Vegas Golden Knights: Grading an explosive Trade Deadline
Nick Holden
This wasn’t a trade but it was still a deal done by the Vegas Golden Knights at the Trade Deadline, so we’ll include it.
While it didn’t get quite the same level of attention as the Robin Lehner or Nick Cousins trades, this was a shrewd piece of business.
Once a prime candidate to be traded, and I was an advocate of that, Holden has become somewhat of a renaissance man.
While not a flashy player by any means, the veteran defenseman is a solid presence for the Golden Knights and he gets the job done with minimal fuss.
A true stay-at-home-defenseman, Holden has forged a real strong understanding with Shea Theodore and Holden is the perfect partner for a more offensive-minded blueliner.
Through 54 games this year, Holden has five goals and six assists for 11 points with 13 penalty minutes.
He averages 19:16 minutes of average total ice time while blocking 64 shots, recording 117 hits and registering 24 takeaways.
In addition to the above, Holden also has an impressive Corsi of 55.8%, a 57.07 Shots For Percentage and a Expected Goals For Percentage of 57.72.
Plus, the Golden Knights now have another member of their blueline locked down for at least the next two years, leaving them with only three defensemen that are pending free agents this summer.
With an average annual value of $1.7 million, there isn’t much risk attached to this deal and it is a contract that can be easily moved should Nick Holden fall off the cliff in terms of his play.