Clearly the best American to step on the ice in a VGK sweater, Eichel is inching his way towards being the best American to ever play in the NHL. He still has a ways to go, but it is in reach with another decade of success. Can’t wait until he brings home Olympic gold for Team USA in Italy this February.
Pacioretty played just four seasons with the Golden Knights, yet still stands as the 6th leading goal scorer in franchise history, both in the regular season and playoffs. His 15 goals in 36 playoff games outscore the competition, and his 0.83 points per playoff game rank behind only Eichel and Mark Stone. The end of Pacioretty’s time in Vegas put a bit of a damper on his stay, but he’s undoubtedly one of the most influential Golden Knights, let alone Americans.
In the not-too-distant future, the Golden Knights will have former players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Most notably, VGK’s #1 overall expansion draft pick Marc-Andre Fleury will undoubtedly be inducted into Toronto’s hockey cathedral after he hangs up the goalie skates. Last week Sportsnet composed a list of active NHL players that are Hall of Fame locks. The 2021 Vezina trophy winner was one of the names on Sportsnet lists.
What active NHLers are a lock for the Hall of Fame? 🔐
The list above is accurate and allows little room for arguments. However, the list is light and is missing several current NHL’ers, including another former Golden Knight. To dive deeper, there are active players on VGK’s roster that are deserving of a Hall of Fame nod. Let’s make a case for two current and three former Golden Knights.
Alex Pietrangelo
2008 – 4th Overall Pick, 16 Seasons, 1016 Games Played, 604 Points, 3x All-Star, 2x Stanley Cup Champion
After the 2019-20 season, the Golden Knights were down on their luck. The team had a goaltending controversy, was recently handed a five-game conference finals defeat, and had many decisions to make. That’s when the organization turned their focus on free agent defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. The former St. Louis captain had already built himself an elite resume, highlighted by captaining the Blues to the 2019 Stanley Cup championship. Without a true number-one blueliner, Vegas dealt away Nate Schmidt and Paul Stastny so they could raise their bid for Pietrangelo’s services. From that moment, the Golden Knights have consistently been one of the best defensive teams in the NHL.
A roundup of all the signings, rumors, and rumbling surrounding the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights as free agency opens in advance of the 2023-24 season.
*This article will be updated throughout the day as more information rolls in.*
Adin Hill has been re-signed to a two-year contract with $4.9 million AAV (Source: @FriedgeHNIC)
Reilly Smith has been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2024 3rd round pick, VGK’s original selection (Source: @KevinWeekes)
Ivan Barbashev has agreed to a five-year contract extension with $5 million AAV (Source: Golden Knights)
The Golden Knights have tendered qualifying offers to RFAs, Brett Howden, Jiri Patera, and Pavel Dorofeyev (Source: Golden Knights)
VGK have not tendered offers to Nolan Patrick, Connor Corcoran, or Maxim Murushev (Source: @JesseGranger_ & @PuckReportNHL)
Jonathan Quick is expected to sign with the New York Rangers. (Source: @KevinWeekes)
Silver Knights captain Brayden Pachal has signed a two-year two-way contract with an NHL salary of $775,000 AAV. (Source: Golden Knights)
Teddy Blueger signed a one-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks worth $1.9 million. (Source: @Canucks)
Laurent Brossoit signed with the Winnipeg Jets for one-year at $1.75 million. (Source: @reporterchris)
VGK has signed defenseman Mason Geertsen to a two-year two-way contract with an NHL league minimum value. (Source: @PuckPedia)
Mason Morelli has signed a two-year two-way contract with the Golden Knights at the NHL league minimum. (Source: Golden Knights)
Jiri Patera has signed a one-year two-way deal with VGK. (Source: @PuckPedia)
Gage Quinney has signed a two-year two-way contract to remain with the Golden/Silver Knights. (Source: @PuckPedia)
Former VGK players
Mattias Janmark has signed a one-year contract worth $1 million to remain in Edmonton. (Source: Edmonton Oilers)
Dylan Coghlan has been extended a qualifying offer by the Carolina Hurricanes. (Source: @WaltRuff)
Ryan Reaves is expected to sign a multi-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs (Source: @TheFourthPeriod)
Reaves has signed a three-year deal with $1.3 million AAV. (Source: @DarrenDreger)
Erik Brannstrom signed a one-year contract worth $2 million to remain with the Ottawa Senators. (Source: @Senators)
Evgenii Dadonov signed a two-year deal with an AAV of $2.25 million with the Dallas Stars. (Source: @DallasStars)
Erik Haula re-signed in New Jersey for three years at $3.15 million AAV. (Source: @KevinWeekes)
Oscar Dansk returns to the Calgary Flames on a one-year two-way contract for the league minimum. (Source: @NHLFlames)
Colin Miller was traded to the New Jersey Devils for a 5th round pick. (Source: @NJDevils)
Max Pacioretty has signed with the Washington Capitals for one-year at $2 million plus $2 million in bonuses. (Source: @frank_seravalli)
Patrick Brown has signed with the Boston Bruins for two years at $800,000 AAV. (Source: @FriedgeHNIC)
Cody Glass has re-signed with the Predators for two years at $2.5 million (Source: @FriedgeHNIC)
Malcolm Subban has signed a one-year two-way contract with St. Louis for the league minimum.
Ryan Carpenter has signed with the Sharks on a one-year two-way deal worth the league minimum.
Jimmy Schuldt has signed a one-year two-way contract with Seattle for the league minimum.
