Fans have patiently waited for Jack Eichel to get a contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights. They've hounded the social media team to work out a deal, whether on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. However, a potential deal could be more complicated for Kelly McCrimmon and company than initially thought.
Elliotte Friedman spoke on Sportsnet's Oilers Now about the topic, saying that the numbers are going up.
"As for Eichel, I still think that at this point in time that Eichel re-signs in Vegas. He likes it there, he’s happy there but what we’re seeing is that the numbers are going up."Elliotte Friedman
Make what you will of this information, but it seems the driving force behind Eichel's skyrocketing numbers goes beyond mere inflation. It's a player who scored 28 goals and 94 points last season, setting franchise records in the process. That includes most single-season assists (66) and the most points per game (1.22). Throw in a Stanley Cup run where he had six goals and 20 assists for good measure, while you're at it.
Therefore, it's reasonable to believe he deserves a solid new deal. It gets more complicated with the Golden Knights having $20.375 million in cap space heading into next season, especially with Pavel Dorofeyev expecting a payday, too. Still, fans shouldn't look too much into a deal not getting done with McCrimmon and Eichel.
Friedman's words still provide insight on where the Vegas Golden Knights stand with Jack Eichel
Fans should look at the first sentence in Friedman's quote, which talks about where the talks will eventually end up.
"As for Eichel, I still think that at this point in time that Eichel re-signs in Vegas."Elliotte Friedman
It's also mentioned that Eichel loves Las Vegas and there's no reason why he'd leave the Golden Knights so quickly. After all, why would a player like Eichel voluntarily work a shift at Raising Cane's if he hated the city? It's not like he's back in Buffalo, you know. One could chalk this up as a nothing burger (or nothing tenders) and move on.
However, the numbers talk could factor into other items, such as what Dorofeyev could get in his next deal. Mind you, he's eligible for arbitration as a restricted free agent and expects a significant pay bump, which will complicate matters further.
That's not even considering the depth pieces that McCrimmon must sign to fill out the roster. Sure, he could go the route of the Florida Panthers and fill the fourth line with cheap options. However, that could dramatically diminish the quality of play for the Golden Knights. Let's not forget that McCrimmon isn't one to skimp on team depth to weigh the entire roster down.
Still, that doesn't disqualify Eichel from getting a new deal with the Golden Knights any time soon. McCrimmon knows a thing or two about getting more bang for his buck when building rosters. That's especially true here, where he should find a happy medium with his star player and make it work.