Golden Knights Sign Jack Eichel To An Eight-Year Contract Extension

by | Oct 8, 2025

Golden Knights Sign Jack Eichel To An Eight-Year Contract Extension

The Vegas Golden Knights and center Jack Eichel reached an agreement on an eight-year, $108 million contract extension. Eichel, who turns 29 on Oct. 28, will earn an average annual value (AAV) of $13.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Another notable name from next summer’s list of potential unrestricted free agents is off the market.

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (NHL Images).

Eichel’s new contract comes hours after the Winnipeg Jets re-signed Kyle Connor to an eight-year extension ($12 million AAV). Since Sept. 30, Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers have also re-signed with their respective clubs. The significant projected increases in the salary cap over the next two seasons have made it easier for teams to re-sign their best players. 

It’s not surprising that Eichel is staying with the Golden Knights. Recent reports indicated both sides were working on an eight-year deal, and it seemed only a matter of time until it was done.

Eichel has been Vegas’ first-line center since joining them during the 2021-22 season, helping them win the Stanley Cup in 2023 and setting single-season franchise records for assists (66) and points (94) last season. There was no way the Golden Knights would let him walk away next summer, not after bringing in Mitch Marner this summer to be his potential linemate.

With Eichel signed, the 2026 UFA market has thinned considerably. New York Rangers winger Artemi Panarin is still available, along with Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, Los Angeles Kings winger Adrian Kempe, and Colorado Avalanche winger Martin Necas.

Don’t be surprised if at least half of those players are re-signed before next July.










Winnipeg Jets Re-sign Kyle Connor

by | Oct 8, 2025

Winnipeg Jets Re-sign Kyle Connor

The Winnipeg Jets signed left wing Kyle Connor to an eight-year, $96 million contract extension. Connor, 28, will receive a team-leading average annual value of $12 million.

Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor (NHL Images)

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Connor is in the final season of a seven-year, $50 million contract ($7.142 million AAV). He was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He’s the third notable star from that UFA class to re-sign with his current team in recent weeks, joining Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov.

Once again, the Jets have retained one of their top core players. Two years ago, they inked goaltender Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele to identical seven-year, $59.5 million contracts.

Connor has earned that significant pay raise. Entering this season, he’s eighth among NHL scorers with 282 goals since his breakout season of 2017-18. That includes two 40-plus goal campaigns and two 90-plus point performances, including a career-high 97 points in 2024-25.

The Jets have been a better team since re-signing Hellebuyck and Scheifele, including winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time in franchise history last season. That likely contributed to Connor’s decision to stay put.

Connor’s new contract leaves the Jets with over $27.5 million in projected cap space for 2026-27, with 16 active roster players already signed. Their most notable free agents next summer include forward Cole Perfetti (restricted free agent) and team captain Adam Lowry, who is UFA-eligible.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2025

by | Oct 8, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 8, 2025

Recapping the opening night of the regular season, Kyle Connor and the Jets are getting closer to a contract extension, an update on Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, and much more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

RECAPS OF THE OPENING NIGHT GAMES

NHL.COM: Nathan MacKinnon collected two assists and Martin Necas scored twice to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 4-1 season-opening victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Cale Makar also had two assists, and Artturi Lehkonen had a goal and an assist for the Avalanche. Kevin Fiala replied for the Kings.

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: MacKinnon moved past Joe Sakic to become the Avalanche’s franchise points leader (1,017) since the club relocated to Colorado from Quebec City in 1995. Sakic remains the all-time leader in points (1,641), goals (625), assists (1,016), and games played (1,378).

Florida Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period to give his team a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Mackie Samoskevich collected two assists for the Panthers, who raised their second straight Stanley Cup banner in a pregame ceremony. Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight made 34 saves against his former team, while teammates Frank Nazar, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Teuvo Teravainen each collected two points.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Panthers also signed forward Noah Gregor to a one-year, two-way contract.

The Pittsburgh Penguins got a 25-save shutout from goaltender Arturs Silovs to blank the New York Rangers 3-0. Justin Brazeau scored two goals, and Evgeni Malkin had two assists for the Penguins. Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin allowed one goal on 27 shots before being pulled for an extra attacker.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: This was Silovs’ first NHL regular-season shutout. He had one in the 2024 playoffs with the Vancouver Canucks. This was Mike Sullivan’s first game as head coach of the Rangers, and his first against his former team.

HEADLINES

SPORTSNET: Elliotte Friedman reports the Winnipeg Jets and winger Kyle Connor are moving closer to a contract extension. The 28-year-old winger is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next July. It’s believed the new deal will be a long-term one with an average annual value in the $12 million range.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: That would be a substantial raise over Connor’s current AAV of $7.142 million. He’s earned it, sitting eighth among NHL scorers with 282 goals since his breakout performance in 2017-18.

Friedman also reported that the Vegas Golden Knights have announced that Alex Pietrangelo will not play during the 2025-26 regular season and playoffs. The 35-year-old defenseman is taking time away to deal with a nagging hip injury. The Golden Knights will be eligible for full salary-cap relief on his $8.8 million cap hit for this season.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pietrangelo had suggested last month that he wasn’t ruling out a possible return to the lineup this season. This news puts that possibility to rest.

