Kelly McCrimmon has had a productive season for the Vegas Golden Knights. First, "Original Misfit" Shea Theodore gets a new seven-year, $51.975 million deal on October 24. Then, Brayden McNabb, a fellow "Misfit", got a three-year, $10.95 million deal on November 15. Brett Howden followed suit with a five-year, $12.5 million deal a week later.
The general manager put the notion of no loyalty to rest, No longer were fans thinking of another "Misfit" getting a new country music deal in Nashville. Now, McCrimmon ensured nobody important was leaving in free agency next season. The core? Locked down. Fans? Faith restored or heightened.
But some noteworthy names are set to hit the open market next summer. First, there's Keegan Kolesar, a fourth-line enforcer who also adds offense to the bottom lines. Having a lower-line piece like Kolesar ensures the Golden Knights have a hard-hitting winger that forechecks well. The consensus is he deserves to be the next Golden Knights star re-signed.
Then, there's Adin Hill. The netminder is in the last year of his two-year, $9.8 million deal. The 28-year-old has a GAA of 2.64, a save percentage of .905, and two shutouts in 2024-25. That's good for a record of 12-4-2. Of course, that comes with having an explosive offense and power play. However, Hill has shown to be a reliable option for the Golden Knights in recent weeks.
So does he deserve a new contract from McCrimmon? Has he warranted enough attention to become a key piece for the Golden Knights? Believe it or not, there are some pros to keeping him around (I know, shocking). Here are the positives (and negatives) of bringing Hill back.
The pros of bringing Adin Hill back
Adin Hill can come back on a short-term deal with the Golden Knights. The salary cap is expected to rise heading into 2025-26. They can lock up another deal at a cheaper price ($2.5-$3 million AAV), keeping him as one of two netminders for the Golden Knights.
That would leave a good transition option for a prospect like Akira Schmid or Carl Lindbom to take the reins. While Hill sticks around as a reliable option, he'll pass the torch to one of the younger prospects. Think of Brett Favre starting while Aaron Rodgers develops as a quarterback. The only difference is Hill isn't a diva who'll pass his role onto another diva.
His recent play also warrants some attention. Hill has a GAA of 1.73, a save percentage of .938, and a shutout in his last eight games. He has a record of 6-1-1 in that span, catapulting the Golden Knights to the top of the Pacific Division (39 points).
His postseason numbers are as impressive. In his past 19 games, Hill has a GAA of 2.09, a save percentage of .932, and three shutouts. There was a reason why Kelly McCrimmon held onto him during the offseason. Having your go-to goaltender for the long run is crucial, especially if you're looking for another Stanley Cup.