Does Jack Eichel have a new contract yet?
No.
Does Eichel have a new contract yet?
No.
Does Eichel have a new cont-
NO!
It seems like Vegas Golden Knights fans have been waiting forever for their prized superstar to get a new contract. They want the Marner-Eichel duo to reign supreme in the NHL for years to come, dazzling fans with their passing and pizzazz. However, Eichel could also dictate the type of deal another superstar gets.
Our friends at Puck Prose talked about how Eichel could dictate Connor McDavid's next deal. Frank Seravalli brought up how the Golden Knights center could fetch a $15 million AAV deal. That would indicate what McDavid gets in the open market, making him the most expensive NHL contract ever.
But what if it isn't the Golden Knights that are playing a game of chicken here? What if it was with McDavid himself? John Shannon with 100% Hockey thinks that the megastar could enter the regular season without a new contract.
"I think there's people in the Oilers office holding their breath; Connor's in no hurry; he's going to go into the regular season without a new contract."John Shannon on 100% Hockey
What if Connor McDavid is playing the game of chicken with Eichel on a new contract?
Believe it or not, the idea doesn't sound as farfetched as people make it out to be. Both superstars appear to be headed to free agency in 2026, leaving a massive void on the Golden Knights and the Oilers. Therefore, something has to give between the two superstars.
Who will sign the first deal? Who will set the market value? If McDavid does first, it could ease the pressure off Edmonton since other teams will likely overpay for star centers in the future. If it's Eichel? Well, it sets the table for McDavid to get a friendly deal.
McCrimmon would love to avoid overpaying for his star center and bring a team-friendly deal on board. It's what he did with Mitch Marner upon signing him, where some experts lauded the deal's overall value.
The burden still falls on the Golden Knights to get a deal done with Eichel
Fan angst is continually growing with each passing day that Eichel isn't extended. Golden Knights fans are pulling their hair out at the thought of their superstar leaving for good. It's something fans don't want to see anytime soon.
That's especially true when you signed Marner to an eight-year deal this summer. Why waste all the work of bringing in a superstar, only to release the other one he was supposed to complement? That makes zero sense.
McCrimmon knows this as a general manager, which is why it'd be wise for him to get a deal done before McDavid. The good news? Eichel wants to win Stanley Cups before anything else, which bodes well for a general manager looking to extend the Stanley Cup window. However, he can't put himself in a corner with McDavid getting a deal done first.
You know. Just in case Eichel starts getting funny ideas.