Golden Knights sign Jack Eichel to eight-year extension at $13.5 million AAV
The Vegas Golden Knights and center Jack Eichel have agreed to terms on an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $13.5 million. The deal will kick in starting in 2026-27.
The pact between the Golden Knights and their franchise center is the latest in a string of lucrative contracts that many of the stars of the 2015 NHL draft class have agreed to with their current teams.
8 years. Hearing $13.5 aav https://t.co/9Eg9Sz8NTQ
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) October 8, 2025Last week, the Minnesota Wild and Kirill Kaprizov signed a record-breaking deal that will pay Kaprizov $17 million per year for the next eight seasons after this one.
On Monday, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers extended their relationship for a shorter term that included a hometown discount on a two-year deal with a cap hit of $12.5 million.
Then on Tuesday night, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that a deal was close between Kyle Connor and the Winnipeg Jets. The team announced an eight-year contract with a cap hit of $12 million earlier Wednesday.
An exploding salary cap has given teams the flexibility to sign their superstar players to long-term deals that reflect their market values, and Eichel and Vegas are the latest beneficiaries.
Eichel has been a Golden Knight since the 2021-22 season after the club made a blockbuster deal with the Buffalo Sabres to make him their franchise center.
He’s been that and more, as he’s coming off of a career-high effort of 94 points in 77 games a year ago that went along with a plus-32 rating. In the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eichel was a force, putting up 26 points in 22 games played as the Golden Knights captured their first championship in franchise history.
As of right now, Eichel is set to have the third highest cap hit in the NHL when this deal kicks in in 2026-27 behind only Kaprizov and Leon Draisaitl.
The Golden Knights now have locked in a strong nucleus of elite talent over the long haul, having also landed Mitch Marner in free agency this past summer. Standout defensemen Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin are also under contract with the organization through 2032.