The Vegas Golden Knights are facing a tough decision after trading for Mitch Marner—and the hefty contract that came with him. Now, reports indicate the franchise must tread closely as they work out an extension with a Stanley Cup champion. Otherwise, they’d be in for a contract year during the 2025-26 NHL season.
It’s been a wild NHL offseason for the Golden Knights. Just as it’s been for Marner the past couple of years. Even for his standard, this past summer was extra turbulent. However, that’s all in the past now.
Upon arriving in Las Vegas, Marner was greeted by a stacked roster in Sin City. The Golden Knights boast enough household names to spark envy across the NHL. Still, one name stands out in particular: Jack Eichel. The American sniper is entering the final season of his eight-year, $80 million contract—and for Vegas, that can only mean one thing: it’s time to foot the bill.
There are plenty of reasons for the Golden Knights to agree to whatever number Eichel and his camp propose. And if that’s still not enough, a quick glance at the rafters inside T-Mobile Arena should suffice to seal the deal. Eichel’s place in Nevada is far from jeopardy, though it might require some extra work as a report hints.
Jack Eichel #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on December 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The fun begins
“Nothing on that front,” Frank Seravalli said about Eichel’s extension, via Bleacher Report. “I don’t know how they can go without him, like I don’t know how they could move on from him. But when looking at their cap table, it’s hard to wedge in a really big extension and what that looks like.
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“You crunch the numbers and pull out your calculator to look at the Golden Knights’ cap situation—which is never easy—and you think, ‘How do they do this?’. I guess with the rising cap, that certainly helps.”
Big bucks
The Golden Knights are hoping to make the city of Las Vegas proud. As the motto in town states: ‘The house always wins’, and Vegas isn’t looking to come out on the losing end of this one. That is, even if the price to pay is a hefty one. According to Seravalli, Eichel is set to sign a top-of-the-pyramid deal.
“I think what you’re talking about with Jack Eichel is a $15+ million average annual value deal (AAV). He’s been that good,” Seravalli noted.
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Needless to say, the Golden Knights better get moving. They are currently more than $7 million over the salary cap, and moves must be made to re-sign Eichel. Moreover, having the 28-year-old play the 2025–26 campaign in a contract year—just as Marner arrives in town—could prove risky. The sky is the limit for a duo like Marner and Eichel, which could further drive up the asking price for the American’s extension.
