Eichel ‘thankful and grateful’ for 8-year, $108 million deal with Knights

The two sides finished the deal Wednesday, with Eichel signing an eight-year extension with the Knights with an average annual value of $13.5 million. The deal will give him the third-largest cap hit in NHL history next season, behind only Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million) and Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl ($14 million).

Eichel, 28, scored a career-high 94 points last season and finished fifth in the Hart Trophy voting for NHL MVP. He has 253 points in 241 games with the Knights and helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2023.

“There’s definitely some piece of mind that comes with getting something done,” Eichel said Wednesday after his team’s 6-5 shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings in its season opener. “I said all along I wanted to be here playing for the Vegas Golden Knights, so really happy to get it done and continue my career here in Vegas. It’s been an incredible place for me and my family. Just very thankful and grateful. It was obviously nice to get that out of the way. Tons of thanks to the organization and my teammates and everyone that’s been there with me along this journey.”

Eichel, a native of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, is entering the final season of the eight-year, $80 million extension he signed with the Buffalo Sabres in October 2017.

He was traded to the Knights in November 2021 following a dispute with the Sabres over how to treat a herniated disk in his neck. Eichel, who was selected No. 2 overall in the 2015 draft by Buffalo, preferred to undergo an artificial disk replacement, a surgery that had never been done on an NHL player.

The Knights allowed him to get the procedure, and he’s been a two-way star for the organization ever since. He had 26 points in 22 games during the team’s run to a championship in 2023, the most in the NHL that postseason.

Eichel said the Knights’ history of winning factored into his willingness to re-sign.

“It’s an organization that wants to win the Stanley Cup every year and as a player, that’s all you can ask for,” Eichel said. “You know they’re going to do what’s necessary to give us a chance to win and that’s what I want to do, continue to push to win another Stanley Cup here in Vegas. It was a huge part of my decision.”

Eichel’s 94 points and 66 assists this past year were franchise records. He also helped Team USA finish runner-up at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and was one of the first six players named to his country’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Eichel’s cap hit will remain $10 million this season, and then his new contract will kick in for 2026-27. The upper limit of the NHL’s salary cap is expected to increase from $95.5 million to $104 million next year.

Eichel was one of a number of star players who signed extensions leading up to the season rather than testing free agency July 1.

Kaprizov inked his record eight-year, $136 million contract on Sept. 30. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who was selected one pick ahead of Eichel in 2015, signed a two-year, $25 million extension Monday.

Winnipeg Jets left wing Kyle Connor got an eight-year, $96 million deal from his team Wednesday morning.

The Knights, with Eichel signed, will have about $5.23 million in cap space next season with 10 forwards, six defenseman and goaltender Adin Hill under contract. They will gain an extra $8.8 million in flexibility if defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, who has stepped away from hockey because of a serious hip injury, remains unable to play.

Coach Bruce Cassidy is happy Eichel’s contract is taken care of.

“Jack I believed deep down was going to get done,” Cassidy said. “You can guess how it would play out. I think both sides wanted to get it done. Good for Jack. I’m happy for him. Great guy. Deserves every penny. I’m glad to see it. I think he loves it here, enjoys his time here. I’ve said it — it’s a privilege to coach players like that. I’m happy he’s a Golden Knight and I’m sure our fan base is too.”

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