Ryan Carpenter – Forward
A favourite of head coach Gerard Gallant and a player who has come up clutch for the Knights on more than one occasion, Carpenter is a versatile bottom-six forward that can be used in a variety of situations.
He can also contribute offensively as proven in 2018-19 when he registered a career-high 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 68 games.
The 28-year-old also excelled in the faceoff circle for the Knights in 18-19, winning 52.61 percent of his draws.
However, with a slew of forwards on the roster and a collection of highly-touted prospects waiting in the wings, shedding Carpenter’s $650,000 hit and allowing him an opportunity with another NHL team might be the smart move.
Verdict: No Deal.
Brandon Pirri – Forward
Pirri hit a hot streak in December having tallied six goals and three assists for nine points in just seven games.
He couldn’t stick it in the big league however and found himself floating between the Knights and their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.
Pirri, who finished 2018-19 with 18 points (12 goals, six assists) in 31 games, was a popular figure with the fans in Vegas but, at 28-years-old, he hasn’t been a consistent force in the NHL and he’s been a streaky points scorer at best.
He’s also a liability in the defensive zone and, as already mentioned, there’s a raft of forward players that will be competing for roster spots during training camp.
Vegas have nine selections in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, including a first, second and three third round picks, so that level of competition will only increase too.
You have to be ruthless when dealing with a salary cap and there doesn’t appear to be much of a future for Pirri in Vegas.
Verdict: No Deal.
We’ll also be evaluating the futures of the team’s five impending Restricted Free Agents, including star center William Karlsson, early this week.