Remember when Dylan Coghlan played for the Vegas Golden Knights? You probably don't, since he didn't do much. The defenseman only scored six goals and 13 assists during his two-year stay with the Golden Knights. Then, he was offloaded to the Carolina Hurricanes with Max Pacioretty for a Vegas legend known as future considerations.
Well, it's time to get familiar with the defenseman as he's returning to Vegas. The British Columbia native returns on a one-year deal worth $775,000, according to Irfaan Gaffar.
Dylan Coghlan has signed with the Golden Knights on a 1-year deal worth $775,000, first reported by @irfgaffar.
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) July 1, 2025
The 27-year-old was undrafted before joining Vegas in 2020-21. He spent the past three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes (two) and the Winnipeg Jets (last season). Here, he's played a total of 24 games in the past three seasons, marking him as a depth piece for contending teams.
This is one of the quietest moves ever, considering Kelly McCrimmon just snatched Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs. The move is another step to replenishing blue line depth that has suddenly vanished. Alex Pietrangelo took a step back from hockey after needing multiple surgeries in the future and Nicolas Hague went square-dancing with Jonathan Marchessault.
Is there a role for Dylan Coghlan on the Vegas Golden Knights?
At best, he's a third-pairing defenseman and that's putting it nicely. The Golden Knights are in on numerous blue liners, with names such as Bowen Byram and Rasmus Andersson popping up in rumors. Even without those two names, the roster is still filled with talent.
For example, Kaedan Korczak is expected to fill a defenseman slot in the lineup. He scored 10 assists in 40 games last season, making him a valuable puck-mover. Ben Hutton is also a solid veteran presence who can hit people and block shots. Bruce Cassidy is big on players clogging shooting lanes and being physical, making Hutton ideal in a smaller role.
That's not even mentioning the newest Golden Knights blue liner, Jeremy Lauzon. He's been a hard-hitter himself historically. What will his role be with the team?
As for Coghlan himself, he must learn to move inside his own zone better. Vegas is known for adopting a defensive system that doesn't let opponents get off shots. That should be his cue to step in and step up.
While McCrimmon has suddenly liked the idea of bringing former Golden Knights back into the fold, this move won't have much impact. When Reilly Smith returned, the special teams group improved significantly, making them a threat.
For Coghlan? He's a warm body. At least he's a good softball player.