The Vegas Golden Knights don't have too much cap space to work with this offseason. They only have $4.625 million in available cap room, excluding the season-ending LTIR space available. Of course, Kelly McCrimmon knows how to make room since he's the salary cap wizard. Therefore, it's time to go, Adin Hill.
Some fans are worried that the team won't be able to sign everyone. There are 10 free agents (both restricted and unrestricted) to look at for potential extensions. The rest can be simply tossed into the bin and picked up by other teams. Who's going to think about them, anyways?
But three players come to mind when it comes to giving them a contract extension. After all, these three have proven their worth and did immaculate work in the 2025-26 season. Well, who are these three names that come to mind?
Well, you should know one of the names on there. He performed so well that an extension should be obvious. However, you're not necessarily thinking about the other two because of the budget crunch. Still, it's worth giving them a try.
1.) Pavel Dorofeyev
The obvious one and for many good reasons. Dorofeyev was the Golden Knights' leading goal-scorer this past season (37) and also set a single-season franchise record in power play goals (20). That alone should inspire confidence in bringing the Russian winger back for the long term.
But that's not all. The 25-year-old emerged as a key goal-scorer during the postseason, scoring 12 goals. That included an incredible hat trick in Game 5 against the Utah Mammoth that staved off elimination for the Golden Knights. What fans are seeing is the evolution of a young winger who will lead the next wave of great Golden Knights stars.
2.) Reilly Smith
I know that the Original Misfit has been hot and cold during the chunk of the 2025-26 season. But you have to admit that he still brings plenty to the table.
First, Smith scored 16 goals last season, adding unprecedented scoring depth to the Golden Knights' forward group. Second, he's great on special teams, adding a goal each on the power play and the penalty kill. If Vegas wants a viable alternative to seeing William Karlsson getting constantly hurt, there's no better backup than his fellow "Power Kill" buddy.
3.) Akira Schmid
I don't know if there's a spot for Akira Schmid to play on the Golden Knights next season. However, the restricted free agent does have something going for him. In fact, it's a few things for him.
One, he led the team in GAA (2.59) and save percentage (.893). Second, he's only 26 years old and would provide much-needed youth in net. Considering that Adin Hill is expected to be traded during the summer, why not run it back and give the Golden Knights a solid backup (if they don't get a solid goaltender from a trade, that is)?
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