A roundup of all the signings, rumors, and rumblings surrounding the Vegas Golden Knights as free agency opens in advance of the 2026-27 season.
*This article will be updated throughout the day as more information rolls in.*
- Pavel Dorofeyev has been traded to the New York Rangers for 2026 1st Round pick (#26), 2026 3rd round pick (#96), and a 2028 top-10 protected 1st round pick.
- The Rangers signed Dorofeyev to a 7-year $11 million AAV contract extension.
- Akira Schmid has been traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2028 3rd round pick.
- The Golden Knights have acquired defenseman Parker Wotherspoon in exchange for Kaedan Korczak.
- Pittsburgh will retain 50% of Wotherspoon’s salary, making his cap hit for VGK $500,000.
- Jeremy Lauzon has agreed to a 6-year contract extension with AAV of $4 million. (Source: @FriedgeHNIC)
- Rasmus Andersson is expected to sign a long-term extension with VGK worth around $8.5 million AAV. (Source: SinBin.vegas)
- Elliotte Friedman confirms the deal has been signed for seven-years at $8.5 million AAV. (Source: @FriedgeHNIC)
- VGK are signing Victor Olofsson. (Source: @DarrenDreger)
- The Golden Knights have traded Keegan Kolesar to the Detroit Red Wings for a 2029 3rd round pick and a 2027 7th round pick. (Source: @DarrenDreger)
- Carl Lindbom re-signed for three years at $900,000 AAV.
- Jonas Rondbjerg will sign a one-year extension to remain in Las Vegas. (Source: @DannyWebster21)
- Colton Sissons is signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs (@thefourthperiod)
- Cole Smith has signed a three-year contract with $3 million AAV with the Chicago Blackhawks. (Source: @frank_seravalli)
- VGK have re-signed Tanner Laczynski to a three-year contract worth $900,000 AAV. (@PuckPedia)
- VGK signed Marc Gatcomb, Adam Ginning, Ville Heinola, and Antti Tuomisto (Source: Golden Knights Press Release)
- Kelly McCrimmon said Alex Pietrangelo will not play in 2026-27. He has been placed on LTIR.
Former VGK players
- Erik Haula is signing with the Los Angeles Kings. (Source: @JamesNicholsNHL)
- Paul Cotter has signed with the Vancouver Canucks. (Source: @Canucks)
- Teddy Blueger signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs for two-years $2.5 million AAV. (@PuckPedia)
Simplified Salary Cap Tracker
- VGK are approximately $5,300,000 UNDER the salary cap with an 18-man roster (9 F, 6 D, 2 G)
- Marner, Eichel, Stone, Hertl, Karlsson, Barbashev, Dowd, Howden, Bowman – $61,525,000
- Andersson, Theodore, Hanifin, Lauzon, McNabb, Wotherspoon – $31,425,000
- Hill, Hart – $8,250,000
- Qualifying Offers – Jakub Brabenec, Lukas Cormier, Jakub Demek, Joe Fleming
- Expected LTIR – Pietrangelo ($8,800,000)
**This is an inexact salary estimation designed to give a rough outline of how much cap space the Golden Knights have to operate with. For exact up-to-date salary cap information, visit PuckPedia.com.**
Tim
Very interesting and I clicked over to the chart you suggested and saw all the contracts and years left. Hertl and Hill are killing us and Petro’s 8.8 another anchoring this Dowd contract for 3 million all painful.
Jake
Hill quit caring
You rake risk signing an older “star” to a long term deal.
I don’t think Petro is an issue, other than he is paid. Doesn’t affect the cap.
I like Dowd, worth it, Lauzon too.
I could be wrong on all counts but IMHO.
rb7
Vgk re-sign Rondberg
WHOOPEE !
did McCrimmon give him 6 years? and 4 million?
Richie-Rich
Rondberg got $850K 1 year.
DruBlu
6M/4yrs. was Lauzon.
DruBlu
Correction:
I meant 6yrs./4mil., like you said. That is Jeremy Lauzon.
trade
Sissons goes to Toronto
trade
Cole Smith to Chicago
larry
I actually would have liked Smith back in the fold because of his physical style and forechecking, of course not the stupid penalties he incurred, but certainly not at the money he received in Chicago.
rb7
Andersson 7 years. 8.5 aav
disgraceful. they have no cap room for scorers , but plenty for 2nd pair dman
Robert McCullough
Defense is his specialty. Scoring is a extra with him. Knocking the crap out of someone against the boards is his specialty. I’m glad we brought him back. Management must agree with my thoughts as well.
larry
I can only suspect your post is dripping with extreme sarcasm, there can be no other way than to interpret it as such.
trade
Hellebuyck likely to be traded now, as Winnipeg signs Skinner
trade
Paul Cotter to Vancouver
Richie-Rich
What about Jeremy Davies? Puckpedia shows him as a $1.15M CAP hit this season.
