Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill said it and he meant it.
Botterill and the Pegulas are efforting to sign their franchise player to a "maximum" contract.
Botterill says that talks are ongoing and he characterized the negotiations as being "amicable".
Both sides want the same thing.
"Our discussions continue to be very positive. It’s obviously a little bit of a new market this summer with some of the different contracts that have come out, but our discussions have been very positive. At the end of the day, we certainly want to get Jack signed up for the max amount of term possible and he has the belief. All our discussions have been positive about the contract, but also just about the season and his preparation in general", Sabres GM Jason Botterill said Tuesday.
Prior to Tuesday, Botterill had been radio silent for the past five weeks on the Eichel contract extension.
Botterill made his remarks at the Rochester Amerks annual golf outing.
Thanks, Dan Fetes, WROC TV
A final resolution will come sooner than later.
Before Botterill made his comments on Tuesday, I was confident that Eichel would be signing an 8-year, $80 million contract.
However, I'm now if the mind that Eichel may indeed be rewarded with. $10.5M or $11M AAV.
"Max term" is eight years. "Max amount" is $100 million.
Do the Pegulas have an appetite to give the face of their franchise Connor McDavid money?
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid signed for 8 years and $100 million in June. McDavid will be a $12.5M AAV when his new contract kicks in next summer.
Last week, Eichel told the Lowell Sun:
"We're in the midst of it. It's between my agent and Mr. (Jason) Botterill. I'm just going to work hard this summer. All of that tends to take care of itself. Obviously the contract is important. But for me it's all about the play".
Eichel reiterated his love for the Western New York hockey community and Sabres Nation.
"I've made it clear that I want to be a Sabre. I want to be in Buffalo when we start winning. I want to reward the city. It's been two great years. I don't want to go anywhere else," he said.
Eichel, who will turn 21 in October, is entering the final year of his entry-level deal. Eichel led the Sabres in scoring last season with 57 points in 61 games after missing the first 21 games with high ankle sprain.
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Botterill also spoke about UFA defenseman Will Butcher. Botterill joked "you can't hide anything these days" after a picture appeared online over the weekend of Butcher rocking a Sabres equipment bag.
Over the weekend, one super stealthy Sabres fan/paparazzi clicked this candid shot of Butcher walking in the Denver airport with a Buffalo sabres equipment bag on his shoulder. Inquiring minds want to know if Butcher has already met face to face with Sabres GM Jason Botterill. Let's assume that Butcher has already met with and discussed plan the Sabres. Where else would he have gotten a Sabres hockey equipment bag? From his friends Jack Eichel, Sean Malone and Hudson Fasching?
Not likely.
Botterill refused to deny the Butcher bag sighting and said that he is still very interested in upgrading the Buffalo blue line. Botterill is very much interested in signing Butcher to a Sabres entry level contract.
I'm told that the Sabres are the number one seed in the Will Butcher contest. The Sabres want him. Botterill is fending off the New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights.
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