The 2026 NHL free agency class was supposed to be the most stacked in recent years when it came to young talent. Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov were two of those names, but both decided to remain with the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild, respectively. Jack Eichel was another one of the big names in that class, but he felt the least likely to hit the open market. Eichel said this offseason that despite having the chance to cash in during free agency, he wanted to remain with the Golden Knights.
On Wednesday, that became a reality.
Darren Dreger of TSN was first to report that Eichel and the Golden Knights had agreed to terms on a contract extension. Dreger later reported the terms — an eight-year deal where Eichel would earn $13.5 million per season. So, that brings the total to $108 million.
Jack Eichel signs massive eight-year contract extension to stay with Golden Knights
With this new deal, Eichel is making $1 million more per year than McDavid is on his two-year, $25 million contract. He now has the third-highest annual salary among all NHL players, behind Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers ($14 million per year) and Kaprizov with the Wild ($17 million).
Eichel had begun his career with the Buffalo Sabres as the second-overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. But, the relationship between both parties would sour over a discrepancy about how to treat a neck injury. It got so bad, that the Sabres stripped Eichel of his captaincy and placed him on long-term injured reserve. But in 2021, Eichel was traded to the Golden Knights, who allowed the star to get his preferred surgery on his neck.
Eichel was limited to just 34 games in his first season with Vegas, as he notched 14 goals and 11 assists. The following year was much more eventful for Eichel, as he scored 27 goals and 39 assists in 67 regular season games. That year in the playoffs, Eichel scored 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) and helped win the Golden Knights his and their first Stanley Cup title.
This past season, Eichel had a career-year, posting 94 points and 66 assists, both of which were the most he put up in a single season.
In his four years in Vegas, Eichel recorded 100 goals and 153 assists.
Joining Vegas did turn Eichel's career around. They had obviously earned his trust for him to openly shut down free agency questions to express a desire to stay with the team long-term. Just hours before Vegas opened up their season against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, Eichel got his wish to remain with the organization for the next eight years of his career.