Kelly McCrimmon loves signing "prove-it" deals. He wants to see players fallen off the beaten path elevate their hockey games to the next level. It's the kind of "no harm, no foul" moves that carry little risk, but a lot of reward. Such examples include Victor Olofsson, Ilya Samsonov, and Brandon Saad.
Saad was signed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal on January 31 after having his contract terminated by the St. Louis Blues. The Vegas Golden Knights were desperate for winger depth, seeing Alexander Holtz go out like a wet Taco Bell fart (even without Vegas scoring two goals).
Luckily, the 32-year-old is having no trouble fitting in with his new team. He scored the game-winner against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday in a 3-1 victory. It was a nice set-up coming from Brett Howden that kept the red-hot Kevin Lankinen off balance. The result? Chaos and flamingos at the end of the game.
Brandon Saad gets his first goal as a member of the Golden Knights 🚨 pic.twitter.com/f2ktBbXDj1
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 23, 2025
No, that's not his first goal as a member of the Golden Knights, either. He already scored one against the New York Islanders on February 4. Now, scoring in the fortress? That's more like it. Still, he has two goals and an assist since arriving with the gang on February 2. Not bad for the new guy, eh?
That inspiring play could net him another deal with McCrimmon in the future. After all, he just bought a house here. Could there be more clutch moments from the Pittsburgh native in the future? Are we going to see the middle of the lineup fortified with his presence?
A short-term deal with Brandon Saad makes sense
Obviously, McCrimmon shouldn't sign the winger to a five-year deal (unless there's immense value). Considering Saad is 32 years old, his scoring and skill set would deteriorate during that deal, leaving an albatross on the table. That's why the general manager balked at giving Jonathan Marchessault five years this past summer. He's a firm believer in seeing his team in the long term.
That includes looking at players from an age perspective, where he signed players like Keegan Kolesar, Brett Howden, and Shea Theodore to contract extensions. There was value in boosting the team offensively while adding other attributes to the game. That falls in the same category for the winger, who can also be utilized on special teams. As a result, giving him a short-term deal for his efforts is optimal.
However, five games is too small of a sample size to tell if that extension is warranted. The same thing happened with Victor Olofsson in his first four games as a Vegas Golden Knights player. He suffered a lower-body injury against the Washington Capitals on October 15 afterwards, halting his momentum. Now, it adds more mystery regarding whether he'll return or not.
Still, there's no doubt Saad would add plenty of value to future rosters. He's got a nice shot and knack for capitalizing on solid scoring opportunities. It also helps that he's fitting in well with the group. He might not leave his home for the next two years if he continues burying pucks for goals.