The Golden Knights have signed 23-year-old defenseman Jimmy Schuldt to a one-year entry-level contract.
Schuldt was the captain of the #1 ranked team in the NCAA and is a finalist for the Hobey Baker award given to the best college player.
He attended Development Camp in Las Vegas last summer. It was the fourth different Development Camp he had attended since enrolling at St. Cloud State University, the others were Montreal, Chicago, and New York (Islanders).
Schuldt is 6’1,” 205 pounds. He’s a very good skater and is terrific with the puck. He scored 10 goals each of the past two seasons at St. Cloud State and tallied 38 and 35 points the previous two seasons. He has a strong shot and is responsible in his own end, but what I remember most from Schuldt while he was at Camp in Vegas was his decision-making.
Due to the CBA, Schuldt’s contract is a one-year entry-level deal that will expire on June 30th, 2019. He is ineligible to play for the Golden Knights in the postseason, so we won’t be seeing much of Schuldt any time soon. Once his contract expires, he’ll become a restricted free agent (RFA) and remain under Vegas’ control. He can then sign a longer-term deal, which has likely already been discussed.
I think for me just the right fit, the right organization, the right culture. If the culture is the same throughout the players and there’s a lot of character that goes into it, those are the teams that have success. -Schuldt on 6/27/18
BrianS
Will be really curious to see what way they go with his post-RFA contract. Like you alluded to, I have to assume his agents have discussed the outlines of that at least with GMGM otherwise what’s the point of signing with VGK?
For someone who has never played in the NHL, it’s an interesting, tough decision as a GM. Do they try to buy one of his UFA years or just do a deal that spans his RFA years? Just a one-year deal (which would allow him to potentially get a bigger deal the last year of his RFA eligibility?
Ken Boehlke
I’m very interested in what it will end up being. I could see it going a bunch of different ways. I would guess they will want to buy at least one UFA year but I think based on that and the fact that there were other suitors that they’ll be overpaying at least a bit to make it happen.
John
would you say this bodes well for the Gusev situation as well?
With Hague, Bischoff, Whitecloud, and now Shuldt, I assume that a few of our dmen who are making decent money will be moved and replaced by a few guys on rookie contracts. I think Holden will be replaced by Schuldt. Merrill will be replaced by Hague. Engelland will retire and move to front office to be replaced by either Bischoff or Whitecloud.
Unfortunately, Haula will also be moved. What was originally a hotly contested idea, Haula vs Eakin doesnt seem like much of a debate anymore. Eakin will center the Third line.
Making these moves would allow several million dollars to be freed up in order to persuade Gusev to come over to the third line left wing position with tuch on the right and Eakin at the pivot.
What say you, Ken?
Ken Boehlke
First, I don’t think it has any impact on Gusev at all.
Second, I think you are right that at least one defenseman is probably going to have to go, and maybe two.
Third, I don’t think Haula is going anywhere. He’s cheap and very good when healthy.