Ah, the rumor mill. It churns out many classics and newsworthy bits, such as the Mitch Marner to Las Vegas rumors. It also gets hockey fans to try and channel their inner Kelly McCrimmon. One particular rumor has Vegas Golden Knights worried about their superstar, Jack Eichel.
Lyle Fitzsimmons of Bleacher Report had the Anaheim Ducks as a possible destination, should Eichel choose to leave Las Vegas. Buoyed by their controversial new head coach, Joel Quenneville, the Ducks would instantly become Stanley Cup contenders.
That's especially true when combined with an upcoming goaltender in Lukas Dostal. All that's missing is a defining two-way center and a couple more offensive pieces to the mix. That'll signal they're back to being "mighty" in the NHL sphere.
But that won't sit well with Golden Knights fans. No, they don't want to lose their star center after all the work McCrimmon put in to get him from Buffalo. He's also shown himself a consistent playoff performer throughout the years, scoring 10 goals and 33 assists in 40 career postseason games.
Will that be the case, though? Will McCrimmon fail to re-sign his megastar to a new contract, likely eight years? The general manager knows his megastar is a top priority, especially since 2025-26 is his last year under his current deal.
Vegas Golden Knights fans shouldn't worry about Jack Eichel becoming a Disney Princess
Buffalo Sabres fans might think the statement above is true. After all, they weren't high on the former second-overall draft pick leaving town. However, that doesn't appear to be a possibility given Kelly McCrimmon's focus on making this his top priority.
Fans can look at McCrimmon's recent track record of re-signing key players to contract extensions. It doesn't matter if it's Shea Theodore (seven years, $51.975 million) or Adin Hill (six years, $37.5 million). The general manager made it a priority to get his best players on board for the long haul.
That's no different for Eichel after an incredible 2024-25 season (28 goals and 94 points). On top of that, he anchored the best power play in franchise history (28.3%). He set numerous franchise records this season and would establish himself as a permanent franchise legend.
When you're in a Stanley Cup contention window, the top priority is keeping your best players around. You must have a reliable group of players at every position and that's no different with Eichel. If the Anaheim Ducks get him somehow? It'll be worse than staying at Circus Circus.