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Golden Knights’ Own Free Agents: Outlook And Predictions

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On June 29, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

The free agency dinner bell is set to ring in two days, and the Golden Knights have plenty of business to take care of. Understandably, most of the focus has been on VGK sniffing around some of the biggest names available, but they also have a lot of work to do with their own players set to hit free agency. Here’s a quick look at each player set to hit the market’s situation, projected contract value, and a prediction of his future in Vegas.

Rasmus Andersson
UFA
Age: 29
Projected Contract by AFP Analytics: $8,744,914 AAV for 6 years

From the moment the Golden Knights acquired Andersson from the Flames, it was pretty clear they were going to re-sign him. Andersson’s play was a bit sporadic during his time in Vegas, especially in the Stanley Cup Final, but he has shown more than enough upside to prove to be worth an extension. We’ve reported, as have others, that the Golden Knights and Andersson agreed to a contract outline months ago and still believe that deal will come through in the extremely near future.

Prediction: $8,500,000 AAV for 7 years with VGK

Dylan Coghlan
UFA
Age: 28
Projected Contract by AFP Analytics: $850,000 for 1 year

Coghlan returned to the Vegas organization last summer looking for an opportunity to break back through at the NHL level despite a pretty deep defense corps. It took him a long time to finally do it, but once he did, he made quite the impact at quite the time. He played just three games in the regular season before appearing in 13 during the playoffs and five of the six Stanley Cup Final games. He proved to be up to the task, which actually could make life a bit more difficult on VGK. Other teams will be lurking on a player who has never signed a deal worth more than six figures annually. That may change this summer.

Prediction: $1,000,000 one-way contract for 2 years with VGK

Ben Hutton
UFA
Age: 33
Projected Contract by AFP Analytics: $1,421,600 AAV for 2 years

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Where Do They Go From Here? A Look At The Burning Questions VGK Face This Offseason

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On June 16, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: @GoldenKnights on X/Twitter)

After an improbable run to the Final, one of the weirdest years in Vegas Golden Knights history has come to a close. The team with the most losses in franchise history came two wins away from lifting the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons.

There was a change behind the bench, a change in goal, a blockbuster add on the blue line, a forfeited draft pick, and a whole bunch more in a winding, grinding road that felt hopeless at times and invincible at others.

But now, it’s over, and it’s time to start looking towards what’s next. There are plenty of questions for the Golden Knights. The answers will reveal themselves over the next few weeks, but for now, here’s a look at what Vegas faces this offseason and what they may do heading into 2026-27.

Head Coach

The Golden Knights have announced John Tortorella will not continue on with the organization into next season. They made it clear from the moment they hired him that it was a temporary plan. Winning 14 playoff games could have been enough to keep him around but apparently the Golden Knights were set on heading a different direction.

The most likely next direction is promoting AHL head coach Ryan Craig. He’s been with the organization since Year 1, working as an assistant with three different coaching staffs. However, the Golden Knights typically like to make splashy moves and he’s not that. Could they shock the world and go big again?

Goaltender

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Unpacking The Golden Knights’ Lineup Puzzle Without William Karlsson In Game 6

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On June 14, 2026

In Team Ops

(Photo Credit: @NHL on X/Twitter)

The Golden Knights will enter a do-or-die Game 6 with a massive hole in their lineup. William Karlsson left Game 5 with a serious arm injury and will not be available for tonight’s game at T-Mobile Arena. Head coach John Tortorella is playing his cards close to the vest, refusing to reveal which player will draw into the lineup or the modified lines.

VGK have played a lot without Karlsson this season. The star shutdown center missed 68 games in the regular season and didn’t join the Vegas lineup until the start of the Second Round against Anaheim. There are three options as a replacement forward to draw in for Karlsson, and unfortunately, none of them are like-for-like swaps.

The most likely player to play tonight is Brandon Saad. The 33-year-old veteran left winger has been Tortorella’s first choice option off the bench most of this postseason. Saad has played five games and stepped in during the Anaheim series when Mark Stone went out and remained in the lineup until the captain returned. His last game was Game 2 of the Western Conference Final on May 22nd.