VEGAS HOCKEY NOW: Speaking of the Golden Knights, they signed restricted free agent forward Alexander Holtz to a two-year contract with an AAV of $837,500.

THE HOCKEY NEWS: The Dallas Stars placed captain Jamie Benn on long-term injury reserve (LTIR). He suffered a collapsed lung last month and is expected to miss the first month of the season. They also recalled defenseman Lian Bichsel and signed free-agent forward Adam Erne to a one-year, two-way contract.

TSN: The Edmonton Oilers placed winger Zach Hyman on injured reserve (IR) to start the season. He is still recovering from a dislocated wrist suffered during the 2025 playoffs.

DAILY FACEOFF: The Minnesota Wild placed winger Mats Zuccarello on IR with a lower-body injury. He could be sidelined until well into November.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. They also announced that forward Milan Lucic will remain in St. Louis to rehab an injury. The Blues haven’t ruled out signing the 37-year-old winger to another professional tryout offer (PTO).

THE PROVINCE: The Vancouver Canucks placed defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph (groin injury) on IR and recalled defenseman Victor Mancini.

DAILY FACEOFF: Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, Anaheim Ducks goalie Ville Husso, and Utah Mammoth forward Kevin Rooney are among the five players placed on waivers on Tuesday.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2025

by | Oct 7, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 7, 2025

The regular season opens on Tuesday, reaction to the Oilers re-signing Connor McDavid, the Oilers also re-sign Jake Walman, the Bruins will retire Zdeno Chara’s number, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

NHL.COM: The 2025-26 regular season opens with a triple-header on ESPN on Tuesday.

It begins with the Florida Panthers raising their second straight Stanley Cup championship banner in a pregame ceremony before facing off with the Chicago Blackhawks. New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan faces his former club as his team hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Los Angeles Kings welcome the Colorado Avalanche.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Canadian hockey fans can watch these games on Sportsnet1 or TVA Sports.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Robert Tychowski believes Connor McDavid put his money where his mouth is when he signed a two-year contract extension with the Oilers worth an average annual value (AAV) of $12.5 million.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

McDavid’s contract is remarkably low as he maintains the same AAV of his current deal, illustrating his seriousness about winning a Stanley Cup with the Oilers.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Most NHL pundits shared that opinion. With the salary cap set to rise significantly over the next two seasons, McDavid has provided the Oilers with the cap flexibility to maintain a Stanley Cup contender. It’s now up to general manager Stan Bowman to do so.

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun believes some NHL teams will try to use McDavid’s new contract as an argument for why their best players should follow his example. However, it’s unlikely to have much of an effect.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been underpaid for years, partly because of his superstition about the number 87, but that didn’t prevent other superstars from seeking top dollar.

The McDavid contract wasn’t the only extension announced by the Oilers on Monday. They also signed defenseman Jake Walman to a seven-year deal worth an AAV of $7 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: We can already see the positive effect that McDavid’s contract is having on the Oilers’ cap space for 2026-27. Had he taken a more expensive deal, they might have had more difficulty re-signing Walman.

Acquired by the Oilers at the March trade deadline, the 29-year-old Walman quickly established himself as an invaluable member of their blueline.

BOSTON HOCKEY NOW: The Bruins will retire Zdeno Chara’s No. 33 in a ceremony before their game against the Seattle Kraken on Jan. 15, 2026.

Chara becomes the 13th player in Bruins history to have their number retired. He spent 14 of his 24-season NHL career with the Bruins, captaining them to the 2011 Stanley Cup and the 2013 and 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2008-09 and will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2025.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: A fitting tribute for one of the greatest defensemen in Bruins history.

NEW YORK POST: Rangers forwards Artemi Panarin and J.T. Miller are good to go for their season opener against the Penguins on Tuesday. Both players were nursing injuries during the preseason.

TSN: The Rangers also signed forward Conor Sheary to a one-year contract on Monday. He joined the team in training camp and preseason on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

CALGARY SUN: Forwards Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil will miss the Flames’ season opener on Wednesday. Both players are on injured reserve.

NEW YORK POST: Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer earned a roster spot for the start of the regular season. Schaefer, 18, was chosen first overall by the Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders can return Schaefer to his OHL’s Erie Otters after nine games without those contests counting against his entry-level contract. However, it’s expected he’ll be a full-time part of the Isles’ lineup this season.

TSN: The Toronto Maple Leafs claimed goaltender Cayden Primeau off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes and forward Sammy Blais from the Montreal Canadiens.

OTTAWA SUN: The Senators made promising defenseman Carter Yakemchuk their final roster cut on Monday. He’ll start the season with their AHL affiliate in Belleville, Ontario.

They also placed sidelined forward Drake Batherson (upper body) and defenseman Tyler Kleven (ankle) on injured reserve.

NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Veteran forward Luke Glendening is expected to sign a one-year contract with the Devils after attending their training camp on a PTO contract.

