The Buffalo Sabres are wising up, signing franchise center Jack Eichel to a reported eight-year deal worth $10 million per season.
The Buffalo Sabres have been stuck in the NHL’s version of purgatory for the last five seasons. That’s how long it has been since they’ve been a playoff team. They’ve spent the last four rebuilding, including one heck of a tank just to try to get the first overall pick. While the Sabres got the second overall pick, considering it wound up being Jack Eichel, that’s one heck of a consolation prize.
After an offseason of changes, the young center has proven he’s ready for a leadership role. Already, Sabres fans have been seeing a much more focused and determined Eichel as he approaches the last year of his entry-level contract.
More from Buffalo Sabres
- The most important player to watch this season for the Buffalo Sabres
- These 3 free-agents would get the Buffalo Sabres into the playoffs
- The Top 5 under 25 goaltenders entering the 2023-24 NHL season
- Why starting the season on the right note is vital for the Buffalo Sabres
- Shane Wright and two other NHL stars will break out in 2023-24
Though both sides seemed content to wait it out until after the season, the two sides have reportedly agreed to an extension. The numbers are pretty simple. It’s for eight years and $10 million each year. Since Eichel has a year left on his ELC, the extension will go into effect starting with the 2018-19 season. He will have the sixth-highest cap hit in the NHL, trailing only Connor McDavid, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews. Eichel’s cap hit is tied with Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings.
The argument could be had it would be better to do this after the 2017-18 season. And it’s a fair one too. Eichel’s numbers could regress this season, seeing as how the Sabres probably won’t have the NHL’s top power play again. That’s how 24 of his 57 points came last season, by the way. As great as Eichel has been, he’s been only above average at even strength. Of course, the team around him likely has more to do with this than Eichel himself, but still.
However, this is the right decision for the Sabres. It removes a potentially huge distraction in the locker room. And with Eichel likely taking on a more significant leadership role, such a distraction is always good to avoid. It removes the potential of having to pay him even more after this season.
His cap hit might sound like a lot. Well, that’s because it IS a lot. But Eichel’s worth every penny of it, especially in a hockey market like Buffalo. Keeping their star was the only option for the Sabres. And Eichel signing long-term shows he’s confident his team is heading in the right direction.
With this contract comes great responsibility. One can consider this eight-year $80 million extension to be the thing that turns him from a boy into a man in the league. Eichel will be expected to lead not just on the ice, but off it as well. And he’s been doing plenty of leading on the ice.
Next: Top 25 Centers In the NHL
The keys to the Sabres franchise belong to Eichel now. They’ll go as far as he can take them. The Sabres finally have their star. It’s something they’ve lacked since at least the days of Ryan Miller, and arguably since the days of Dominik Hasek. Best of luck Eichel, the weight of one of the NHL’s largest markets is on your shoulders.