The player most fans want to draw into the lineup is Reilly Smith. The original Golden Knight had an impactful regular season, scoring 16 goals in 69 games and playing all over the VGK lineup. He’s comfortable playing on the left or right side and has found success in both offensive and defensive roles. He started all six games of the First Round and averaged about 10 minutes of ice time during regulation. Once Karlsson returned, Smith drew out, and he hasn’t played since May 1st.

The final option is a long shot, but he has thrived in that role in his young career. 22-year-old undrafted Braeden Bowman burst onto the scene in November, scoring four goals in his first six NHL appearances. He’s a crafty right-handed player who does most of his damage extremely close to the goal. He probably would need to be used alongside a skilled center and winger to make an impact, but he offers much more upside than Saad or Smith. Bowman has yet to make an appearance in this postseason.

There are a bunch of different line combinations the Golden Knights could go with in the absence of one of their most important and versatile forwards. We’ll start with the lineup from the last time Karlsson missed a game, Game 6 of the First Round.

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Three Golden Knights Sitting On The Sidelines Could Make Impact VGK Badly Need

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On May 8, 2026

In Game Analysis

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

Through two games in this Second Round series against the Anaheim Ducks, the Golden Knights have struggled to grab hold of the balance of play. For most of both games, the Ducks have controlled the puck, the speed, and the style of the games, which has left VGK searching for answers.

The good news for this particular Golden Knights team is that there are answers sitting on the sidelines waiting for their names to be called.

In the first two games, three different Vegas skaters are averaging less than 11 minutes per night. Keegan Kolesar has played just 20:44, Tomas Hertl has seen a measly 21:56, and defenseman Ben Hutton has been on the ice for 19:50.

Meanwhile, Reilly Smith, Brandon Saad, and Dylan Coghlan are all ready, willing, and able to step in to bring a fresh new look to either a forward line or a D-pair.

Smith is the most obvious solution waiting in the wings for Vegas. Not only did he score 16 goals and 26 points in his 69 regular season games, but the advanced analytics from the First Round indicated that he was among the most impactful forwards in the entire league in chance generation. If Kolesar isn’t able to impact a game with his physical presence, which hasn’t been as pronounced against Anaheim as Utah, it makes perfect sense to bring Smith back into the lineup. And this is before we even get into the obvious chemistry between Smith and William Karlsson.

Next, VGK’s defense corps has struggled to exit the zone quickly and with possession against Anaheim, which is an underlying symptom of the underwhelming offense. One of Coghlan’s most valuable assets is his poise and comfort on the puck. Not only can he help transition VGK from defense to offense as well, if not better, than either Kaedan Korczak or Ben Hutton, he also brings a powerhouse of a shot from the point that fits the current blueprint Vegas has been trying to deploy in the offensive zone.

Finally, John Tortorella has mentioned on multiple occasions that Brandon Saad was playing well before the playoffs and “got screwed” by the decision he had to make to healthy scratch him for the last eight postseason games. Saad’s finishing has left a lot to be desired this season, but there’s no denying his straight-line speed and willingness to get to the front of the net are qualities lacking from the Vegas lineup in this series. Benching Hertl for Saad would be a bold move that would leave a hole on the VGK power play and 6-on-5 lineup, but Hertl’s impact has been so minimal at even strength, it’s hard to imagine Saad could be much worse.

None of these moves on their own will fundamentally change how the series has gone to this point. To achieve that, the Golden Knights need to figure out how to play with more pace to their game, limit Anaheim’s speed in all three zones, and find a way to possess the puck more often and for longer stretches in the offensive zone.

However, fresh players in the lineup often offer a spark. They also grab the attention of those taken out and others who remain in… for now.

If the Ducks can healthy scratch $7 million a year Mason McTavish in favor of Jansen Harkins, who scored eight points this entire season, then the Golden Knights can make an audacious decision as well.

This series is on the verge of slipping away from Vegas if they don’t act and act fast. Lineup changes aren’t the only solution, but they sure feel like an obvious one ahead of Game 3.

