The Golden Knights have made a salary cap-related trade acquiring AHL defenseman Dysin Mayo from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 5th round pick and the contract of injured defenseman Shea Weber.

The trade has very little impact on this season for the Vegas Golden Knights. The player they acquired is a depth defenseman in the AHL that is unlikely to figure into the NHL club. His expensive AHL contract is more likely the reason the Golden Knights acquired him, or more so, why the Coyotes wanted to get rid of him.

Mayo signed a three-year one-way contract worth $2.85 million. He’s owed $1 million per season each of the next two years whether he’s in the NHL or AHL.

As for the contract of Shea Weber, the Golden Knights acquire a bit of flexibility in no longer having his nearly $8 million salary cap on their books. However, because Weber is not expected to play again, that money was being offset using long-term injured reserve.

With other players currently on LTIR for the Golden Knights (Stone, Lehner, Patrick) getting rid of Weber’s contract does not have any impact on the useable salary cap this season. Where it does help is next season. Keeping Weber would have guaranteed Vegas would start the season using LTIR. This comes with a few drawbacks (read about them here).

For Arizona, Weber’s contract counts to help them reach the salary cap floor.

Giving up a 5th round pick leaves the Golden Knights with five picks in the 2023 Draft. They still own their 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 7th, and acquired an additional 3rd from Buffalo in the Jack Eichel trade.