights by signing an eight-year contract extension. The deal, announced on Wednesday, has an average annual value of $13.5 million, solidifying his position on the team. The signing was finalized a few hours before the start of the Golden Knights’ season against the Los Angeles Kings in Las Vegas. Negotiations intensified during training camp, with both sides focused on securing a long-term deal before the season began. The new contract will begin in the 2026-27 season, and Eichel will be 38 years old when it ends. He will become the third player with the highest AAV in the league, surpassed by Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million) and Leon Draisaitl ($14 million). Eichel, 28 years old, was entering the final year of an eight-year contract with a $10 million cap hit, a deal he originally signed with the Buffalo Sabres, the team that drafted him. In 2021, Buffalo traded Eichel to the Golden Knights. The agreement was motivated by Eichel’s desire to undergo an artificial disc replacement (ADR) to correct a neck injury, a procedure that had never been performed on an NHL player and was therefore considered risky. Eichel’s agent, Pat Brisson, facilitated the trade. The Golden Knights allowed Eichel to undergo the surgery, which was so successful that several other NHL players have had it done. The American center helped Vegas win its first Stanley Cup in 2023, scoring 26 points in 22 games during the playoffs run.Eichel is one of the six players already selected for Team USA at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games. The Golden Knights are expected to be Stanley Cup contenders, especially after adding winger Mitch Marner this summer. Eichel and Marner are expected to play together on Vegas’s first line in their opening game against the Kings. This agreement reduces the list of potential star free agents for next summer. Connor McDavid renewed his contract for two years with the Edmonton Oilers earlier this week, and Kaprizov signed an eight-year contract with the Minnesota Wild before the season.About four years ago, Jack underwent the first ADR surgery for an active NHL player. He is a pioneer. Vegas stepped in and helped make the process happen. Since then, they have won the Cup. It’s a great place for him, and he is very happy with the decision.
Pat Brisson