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Cassidy Explains Healthy Scratches Of Brandon Saad And Reilly Smith

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On November 29, 2025

In Game Analysis

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

Bruce Cassidy is sending a message to his team today through a pair of lineup changes. Both Brandon Saad and Reilly Smith have been taken out for the first time this season. Cole Reinhardt and Alex Holtz are replacing them.

Smith and Saad have combined for 4 goals and 10 assists in VGK’s first 24 games and have each seen their usage drop as the season has progressed. With the return of Mark Stone, Smith was recently dropped into a 4th line role alongside Colton Sissons and Keegan Kolesar, while Saad has mostly remained on lines with Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev or Brett Howden and Smith.

They’ve played well at times, ok at times. So we’re going to give the other two guys a shot. We know these are veteran guys who came here because they want another shot at a Stanley Cup. We’re not taking that away from them, it’s one game in November where we feel like we’ll get a little juice from these other guys. -Bruce Cassidy

Cassidy said he met with Saad and Smith this morning to talk about the decision, which he described as both performance-based as well as an opportunity to use other options.

Reinhardt, you can make an argument didn’t deserve to come out of the lineup, especially in the role he’s playing. He’s had some good looks, been physical, and draws some penalties. With Holtz, he’s been working hard and waiting his turn. -Cassidy

The schedule also played a small factor in the decision.

I figured we’d do both at once because it’s three games in four days. See if it gives us a little spark in that area of the lineup. -Cassidy

This isn’t the first time Cassidy has tried to send a message like this. In March 2024, with VGK going through a 4-9-1 skid and holding just a three-point lead on a playoff spot with 16 games to go, the head coach healthy scratched both Zach Whitecloud and Nic Hague. Vegas went on to win that night 3-1 over New Jersey and rattled off seven wins in the next nine games. An emergency appendectomy to Alex Pietrangelo put Hague back in the lineup the next night and Whitecloud went back in three games later.

Cassidy often mentions that the biggest “weapon” coaches hold over their players is ice time.

He’s wielding it tonight. Let’s see how the team responds.

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Best Gifs To Start The 2025-26 Season

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On October 21, 2025

In Team Ops

Yet again, the Golden Knights are off to a red-hot start under Bruce Cassidy. This year’s team is scoring goals at an incredible rate, too. That makes for a lot of fun gifs. Here are the best ones from the first two weeks of the year.

Click through to see the rest, and be patient, it takes a while for them all to load properly.

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Karlsson, Smith, Saad Line’s Advantage “Yet To Come” Says Cassidy

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On October 18, 2025

In Game Analysis

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

As the Golden Knights have gone along through the first five games, they’ve tried two different combinations of forward lines. At first, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith were matched up with captain Mark Stone on a line many expected would dominate. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as impressive as hoped.

Stone was then moved up to the top line with Jack Eichel, while Mitch Marner dropped down to play with Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev. This left Brandon Saad as the new linemate for Smith and Karlsson. Through two and a half games as a permanent line, it hasn’t gone well for the trio.

They’ve yet to find the back of the net while on the ice together (Karlsson’s goals were both on special teams), they were out there for each of Boston’s first two goals in the 1st period on Thursday night, and the advanced analytics have them capturing just 31% of the expected goal share in their 24:42 of ice time together. And, to make matters worse, despite the group expected to be utilized a bit more defensively, they’ve posted these less-than-stellar numbers with a 64% offensive zone start percentage.

I think they are a little too far apart right now. They can use a little better support skating onto pucks, a little more direct game. -Cassidy

Cassidy said he had a quick meeting with the line to go over some film to illustrate it to the players.

The selling point to them is to be a little closer together, and things will open up for you as we go. They’re all smart players and they’re still sorting it out. They’re still going to be put in responsible situations. We trust them, and hopefully some offense comes to them. I’m sure it’ll happen. -Cassidy

The head coach also has a theory about why the success of that line may take a while before it materializes.

They’re all elite skaters. Everyone’s got their legs in the league because it’s early. So I think their advantage is yet to come because they’ll keep their legs where some of the younger guys fall off a little bit. -Cassidy

The trio is expected to remain together for tonight’s game, and as long as they keep winning, the line shuffling will stay to a minimum. The hope is that staying more connected will bring more success, because it’s going to be a while before the legs go for many opposing players.

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