Simplified Salary Cap Tracker
VGK are approximately $3,576,683UNDER the salary cap with a 19-man roster (11 F, 8 D, 2 G)
Qualifying Offers – Howden^ ($1,500,000), Dorofeyev ($874,125), Patera^ ($787,500)
Expected LTIR – Lehner ($5,000,000)
^Arbitration eligible
**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.**
The last 31 days for the Golden Knights have been amazing, terrifying, and in many ways unbelievable. The month began with Vegas taking on two of the Eastern conference’s best teams before staring down one of the most brutal on-paper road trips any NHL team can endure. In between, there were multiple trades, injuries galore, and impressively, a whole heap of wins.
Let’s take a look back on the madness that was March for the Golden Knights.
March 1st – VGK acquire Teddy Blueger & Beat CAR
On the first day of the month, the Golden Knights pulled off a bit of a surprising trade, their second of three at this deadline. Blueger was not exactly the type of player most people saw Vegas targetting and the price wasn’t exactly cheap, a 3rd round pick. Coupled with Ivan Barbashev who was acquired earlier, VGK was adding depth that would come in handy as the month wore on.
That night, the Golden Knights pulled off the biggest upset at T-Mobile Arena since Year 1, beating the Hurricanes 3-2. VGK were tremendous defensively and got a statement game from Jack Eichel.
March 2nd – Jonathan Quick acquired
Let the goalie controversy begin! Amidst a rash of injuries, Vegas felt they needed to add another goaltender to the mix. Instead of going the quiet low-key route, Kelly McCrimmon chased the shiniest object on the market, the two-time Stanley Cup winner who had just been traded from the team chasing the Golden Knights.
Although it may have looked strange, goaltender Jonathan Quick suited up in his golden armor for the first time last night.
Quick was on the bench backing up Adin Hill looking surprisingly comfortable in another Pacific Division’s team hat and jersey. The lifetime LA King is now a member of the team he lost to in the 2018 playoffs and is prepared to make a run with his new team in 2023.
I’m looking forward to this opportunity. I’m coming into a locker room where I’ve played with seven or eight of these guys. The comfort level is there right away. I’m just looking forward to helping this team, win some hockey games. I don’t want to give sound bites. I am excited for this opportunity. It’s a great organization, it’s a great group of guys that I’m looking forward to working with them. I’m looking forward to helping them win this division and make a big run in the playoffs. –Jonathan Quick on ESPN’s The Point
Not only was the trade from LA to Columbus to Las Vegas a shock to the 37-year-old netminder but to many across the league. Kings’ leaders Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar expressed a range of emotions to the media after their backstop and dear friend was replaced with Joonas Korpisalo.
The last two days affected us a lot. It was really sad and unexpected. It sucks seeing one of your best friends of your life leave. I expected to play with him for the rest of my career. It’s hockey, it’s business and sometimes things happen that you’re not going to like. -Drew Doughty, LAK defenseman
Captain Anze Kopitar echoed Doughty’s comments.
It’s a very hard day. It was unexpected and sad. I was thinking that Quickie was a King for life, and we’d be playing with him for the rest our careers, Bottom line is we have to deal with and look to the road ahead. -Anze Kopitar, LAK center
Even former Kings player and TV analyst Jim Fox had a hard time describing the scene after the deal was announced to the team.
The Golden Knights have acquired goaltender Jonathan Quick from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2025 7th round pick and Michael Hutchinson. Columbus has agreed to retain 50% of Quick’s salary leaving $2.9 million counting against the Golden Knights’ cap.
Quick was recently traded from the Kings to the Jackets in a deal that included another goalie, Joonas Korpisalo.
"We have liked our goaltending all year. Unfortunately the health part of it is a problem right now and after the deadline you can't address it. The conversation became what happens if Hill misses time. No reflection on the other three guys. Some insurance." -Cassidy on Quick
ESPNNNNNNN’s Greg Wyshynski spoke with TSN Edmonton this week about the Pacific Division and Jon Gibson’s eight-year extension goaltender with the Anaheim Ducks.
He’s a solid goalie. He’s a workhorse, it’s a position you don’t have to worry about. They’re a contender. Gibson is going to give them a chance and make them a contender for a bit. -Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
Just like Vegas, the Ducks re-upped their goalie but have many questions elsewhere on the ice. While Gibson may help Anaheim compete, at this moment Fleury is in a better spot to win.
So, with that in mind, let’s rank the goaltenders 1-8 in the Pacific Division. We charted top centers earlier this week, so let’s do the same with the PAC-8’s goaltenders.
The Elite
Jonathan Quick 2017–18: 33-28-3 Record, 5 Shutouts, 2.44 GAA, .921 Save %, 37 Quality Starts Career: 293-195-56 Record, 49 Shutouts, 2.28 GAA, .916 Save %, 305 Quality Starts
In six separate seasons, Quick finished in the top ten for most wins and goals against average, including last season. LA’s goaltender was ninth with 33 wins, and tenth posting a 2.40 GAA. The 2012 Conn Smythe award winner’s 49 career shutouts are fourth among active goaltenders, one ahead of Marc-Andre Fleury. Quick steps his game up in the playoffs posting a 2.23 career postseason GAA and a .922 career postseason save percentage. The Golden Knights swept the Kings in the first round but LA couldn’t put the blame on their goaltender, who posted four consecutive quality starts. Without Quick in net, the series would’ve been a two-game mercy rule.
What more could I possibly say about Fleury? Golden Knights fans witnessed a star reborn and lead their team to the Stanley Cup finals. Fleury amazed start after start… remember he started 20 out of 21 games down the stretch? Fleury had a renaissance season becoming an All-Star for the first time since 2015, finishing fifth in the Vezina award voting, and passing 400 career wins. To top off a near-perfect season, the 33-year-old morphed into a flying brick wall in the postseason. In 20 playoff games, Fleury allowed just 47 goals, and registered 12 quality starts. Sure, I gave Quick the slight edge, but it’s clear which goalie Vegas fans would rather in net.
