July 1st. Mark that date on your calendars, Vegas Golden Knights fans. That's when NHL free agency starts for all 32 teams. Very important date.
It's also when Jack Eichel is eligible for a contract extension, for he's entering the last year of his eight-year, $80 million deal. The superstar center had a career year with Vegas, scoring (say it with me, class) 28 goals and 94 points. He became the single-season franchise recordholder for most assists (66) and most points in a Golden Knights season.
Let's call his looming contract... The elephant in the room.
Kelly McCrimmon understands that. That's why he's made it a top priority of the Golden Knights this offseason as he spoke to the media. Get No. 9 signed and worry about your team.
"He's one of the top guys in the NHL. He's got great character, great leadership. You see night in, night out what he does for our team, so that will be a really important piece of business for us. We certainly hope to keep Jack in our organization. Jack loves it here, so I would hope we could find common ground."Kelly McCrimmon
He even referred to that as a "first order of business," which rings true. In fact, one can say that addressing the elephant in the room before next season's free agency starts. That's right. Eichel's presence will affect the offseason after this year, too.
How Jack Eichel will affect this upcoming offseason and the next
Getting Jack Eichel signed is a top menu item for Kelly McCrimmon and the Vegas Golden Knights. The good news is that the salary cap is expected to jump in the next few seasons. In 2026-27, the number hits $104 million.
Eichel hitting the free agent market in 2026 gives Kelly McCrimmon plenty of wiggle room to operate. He can also add a big name to the mix and bolster Vegas's top six (think Connor McDavid or Kirill Kaprizov). If teams like Edmonton don't secure their superstars, that leaves McCrimmon with an alley-oop of a free agency period.
Of course, that starts with the elephant in the room. That's why it's crucial for McCrimmon to get him signed as soon as possible. You can focus on adding another top-six forward in the next offseason and relieve the stress.
Getting Eichel signed relieves the stress for next season, too
In 2023-24, the looming question was whether Jonathan Marchessault and the Golden Knights would come to terms on a deal. Eventually, that answer became a big, fat "NO". The two sides couldn't come to terms on, well, the term.
Not even deferred payments would work in this situation. In short, Marchessault didn't want the Shohei Ohtani treatment as much as he cared about his kid's peewee league. However, that goes back to a broader point: Getting Eichel taken care of.
You won't have to worry about any distractions or aberrations during the regular season, either. Yes, Marchessault scored 42 goals that season. However, his production was halved the next season.
Why? It was all because of Eichel. His ability to enhance his linemates is unparalleled among most of his peers. Just look at Mark Stone (48 assists this season).
Eichel's looming elephant in the room will be a storyline for the Golden Knights until the summer of 2026. The sooner it gets done, the better.