Training Camp is a week away and the Vegas Golden Knights are ready to get back to work, although they could be a man down by the time preseason rolls around.
We touched on it briefly here earlier this week but there is still no news on whether or not the Vegas Golden Knights are close to re-signing defenseman Jimmy Schuldt. And the longer this drags on, the more significant of an impact it could have on both team and player.
Let us explain. First and foremost, though, Schuldt is currently a restricted free agent and the Knights have just $1,025,001 left in cap space in which to get a deal signed, sealed and delivered while remaining compliant with the salary cap ceiling of $81.5 million.
It is expected that the two parties will eventually come to agreement and it will probably be a team-friendly bridge deal, allowing the Golden Knights to remain under the cap ceiling while acting as a prove it contract for Schuldt who will have the chance to put himself in line for a bigger, longer and more lucrative deal next summer.
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So, why is it taking so long? That is a good question and one we don’t have any concrete answers for, although it is likely to come down to term and the nitty gritty details of the financial aspects of the deal.
However, we have reached a point where this contract needs to be thrashed out sooner rather than later for the sake of both parties. As it stands, 2019 Rookie Camp opens on Thursday before taking part in the Anaheim Rookie Faceoff tournament, and Schuldt is currently on that roster.
But, as per Jesse Granger at The Athletic, Schuldt is unlikely to participate without a new deal and, given we are currently a day away from rookie camp, the stud blueliner could well be absent until Training Camp opens in the latter stages of next week.
That is significant in itself because, and as we’ve reported on a lot this summer, there is a roster spot on the blueline up for grabs and the Golden Knights will let Nic Hague, Dylan Coghlan, Zach Whitecloud, Jake Bischoff and Schuldt battle it out for the right to be on the opening night roster.
Many people believe Schuldt is the frontrunner given his caliber – he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2018-19, given to the top National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s ice hockey player, having led all National Collegiate Hockey defensemen with 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) for St. Cloud University.
The 24-year-old was also the first player to be named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in back-to-back seasons (2017-18 & 2018-19), which perfectly illustrates the high ceiling Schuldt possesses.
He also impressed in his NHL debut for the Golden Knights in the regular season finale against the LA Kings on Apr, 6, logging an impressive 21:03 minutes of ice time in addition to recording his first-ever point in the majors with an assist on Valentin Zykov‘s tuck.
Schuldt reportedly turned down 29 or 30 other NHL teams in order to sign in Sin City, so there is no doubt that he sees his future in Vegas with the Golden Knights. As a result, a deal may well get done in the next couple of days but, as already mentioned, it could just come down to the finer details when it comes to the structure of the deal.
The rookie will also know that the longer he’s away from the team the more of an edge he’s giving to the likes of Hague, Whitecloud, Bischoff and Coghlan, who will all be eager to impress in Rookie Camp in order to get a head-start when it comes to impressing the Vegas coaching staff.
All in all and, given the fact that Schuldt isn’t eligible for arbitration rights or an offer sheet from another team, it seems almost certain that the prospect will have a new deal by the time the regular season opens on Oct, 2. But, the sooner it is done then the better it is for Jimmy Schuldt’s chances of making the opening night roster and completing the Vegas Golden Knights blueline for 2019-20.