Philadelphia Flyers
Could Jack Eichel Be a Realistic Possibility Next Summer?
The 2026 free agent class is absolutely loaded, with names like Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, Kyle Connor, and many more. However, with most of these big names, it’s hard to expect any of them to make it to the open market.
The Philadelphia Flyers will be in a position to spend in 2026, with over $40 million in projected cap space, per Puckpedia, and likely only having to retain four RFAs next offseason.
The cap space in the NHL is rising, so other teams will have a little more cash to spend; however, some teams will remain in better positions than others, while a few will stay in a state of cap space purgatory.
One of those teams? The Vegas Golden Knights.
There is an excellent argument for Eichel being a top-3, at worst top-4 player in this upcoming free agent class. After inking Mitch Marner to a five-year deal, you’d think Vegas won’t let Eichel slip through their fingers.
However, the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli suggests that Eichel reaching the open market may be more realistic than it seems.
The Golden Knights have a projected $20 million in cap space next season, per Puckpedia, which would leave them with $5 million remaining after Eichel’s suggested contract. Vegas only has seven forwards, five defensemen, and one goalie under contract for the 2026-27 season.
Anything is possible, especially when it comes to a player like Eichel. But Vegas would have to do some serious maneuvering to make it work.
With all of that said, it seems a bit more realistic now that Eichel could reach the open market.
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Eichel Would be Everything the Flyers Need
The Philadelphia Flyers have been missing a dynamic top-line center for a little while now. Jack Eichel would be just that.
Eichel will be 29 when the 2026-27 season begins, turning 30 before November. But that is ok. If the Flyers are spending top-dollar on a free agent, that means they’re ready to win, so age isn’t a significant factor.
The Knights’ center is coming off a career high of 94 points in 77 games, with a career high of 66 assists.
Now, to get this out of the way: yes, Eichel has an extensive injury history, including a lower-body surgery in 2024 and a herniated disc surgery in 2021. He has never played a full 82 games in his career, but his 77 games in 2024-25 were the most in a single season for Eichel since 2018-19.
Despite that, Eichel is still everything the Flyers need.
The Flyers are loaded on the wing. With the amount of talent the Flyers have at wing, a “top-line center” for the Flyers is pretty much a playmaker. Well, Eichel can do both. He is an elite play-driving center who, in seasons where he has played more than 60 games, has never had fewer than 32 assists. Eichel is also a goalscorer. In that same filter, in seasons where Eichel has played more than 60 games, he has never scored fewer than 24 goals.
For what it’s worth, both of those totals came in his rookie season with Buffalo.
Eichel is also a very responsible player defensively. While he’s never won the Selke Trophy, Eichel has received plenty of votes, including five first-place votes and 12 votes for each second in third place, placing him fifth in Selke voting for 2025.
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So, Would You Sign the Center?
Again, a lot can change between now and next July. I am sure the Knights value Eichel just like the rest of the league would, and will do everything they can to keep him around. However, it’s going to be hard.
The Flyers would not be the only team active in the bidding if the star centerman made it to the open market.
If I were the Flyers, I would take advantage of the vast cap space to sign the dynamic forward the team desperately needs. I can understand if injury concern plays a factor, but at this point, the Flyers need a top center to feed Michkov and Martone down the line.
To me, Jack Eichel is everything the Flyers need. Would you cough up the $15+ million it will take?
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Any chance with Conner?
He may be the most likely to hit the open market, in my opinion.
I would open the checkbook for Eichel in a heartbeat. He would have third year Michkov and rookie Martone as his linemates. Second line could be Zegras between TK and Tippett. Third line would be Cates, Forester, Brink or Luchanko between Forester and Cates.
The bottom line is once the team gets their 1C, 1D and 1G, all problems are solved.
JE@$15M AAV going into his 30s with an injury history and a 7 year contract….I would pass.
First off, when was the salary cap a concern for Vegas?
Two…taxes. Which states and a country have really high .
Which ones do t (Nevada,Tennessee, Florida)
Three, I’d rather Makar….he’s the only winner on the list.
Fin
The Golden Frauds will find a way circumvent the cap and the NHL will allow their darlings to do it.
AVOID SIGNING A TOP FA, YOU’LL LIKELY OVERPAY FOR UNDER-PERFORMANCE!
A little over three weeks until camp opens, and the quest for the Stanley Cup begins.
No
Nope. Why not talk about legitimate targets like Necas or McTavish?
Anaheim gets- Tippet, Luchanko, a 2026 2nd, and a 2027 Leafs 1st,
Philadelphia gets- M. McTavish, T. Luneau, ans a 2026 4th, and 2027 3rd.
Better chance at signing Kaprizov or Kyle Connor imho.
I think Eichel would want his next contract to be for the maximum 7 years allowed in the new CBA. I question how effective he would be after he hits age 35. If the Flyers don’t show significant improvement this year, what makes anyone think he would want to sign here? If I had Briere’s job I would not target Eichel. I’m not knocking Eichel as a player, but I don’t see him as a roster fit at this time,
If. the Flyers do go after a top free agent next year in my opinion they would target a top d-man like Makar over Eichel. Keith Jones has stated numerous times that he believes in building a team from the back end out (meaning goaltending and defense).
Signings like that are how the Flyers got into the mess they’ve been in.