The Buffalo Sabres have signed their franchise player Jack Eichel on an eight-year NHL contract worth $80 million ($A102 million), ending six weeks of negotiations.
The Sabres announced the signing on their twitter account on Tuesday night in a deal reached two days before Buffalo host the Montreal Canadiens in the season opener.
Eichel is entering the final year of his three-year entry level contract and is only eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer.
The deal was reached after talks had cooled for much of the past six weeks.
Eichel was the second player selected in the 2015 draft, one spot behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid.
The Oilers' captain signed an eight-year, $100-million contract extension in July, making him the NHL's top-paid player on a per-season basis.
In averaging $10 million per season, Eichel ties Los Angeles Kings star Anze Kopitar on the NHL list of annual average salaries.
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