Golden Knights mailbag: What’s the holdup with Jack Eichel’s extension?

Here is a sampling of what arrived in this week’s mailbag. Questions can be submitted via X, Bluesky (dannywebster21.bsky.social) or email.

@ZwartePillMd: What’s the long-term plan for (center) Jack Eichel?

Danny Webster: The plan remains the same. Both sides want to get a contract done.

Eichel doesn’t have an extension yet, but he won’t become a free agent until July 1. It’s understandable fans will have angst until he puts pen to paper. Just remember the Knights have every intention of retaining him.

@davidcw51: Every year, there seems to be a breakout Silver Knight who works his way onto the NHL roster (Paul Cotter, Pavel Dorofeyev, Brendan Brisson). Who could you see it being this year? Is there even a spot to be stolen by them?

Webster: There is a different vibe in training camp this year. It seems pretty clear who the 20 players in the Knights’ opening-night lineup will be, barring injury.

Skaters are instead competing to be the first call up when an opening arises. Two to keep an eye on are center Kai Uchacz and right wing Braeden Bowman.

Another player to monitor is goaltender Carl Lindbom. The 22-year-old likely won’t take the backup job from Akira Schmid out of camp, but he could put on some pressure with a strong preseason.

@ta_nieman: Where does Ben Hutton fit into the lineup? Or does he?

Webster: Hutton is competing to be the Knights’ sixth defenseman with Jeremy Lauzon. The two will battle it out to see who starts on the third pair with Kaedan Korczak.

Hutton, 32, only played 11 games last season and has mixed results in camp so far, but coach Bruce Cassidy believes he’ll benefit from more reps.

Expect Hutton to get a long look the rest of the preseason.

@sportsguybets: What are the chances (general manager) Kelly McCrimmon adds a new goalie, like maybe Carter Hart, to the roster?

Webster: It comes down to Schmid.

The 25-year-old became Adin Hill’s backup down the stretch last season after posting a .944 save percentage in five appearances with the Knights. But he still has plenty to prove. He was only 9-18-3 with the Silver Knights last year.

Schmid, who is 16-18-4 with a .903 save percentage and 2.73 goals-against average in the NHL, will now get a chance to show he can build off what he did at the end of last season.

As for Hart, that’s complicated.

The 27-year-old was once considered a potential future star, but he hasn’t played since Jan. 20, 2024. He and four other players from Canada’s 2018 World Junior team were charged with sexual assault in February 2024, after allegations surfaced from a charity golf event in June 2018. All five were acquitted in July.

Hart and the other four players can agree to contracts Oct. 15 and are eligible to play again Dec. 1.

nakvgk.bsky.social: How receptive is Bruce Cassidy to a five-forward power play?

Webster: The Knights could start with five forwards on the power play. It’s just a matter of how long they stick with it.

The team needs to find the right way to plug right wing Mitch Marner into its top unit. Do the Knights put him in the right circle instead of Dorofeyev? Do they put him on the point instead of defenseman Shea Theodore?

Answers likely aren’t coming until the final few games of the preseason. But it will be interesting to see how the Knights, who had the second-best power play in the NHL last year, try to keep things rolling.

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.