According to CapWages, the Vegas Golden Knights have $1.9 million in available cap space heading into opening night against the Chicago Blackhawks on September 29. Meanwhile, over 200 free agents are still looking for contracts, whether in the NHL or the minors; plenty of impact names are seeking one more crack at the Stanley Cup or just another professional deal. That leads us to PTO season, when veterans or lesser-known players are invited to NHL camps in hopes of impressing and signing a new deal.
3 players the Vegas Golden Knights could offer a PTO
Matt Grzelcyk - Defense
At first glance, the Golden Knights do not need another defenseman, with the team’s three pairings all but locked in heading into training camp. However, you could argue that Jeremy Lauzon could be swapped out every couple of games without shaking up the rest of the lines. That’s where a veteran like Matt Grzelcyk comes in. Surprisingly, we are in the middle of August, and the former 40-point defenseman remains unsigned.
If Bruce Cassidy were still behind the bench, there would be familiarity, since Grzelcyk played eight seasons with his hometown Boston Bruins, scoring 135 points in 445 games and was plus-237. In one season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he scored a goal, but had 39 helpers for 40 points on a team that didn’t qualify for the playoffs. Meanwhile, with the Chicago Blackhawks last year, Grzelcyk had 12 assists in 69 games and a minus-9. With the Penguins, he had 15 power-play points and has never been a minus player outside of his stint with Pittsburgh and Chicago. Moreover, he’s got 66 games of playoff experience, including a trip to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final.
James van Riemsdyk - Left/Right Wing
Vegas just lost Pavel Dorofeyev, who scored 72 goals over the past two seasons. Ultimately, the decision to part ways came down to money, which wouldn’t be that big of a problem with veteran James van Riemsdyk, who made just $1.9 million last year with the Detroit Red Wings. Although he’s no longer a 20-goal threat, a mark he reached seven times during his 17-year career, he has never had fewer than 11 goals in a single season throughout his career.
Considering that van Riemsdyk has never won the Stanley Cup, only skating in the Final back in 2010, he’d be a great teammate the Golden Knights can rally around to get him a ring before retirement. Despite a slight liability with a minus-17 from last season, he can contribute on the power play with seven goals last year and 15 the year before in Columbus. Overall, he wouldn’t sign for a league minimum offer, but for one more chance at a championship, van Riemsdyk may take a pay cut to win.
Vladimir Tarasenko - Right Wing
Vladimir Tarasenko has achieved something most of the remaining free agents can only hope to do: win the Stanley Cup twice, once with St. Louis and the other time with Florida. At 34, injuries have slowed him down over the past decade, but on paper it seems like he’s turned a corner with 23 goals and 47 points last year with the Minnesota Wild. Previously, Tarasenko scored more than 30 goals with ease, which means that in the right system, he could reach 25 or more again.
Over the past two seasons, he’s produced a minus-24 rating, and he only skated in the playoffs with the Wild last year, who lost in the second round to Colorado. Throughout this career, Tarasenko has played in 132 postseason games, scoring 51 goals and 78 points. If he remains healthy and plays almost every game, he’d inch closer to 1,000 games and 750 points, all within reach in 2027-28. Considering that the Golden Knights have never been afraid to acquire big names, Tarasenko, who played on a $3.3 million deal last year, could end up being the steal of the summer if his contract was structured properly.
Honorable Mention: Reilly Smith - Right Wing
Reilly Smith joins the list as an Original Misfit without a job heading into 2026-27. Last year, in his first full campaign back with the Golden Knights, he scored 16 goals and 26 points but finished minus-9. Meanwhile, in the playoffs, Smith played only seven games and added two assists. Based on last year’s contract numbers of $1.4 million, a new deal would keep Vegas under the cap without getting creative. However, since the team hasn’t signed him yet, an extension or another year appears almost out of the question at this point.
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