Richie-Rich
Rasmus 8.5 MILLION 7 YEARS!
UGGHHHHH!
larry
Double UGGHHHHH. Its bad enough to think of Andersson/Hannifin in what is supposed to be their prime next year, I dont want to think of our defense corp when they reach the middle of their contracts.
trade
Bobrovsky to Toronto
trade
LA Kings sign Haula, Zuccarello, and Corey Perry
35, 38, and 41 y.o.
a youth movement
Tim
Anderson resigning is a disgrace and screws up our cap unbelievable.
rb7
now the Vgk are going to bring back victor Olofsson.
going from cup final to retreadville.
rb7
Edm unloads Darnell Nurse on the SJ Sharks with NO salary retention.
who says you can’t get rid of bad contracts?
knights fan in minny
conolly And Bowman are going to get their shot
knights fan in minny
Keegan kolly Traded to the Red Wings
rb7
in exchange for a 2029 third-round pick and 2027 seventh-round pick per TSN’s Darren Dreger. The move will clear $2.5MM in cap space for the Golden Knights
Now that is good news.
knights fan in minny
Who will be the new tough guy
rb7
Andersson’s agent?
TS
Rb7: chuckles!!
VGK Fan
Ill miss Keegan he always brought great energy and was a player who was there for his teammates. Not to mention 2.5 million was a team friendly contract for what he brought to the game.
larry
I agree wholeheartedly with everything stated, he was great in the community too and was an excellent ambassador.
larry
As far as his play on the ice, it left much to be desired, and while he compiled a hit total, they were overall rather soft, not in the fashion of our old friend Will Carrier, perhaps the contract took some of his aggressive play away. In any case I wish him nothing but safe travels and the best of everything.
Theodore Niemer II
Good, never impressed me in the whole time he played for us
rb7
Werenski Blocks Trade, Commits To Blue Jackets
he blocked a trade to Dallas
leonard wise
Were sitting with over 14 million in cap space. Does that mean Oliffson for 14 million.
knights fan in minny
Is this going to be a finesse team Of forwards with no toughness up front
vgk21
apparently so.
not built for the playoff grind, that is for sure.
they need the Hanson brothers to put on the foil.
Abdullah
Disaster all around with it’s roots in overpaying one hit wonder Hill…Minor league coach Craig gone by Xmas
leonard wise
There’s almost no one else we can trade with all those no move clauses. I guess the plan is to sit on 14million cap space. Since we have no assets we can trade. Figure we will just suck but save a lot of money with AHL players.
vgk21
from Ken at the top of the page
====================
VGK are approximately $5,300,000 UNDER the salary cap with an 18-man roster (9 F, 6 D, 2 G)
Marner, Eichel, Stone, Hertl, Karlsson, Barbashev, Dowd, Howden, Bowman – $61,525,000
Andersson, Theodore, Hanifin, Lauzon, McNabb, Wotherspoon – $31,425,000
Hill, Hart – $8,250,000
======================
hey KEN,
adding 61,525 + 31,425 + 8,250 = 101.2 million
the cap is 104
where do you get 5.3 under the cap?
looks more like 2.8
please elucidate
vgk21
apparently Kolesar’s 2.5 is the difference.
however, Olofsson adds 1.6
so, the current cap space for the Vgk is approx 3.7 m
DeezNutz
So we are stuck with the Calgary Clowns? Damn…
Leonard Wise
Actually 12.5 with petros ltir
Leonard Wise
Actually 12.5 with Petros ltir.
JB
All I know is, whatever players hit the ice in game one next season, we as fans will be right there rooting them on. And never count this team out. After all they ARE the Vegas Golden Knights!
Larry
I believe VGK will be a better and stronger regular season team next year, with the addition of the new faces as well as the young HSK guys, and while I can’t base it on facts, I think Hill will have a good bounce back campaign, have to hope for the best as he is an immovable piece it seems.
Walt
He is not immovable, Nurse being dumped by Edm proves that.
notice that Fla let Bobrovsky walk.
KM ego (refusal to admit his mistakes on #4 and #33) prevented him from opening up almost 15 million of cap space and that is handcuffing the Vgk trade possibilities due to his contract blunders.
A Hill to die on…. will continue for 5 more years.
while Lindbom sits in the minor leagues
knights fan in minny
What makes you think we’re going to have Hill for 5 more years and you will eat your words on Rasmus Anderson
Tim
I think with Ryan Craig taking over as head coach we have a fresh set of eyes which I think will be beneficial. He knows the younger kids who play for him on the Silver Knights so it will be interesting. The national hockey sports writers plus us posters can”t figures out why we gave Anderson that contract a real head scratcher.
JB
I think they simply kept their word to him.