Jack Eichel signed an eight-year, $108 million contract with the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday. It has an average annual value of $13.5 million and begins with the 2026-27 season.
The 28-year-old center, who led the Golden Knights and was eighth in the NHL with a career-high 94 points (28 goals, 66 assists) in 77 games last season, is in the last of the eight-year, $80 million contract ($10 million AAV) he signed with the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 3, 2017. Eichel could have become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
He and the Golden Knights play their season opener against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT).
“For me, it’s business as usual,” Eichel told NHL.com at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour on Sept. 10. “Things like that kind of take care of themselves when you’re focused on the right things. I know that will sort itself out. Moreso, my mentality is we’re starting training camp, we’re starting the season and how do I be the best version of myself to help our team win, be a good teammate. We’ll see what happens going forward.
“It’s no secret that I like it here in Vegas. It’s a great organization. I really enjoy living here and being a part of this community. As a player, it’s a very competitive environment. The organization does a good job of taking care of their players and our goal is to win the Stanley Cup every year, and that’s a great thing.”
Eichel has 253 points (100 goals, 153 assists) in 241 regular-season games with Vegas, and leads the team in points and is tied for the lead in goals since he was acquired in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 4, 2021, along with a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft for forwards Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch, a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in 2023.
Eichel led the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 22 games to help the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. He had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 11 playoff games last season, which led the team.
The No. 2 pick by the Sabres in the 2015 NHL Draft, Eichel has 608 points (239 goals, 369 assists) in 616 regular-season games for Buffalo and Vegas and 43 points (10 goals, 33 assists) in 40 playoff games.
NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen contributed to this report