Vegas Hockey Knight
Fansided

3 budget free agents the Vegas Golden Knights should sign this offseason

By Andrew Steele-Davis

EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 23: Alex Chiasson #39 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates after scoring a goal during the game against the Ottawa Senators on March 23, 2019 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 23: Alex Chiasson #39 of the Edmonton Oilers celebrates after scoring a goal during the game against the Ottawa Senators on March 23, 2019 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 27:Alex Chiasson #39 of the Edmonton Oilers gets ready for a face-off during the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on February 27, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – FEBRUARY 27:Alex Chiasson #39 of the Edmonton Oilers gets ready for a face-off during the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena on February 27, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Alex Chiasson, RW, 28

In truth, the Vegas Golden Knights don’t need to tinker much with their top six forward unit, which packs more than enough firepower to be able to sink a fleet of battleships.

However, it is the bottom of the order that could do with some attention and there are some holes that need filling in order to add more depth to this roster.

After all, you can’t win a championship unless you get contributions up and down the lineup and a potent third and fourth line can be the difference between ecstasy and agony.

Just look at the Washington Capitals in 2017-18. They got big-time contributions from third and fourth-line grinders like Lars Eller, Brett Connolly and Devante Smith-Pelly on their way to finally breaking their Stanley Cup drought.

Anyway, we digress but the Capitals reference leads us nicely into our point about why Alex Chiasson would be a perfect fit for the Golden Knights.

Chiasson had 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 61 games for the Stanley Cup winning Capitals last year, before earning a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers following a professional tryout.

And it was a gamble that paid off emphatically for the Oilers who got a boatload of production from the right-wing, who was often placed on a line with elite center Connor McDavid.

Next. VGK - Who could be traded. dark

Chiasson enjoyed a career year for Edmonton in 2018-19 with 22 goals and 16 assists for 38 points in 73 games, setting career highs in all three categories. He also contributed eight power play goals and 15 points overall on the man advantage, further underlying his offensive prowess this season.

There isn’t just one string to Chiasson’s bow, however. At 6’4″ and 208lb, the right shot boasts a hulking frame and can put that size advantage to good use in both the offensive and defensive zone. He can also play up and down the lineup depending on the team’s needs on a night-to-night basis.

Vegas needs secondary scoring and, although expecting 22 goals for a second straight year from Chiasson might be a tall order, he’s more than capable of registering between 25-30 points at least if paired on a third line with Erik Haula and Alex Tuch.

The likes of Cody Eakin, Ryan Carpenter, Tomas Nosek and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare could find themselves bidding a fond farewell to Sin City this offseason and, with a salary cap hit of just $650,000 in 18-19, Alex Chiasson would be a relatively cheap but reliable and productive forward to bring in and plug a gap on the roster. He likely wouldn’t demand too much of a rise in salary due to his advancing years, which would be an added bonus for the Golden Knights.

Home/Analysis