Parting is such sweet sorrow. That's especially true with the free agency period. You've grown attached to one particular player who's been with the team since "Day F****** One." The next month? They're gone.
Such is life, where nothing is meant to be permanent. Of course, some names will be gone from the Vegas Golden Knights this summer. Watching fan favorites like Reilly Smith possibly play their last game with the Golden Knights tears up hearts everywhere (believe me, I know the feeling).
With that, you're probably wondering who the Golden Knights' free agents are. Well, here's the good news, dear reader. It's not as illustrious as last year's list, when you saw names like Chandler Stephenson and Jonathan Marchessault leave. Those players are either watching the Mariners lose or riding a mechanical bull in Nashville.
The bad news? There are still free agents around.
Some of these names are of the unrestricted variety, untethered by any obligations. Then there's Nicolas Hague. That's right. All 6'6" and 230 lbs. of him wondering what will happen with his hockey career in Las Vegas. Anyways, let's dive into this long list, shall we?
List of unrestricted Golden Knights free agents
- Reilly Smith
- Victor Olofsson
- Tanner Pearson
- Brandon Saad
- Ilya Samsonov
The list of unrestricted free agents is far less impressive than last offseason's group. Reilly Smith is the most noteworthy name performance-wise with 13 goals and 27 assists. But he's also a key factor based on his history.
Never has there been a Golden Misfit who returned to town after being dealt or signing elsewhere. It was a common stigma associated with Kelly McCrimmon until he acquired the 34-year-old from the New York Rangers.
Other names stand out on the list, including Victor Olofsson (15 goals and 14 assists), Tanner Pearson (12 goals and 15 assists), and Brandon Saad (13 goals and 17 assists). These three players also provided key forward depth for the Golden Knights this season.
Then there's Ilya Samsonov. He's probably not returning. Oh well.
Restricted free agents
- Nicolas Hague
- Alexander Holtz
- Cole Schwindt
- Jonas Rondjberg
Obviously, the most noteworthy name here is Hague. The looming contracts of Pavel Dorofeyev (restricted free agent who's arbitration-eligible in 2026) and Jack Eichel (unrestricted free agent in 2026) are the proverbial elephants in the room. Therefore, there isn't much room for the giant defenseman to get any payday from McCrimmon.
Where will he go? Philadelphia? Detroit? Maybe he has an extra pair of Mickey Mouse ears lying around?
There's also Alexander Holtz (four goals and eight assists), Jonas Rondjberg, and Cole Schwindt (one goal and seven assists) who deserve consideration. It remains to be seen what McCrimmon will do with these players.
Still, one thing's certain. This offseason will carry a different kind of drama. It'll be one where the biggest headline is a "Core Four" member and a 6'6" defenseman. If you ask me, that's much better than the summer before.