What the McDavid and Eichel Extensions Mean for the New York Rangers
The McDream is dead, the Eichel fantasy is over, and the Rangers’ path forward just got a lot clearer—and a lot more complicated.
It was an eventful opening week around the NHL. Not only did the puck drop on the 2025-26 season, but two of the league's top players—who just so happened to be on the brink of becoming free agents—were signed to very different, but very notable contract extensions.
It’s no secret that the New York Rangers, like most teams, were hoping that Connor McDavid and/or Jack Eichel would hit the open market this summer. It took only the first week of the regular season for the McDream to die for at least two more years, and for the Eichel-to-New York saga to officially come to an end.
Connor McDavid signed arguably the most generous contract of all time to stick with the Edmonton Oilers and see their contention window all the way through. The extension is two years with an average annual value of just $12.5 million, which clocks in at just the sixth highest AAV of any player in the league. Jack Eichel, however, would push him down to seventh by signing an eight-year contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights with an AAV of $13.5 million.
These deals tell two very different stories for two franchise faces. McDavid is still keeping an open mind to the future, while Eichel was looking to solidify his in Sin City.
