Earlier this month, three Vegas Golden Knights players were (supposedly) in their last season with the team. According to this post, numerous factors affected said players. That included looming contracts and erratic play (looking at you, Ilya Samsonov).
Well, one of those names was stricken from the list forever. His name? Adin Hill. The starting goaltender got a six-year, $6.25 million AAV deal last week, locking him up for a long time. It was well-deserved, too.
The Calgary native has been great this season with a GAA of 2.51 (ninth in the NHL) and a save percentage of .907 (tied for 13th). On top of that, he has four shutouts, good enough for fifth in the league. The result? Kelly McCrimmon locks up his starter for over a half-decade.
Of course, I can't speak for the other two players on that list. Tanner Pearson? Plenty of lower-line players will litter the free agent market. Ilya Samsonov? He's been inconsistent throughout the regular season. Therefore, fans will probably give them one last goodbye before heading out of Sin City for good.
Ironically enough, three more names come to mind. Again, the reasons range from price range to not existing for the past three months. These players could either be ignored in the free agency period or traded outright. Who knows what will happen? Anyways, let's look at these three names and see why they're spending one more month in Las Vegas.
1.) Victor Olofsson
Victor Olofsson is finishing up a one-year, $1.075 million deal this season. His stat line actually looks decent for a lower-line player (11 goals and 11 assists). However, the Swedish forward hasn't registered a single point since February 27. That was an assist in a 7-5 game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
In fact, he hasn't scored a goal in two months. Olofsson could've been much more given his prove-it deal. However, a combination of a lower-body injury and a nasty cold streak means he's spending his last month with the Vegas Golden Knights.
2.) Nicolas Hague
Now, there are plenty of reasons why you'd want to keep Nicolas Hague around. He's a massive defender who fits in well with Bruce Cassidy's defensive philosophy. It doesn't matter if it's blocking shots or hitting people.
However, he's a restricted free agent who's arbitration-eligible this summer. The season after? He's expected to be an unrestricted free agent. Of course, that could change. But the Golden Knights have an array of defensemen to choose from next season, leaving Hague as the likelier man out via trade.
3.) Brandon Saad
Looking at a comparison between Reilly Smith and Brandon Saad left me with a conundrum.
"Who should I put on the list? Saad or Smith? The guy with five goals and five assists since arriving with the Golden Knights or the "Original Misfit?"
This is a tough call that could change on a whim. What happens if Smith goes cold for the rest of the season? What if Saad goes on a scoring tear? A lot can happen in 12 games.
While Smith only has three assists in nine games, he's a familiar face. The Golden Knights know who he is and he knows how Bruce Cassidy and the gang operate. Saad's terrific play is slowly raising his price out of Kelly McCrimmon's range. Therefore, he's the odd man out.