When Brandon Saad was waived by the St. Louis Blues, the NHL universe held its collective breath. They were curious who would be the lucky team to get the two-time Stanley Cup winner.
It turns out that Kelly McCrimmon would swoop in and sign the winger. The Vegas Golden Knights signed the 32-year-old to a one-year, $1.5 million contract, bringing him on for the playoff run.
Before joining Vegas, Saad was a prominent member of the St. Louis Blues. The Pittsburgh native had seven goals and nine assists in 43 games. However, he was seen as a deteriorating talent, leading to him being cut.
So, how did the former Blues star do in his short stint in Las Vegas? Was he a stand-out star for the Golden Knights? Or was McCrimmon on the cusp of cutting him loose?
How Brandon Saad contributed to the Vegas Golden Knights
The stat sheet might not show much regarding Brandon Saad. After all, you can't expect a 32-year-old to keep up unless they're super-awesome. However, the winger did a solid job with Vegas.
For one, he was an amazing forechecker, going hard on every play. He's not afraid to get down and dirty on every play, looking for a puck to steal. Offensively, he'll do anything to score a goal, whether it's up front or near the faceoff circle. How did he impact the team with his abilities?
Well, plenty of games stood out regarding Brandon Saad's impact. However, March 13 stood out as his best as a Golden Knight. Saad scored a goal and an assist in that contest, firing off four shots in the process.
Grading Brandon Saad's 2024-25 Golden Knights campaign
What's noteworthy about his goal was that it came in the last minute of the first period. Normally, the Golden Knights are on the receiving end of such goals. But not Saad. He delivered in the clutch and carried the momentum to the finish line.
What's more is the 32-year-old fell a goal and an assist short of his totals with the Blues in 2024-25. Here's the catch: Saad played 14 fewer games with the Golden Knights. He adapted to Vegas's system quickly and became the shooter they needed.
Saad might've gone goalless in his postseason run. However, that wasn't without effort. He was constantly flying up and down the rink, forechecking and battling for pucks. Such effort shouldn't go unnoticed, especially if you've been in the league for a while. Therefore, he gets higher marks for doing the small things right.