The Vegas Golden Knights made one of the biggest moves of the offseason, bringing in Mitch Marner. They continued their long history of making significant moves and sparing no cost in the process. One of those moves from the past was the trade for Jack Eichel, who was traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Golden Knights in 2021. With Eichel's contract ending, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period says Marner's deal is not the ceiling for the center's.
“With Mitch Marner locked into an eight-year deal in Vegas at an AAV of $12 million, the Golden Knights know the floor for Eichel. Just how much more, though, is the question,” Pagnotta reported. “Eichel tallied 94 points last season, the first time he has cracked 90+ points in his career. Yes, Vegas benefits from being in an [income tax-free] state, and that will lessen the cap blow, but the Knights will need to step up with a significant offer. Between his offensive capabilities and his two-way style at the pivot, Eichel’s next deal may sit around $13 million in that market.”
The Golden Knights will benefit from the rising salary cap and have enough room to fit Eichel's new deal in. But moves beyond that will be difficult, as they usually are. That could lead to another cutthroat trade, with William Karlsson's final year at $5.9 million as a possibility.
The Golden Knights will be Stanley Cup contenders this year, even after losing Alex Pietrangelo for the season, and maybe his career. While the addition of Marner gets the attention, the losses of Nicolas Roy and Nic Hague will be significant to their depth. The Golden Knights have their elite center in Jack Eichel, and they cannot let him go. They would not have paid Marner if they thought it would cost them Marner.
