Las Vegas – Signature Jack Eichel To a new long -term contract, “will be an important business order for us,” said Vegas Golden Knights, Kelly McCrimmon on Saturday.
The 28 -year -old center, which led the Golden Knights and was eighth in the NHL with a 94 -point career summit (28 goals, 66 assists) in 77 games this season, stayed a season on the eight -year contract, 80 million dollars (average annual value of 10 million dollars) which he signed with the Buffalo Sabers on October 3, 2017. 2018-19.
Each party has expressed its interest in concluding a new agreement as soon as possible, three days after the elimination of the Golden Knights by the EDMONTON Oilers in five games in the second round of the West Conference.
“The guy is a great player,” said McCrimmon. “He is one of the best guys in the NHL. He has a great character and a big leadership. You see the night and the night he does for our team. So it will be a really important affair for us. I hope to keep Jack in our organization. Jack loves it. I hope we can find common ground and keep a golden knight.”
For his part, Eichel said that he was happy in Las Vegas and that he was ready to let the contractual process work.
“With these things, it’s sort of out of my control,” he said. “I’m just trying to focus on the things I can control. Contractually, I think these things take some care of himself. I’m just worrying about trying to prepare for next season, this offseason.
“It is a phenomenal place to play hockey, live and be part. It’s a large group of people who come to work with every day. I cannot say enough about my teammates, the people of this building and the people who make this organization what it is.
Eichel was acquired by the Golden Knights in a business with the sabers on November 5, 2021, for the attackers Peyton Krebs And Alex TuchA choice of first round in the recovery of the NHL 2022, and a second round choice in the recovery of the NHL 2023. Vegas also received a choice of third round in the 2023 draft.
Eichel was selected by the Sabers with the n ° 2 choice of the NHL 2015 NHL and played its first six seasons of the NHL with Buffalo, but had a disagreement with the team on how to treat a hernia in their neck, which prevented it for the last 33 games of the 2020-21 season. He had expressed interest in replacement surgery of the artificial disc, but the sabers said that their doctors were not comfortable with a procedure that had not been carried out on an NHL player. The Golden Knights allowed him to undergo this operation on November 12, 2021.
Since then, Eichel has helped Vegas to make the STANLEY Cup qualifiers in three of the last four seasons, winning the Cup in 2023.
He has on average almost one point per game throughout his NHL career, with 608 points (239 goals, 369 assists) in 616 games with Buffalo and Vegas, and collected 43 points (10 goals, 33 assists) in 40 qualifying games.
Eichel can sign with the Golden Knights from July 1 for an eight -year contract, but if it were to sign a contract with a new team on July 1, 2026, the maximum duration would be seven years.
It was an engine to help Vegas get the seeded in the Pacific division and defeat Minnesota Wild in six games in the first round this season; Eichel collected five points (one goal, four assists) during the last three games in the series, each a victory for the Golden Knights.
Against the oilers, however, Eichel did not score a goal; He collected five assists in the five game series, none in the last two games.
“Everyone really left him there,” he said. “It is regrettable that it is finished, but there is only one (team) who returns home happy at the end of the year. Everyone is looking for answers on how to win. We will therefore reassess it and understand what we can do better and be the last team.”
Although a new agreement with Eichel is a prior priority, Mcrimmmon said that Vegas wanted to focus on the group of free -restricted agents, including attackers Reilly Smith,, Brandon Saad,, Victor Olofsson And Tanner Pearsonas well as two restricted free agents pending, before Alexander Holtz and defender Nicolas Hague.
“We will first work on these players, make decisions there, or have a discussion with them and with agents,” said McCrimmon. “We are going to do our best to improve our team in the next six or seven weeks.”