NBC SPORTS PHILADELPHIA: Flyers defenseman Cam York (lower body) was placed on injured reserve.

NHL.COM: The department of player safety suspended Tampa Bay Lightning forward Scott Sabourin for boarding Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad during their preseason game on Saturday. Lightning defenseman JJ Moser received a two-game suspension for roughing Panthers forward Jesper Boqvist during that game.

The Lightning was fined $100,000, and head coach Jon Cooper was fined $25,000 for their club’s actions during that game.










The Oilers and Connor McDavid Agree to a Two-Year Extension

by | Oct 6, 2025

The Oilers and Connor McDavid Agree to a Two-Year Extension

The Edmonton Oilers announced they have reached an agreement with Connor McDavid on a two-year, $25 million contract extension, with an average annual value of $12.5 million.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s not surprising that McDavid agreed to a two-year contract. Recent reports indicated he was interested in a short-term deal with the Oilers.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (NHL Images)

What’s surprising is how much money McDavid left on the table. He’ll be earning the same AAV as his current contract, which is well below the league-leading $17 million AAV that Kirill Kaprizov will be getting from the Minnesota Wild starting next season.

McDavid is the NHL’s top player in the prime of his career. It was assumed he’d get over $18 million annually, though a few observers suggested he might accept $14.5 million, which would’ve put him slightly ahead of teammate Leon Draisaitl’s $14 million AAV.

By maintaining the same AAV through 2027-28, McDavid is putting the Oilers ahead of himself. He could’ve sought the league maximum, which for next season would’ve been $20.8 million. Instead, he is taking far less than market value to give the Oilers the cap flexibility necessary to maintain a Stanley Cup contender throughout his new deal.

This contract will expire in 2028, when McDavid will be 31 and still in his prime. He’ll likely seek a substantial raise at that time, especially if he’s still among the league’s superstars at that time.

By then, the Oilers could be in a better position to pay him more money if they’re still a Cup contender by that point. If not, he’ll get it on the open market with another contender.










NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2025

by | Oct 6, 2025

NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – October 6, 2025

The Flyers trade Ryan Ellis to the Sharks, an update on Jets forward Cole Perfetti, Matt Grzelcyk signs with the Blackhawks, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.

PHILLY HOCKEY NOW/SAN JOSE HOCKEY NOW: The Philadelphia Flyers traded defenseman Ryan Ellis and a conditional 2026 sixth-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for winger Carl Grundstrom and defenseman Artem Guryev.

Former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ryan Ellis (NHL Images).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Ellis has been on permanent long-term injury reserve (LTIR) since November 2021. He has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $6.25 million.

The Sharks have taken on the entirety of Ellis’ cap hit, while the Flyers are adding Grundstrom’s $1.8 million cap hit. He is slated to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next July.

This move frees up $4.45 million in cap space for the Flyers, leaving them with over $7.2 million available. It enables them to accrue cap room throughout the season. Grundstrom was placed on waivers shortly after this trade was announced.

Meanwhile, this trade leaves the Sharks with 48 of 50 NHL contracts, freeing up room to add promising center Michael Misa and defenseman Jason Dickinson to their roster for the upcoming season.

THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jets winger Cole Perfetti is listed as week-to-week with a high ankle sprain. He suffered the injury during Friday’s preseason game against the Calgary Flames.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Perfetti joins defenseman Dylan Samberg and center Adam Lowry on the sidelines. Samberg suffered a broken ankle during preseason, and Lowry is recovering from offseason hip surgery.

CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Matt Grzelcyk signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks. The 31-year-old defenseman earned the deal after attending training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO).

SPECTOR’S NOTE: PuckPedia indicates Grzelcyk will earn $1 million on this contract. He’ll provide experienced puck-moving ability to the rebuilding Blackhawks’ blueline. He’s coming off a career-best 40-point performance with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season.

DAILY FACEOFF: 43 players hit the NHL waiver wire on Sunday. Several goaltenders were among them, including Michael DiPietro of the Boston Bruins, Kaapo Kahkonen of the Montreal Canadiens, Nico Daws of the New Jersey Devils, Mads Sogaard of the Ottawa Senators, and Clay Stevenson of the Washington Capitals.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’ll be interesting to see if DiPietro and Stevenson clear. Both were frequently mentioned as potential waiver targets in the rumor mill.

FLORIDA HOCKEY NOW: The Panthers lost goaltender Brandon Bussi to the Carolina Hurricanes via waivers.

SPORTSNET: Tampa Bay Lightning centers Carter Schmidt and Gage Goncalves were fined for cross-checking Florida Panthers forwards Carter Verhaeghe and Evan Rodrigues during Saturday’s fight-filled preseason game.

Lightning winger Scott Sabourin will have a hearing for roughing Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad. Lightning defenseman JJ Moser will have one for boarding Panthers winger Jesper Boqvist.

CBS SPORTS: Los Angeles Kings defenseman Kyle Burroughs (upper body) was placed on injured reserve.