An underlying question about the Vegas Golden Knights

With all the questions about the Vegas Golden Knights this offseason, people are focused on a few things. One, will they bring back one of the "Original Misfits?" Two, are they in line to acquire Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs? If so, what would the cost be? However, fans are missing a particular element that isn't being discussed for next season.

Lost in the wave of forwards leaving are both goaltenders in the last year of their respective deals. That's right, the goaltender position is in question, with both Adin Hill and Logan Thompson hitting free agency next offseason. It seems both goalies are tied to the hip in more aspects than merely being free agents, though. Both are from Calgary, are under 30 years old (Hill is 28 while Thompson is 27), and were identical in their stats this season. However, that's where the similarities stop.

There are stark differences in the two situations, ranging from the pay to who might stay. But will all that matter once next season ends? Another food for thought is who might be moved to create cap space (if possible). The situation's complexities could provide insight into who stays and who goes. What does the goaltender situation bring for the Golden Knights after next season?

The Vegas Golden Knights and Adin Hill

For the Vegas Golden Knights, they have Adin Hill on the last year of his two-year, $9.8 million deal. With Vegas tight on cap space, moving Hill seems like a piece of cake. That's especially true with many young goaltenders like Jesper Vikman and Carl Lindbom waiting in the wings. However, the Calgary native has a modified no-trade clause in his contract, which complicates a potential move.

There's also a slight preference that Bruce Cassidy has towards Hill. That's especially true after the head coach gave him the nod for game five against Dallas and beyond. Cassidy's preference complicates the matter further, leaving the team to not have much of a choice but to keep him.

However, if he struggles out the gate or gets hurt, there could be a case to trade the goaltender. Since February 5, Hill has posted a 7-10 record with a GAA of 3.45 and a save percentage of .882. That included the occasional soft goal, which hurt the Golden Knights. How short of a leash will Cassidy have, if any?

But What About Logan Thompson?

On the other hand is Logan Thompson, who's in the last year of his three-year, $2.3 million deal. His cap hit is $766,666, which is miniscule compared to Hill's hit. He also doesn't have a no-move clause in his contract, which would make matters interesting. However, what happens to the 27-year-old will depend on who gets off to what kind of start.

For Thompson, he's been the opposite of his teammate since February 5. The young goaltender has a record of 9-4-1 with a GAA of 2.55 and a save percentage of .914. While Cassidy goes with Hill whenever times get tough, that might change if the situation goes awry.

Overall, the situation might not be important enough to worry about for the Vegas Golden Knights. For one, they're fine with both of their goaltenders. They've played to their expectations and contributed well during the regular season. Therefore, it won't be as pressing of an issue as one would think.

Also, the complexities of their contracts are too hard to handle. Hill has a lot of cap space to move, yet he has a no-trade clause and is used by Cassidy in tight situations. Thompson doesn't have much, yet he doesn't have a no-trade clause and he's seen as a No. 2. Whatever the case, it's something to monitor for next offseason, where the Golden Knights must figure out what to do with their goalie situation.