LAS VEGAS -- Signing Jack Eichel to a new, long-term contract will "be an important order of business for us," Vegas Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Saturday.
The 28-year-old center, who led the Golden Knights in scoring with an NHL career-high 94 points (28 goals, 66 assists) in 77 games this season and was the eighth-leading scorer in the League, has one season remaining on the eight-year, $80 million contract (average annual value $10 million) that he signed with the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 3, 2017 and began with the 2018-19 season.
Each side expressed interest in getting a new deal done sooner rather than later, three days after the Golden Knights were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in five games in the Western Conference Second Round.
"The guy is a tremendous player," McCrimmon said. "He's one of the top guys in the NHL. He's got great character and great leadership. You see night in and night out what he does for our team. So that will be a really important piece of business for us. I sure hope to keep Jack in our organization. Jack loves it here. I hope we can find common ground and keep him a Golden Knight."
For his part, Eichel said he is happy in Las Vegas and is willing to let the contract process work.
"With that stuff, it's sort of out of my control," he said. "I just try to focus on the things that I can control. Contractually, I think those things kind of take care of itself. I'll just worry about trying to prepare for next season, this offseason.
"It's a phenomenal place to play hockey, live, and be a part of. It's a great group of people to come to work with every day. I can't say enough about my teammates, the people in this building, and the people that make this organization what it is. I am super proud to be part of this organization and this city and to represent the Vegas Golden Knights."
Eichel was acquired by the Golden Knights in a trade with the Sabres on Nov. 5, 2021, for forwards Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch, a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, and a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Vegas also received a third-round pick in the 2023 draft.
Eichel was selected by the Sabres with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and played his first six NHL seasons with Buffalo but had a disagreement with the team on how to treat a herniated disk in his neck, which kept him out the final 33 games of the 2020-21 season. He had expressed interest in an artificial disk replacement surgery, but the Sabres said their doctors weren't comfortable with a procedure that had not been performed on an NHL player. The Golden Knights allowed him to have that surgery Nov. 12, 2021.
Since then, Eichel has helped Vegas make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three of the past four seasons, including being a member of the team that won the Cup in 2023.
He has averaged nearly a point per game throughout his NHL career, with 608 points (239 goals, 369 assists) in 616 games with Buffalo and Vegas, and has 43 points (10 goals, 33 assists) in 40 playoff games.
Eichel can re-sign with the Golden Knights as early as July 1 for an eight-year deal, but if he were to sign a contract with a new team on July 1, 2026, the maximum term would be seven years.
He was a driving force in helping Vegas earn the top seed in the Pacific Division and defeat the Minnesota Wild in six games in the Western Conference First Round; Eichel had five points (one goal, four assists) through the last three games of the series, each a Golden Knights victory.
Against the Oilers, however, Eichel did not score a goal; he had five assists in the five-game series, none in the last two games.
"Everyone really left it out there," he said. "It's unfortunate it's over, but there's only one (team) who goes home happy at the end of the year. Everyone else is looking for answers on how to win. So we're going to reassess it and figure out what we can do better and be the last team."
Though a new deal with Eichel is an offseason priority, McCrimmon said Vegas wants to focus on the team's group of pending unrestricted free agents, including forwards Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad, Victor Olofsson and Tanner Pearson, along with two pending restricted free agents, forward Alexander Holtz and defenseman Nicolas Hague.
"We'll work on those players first, make some decisions there, or have a discussion with them and with agents," McCrimmon said. "We're going to do everything we can to improve our team in the next six or seven weeks."