To say that Wednesday was busy for the Vegas Golden Knights was a vast understatement. It was a flurry of moves and trades that completely restructured how the team looked. We're talking about Keegan Kolesar going to Detroit, among other moves happening earlier.
That also included the free agency side of things, which was headlined by Rasmus Andersson's contract extension. He received a seven-year deal worth $8.5 million AAV, anchoring the Golden Knights' blue line for years to come.
Of course, that also included moves like extending Dylan Coghlan. Even Victor Olofsson was brought back for another Vegas residency, bringing some solid shooting back into Sin City.
So, let's look at the moves that defined Opening Day for the Golden Knights. What stood out for Vegas? What could be a massive question mark heading down the road?
What I like about the Vegas Golden Knights in the first day of free agency
The value portion really stands out for Vegas. Looking at Dylan Coghlan's two-year deal ($875,000 AAV) and Victor Olofsson's one-year deal ($1.638 million), you can see that the Golden Knights aren't paying too much for certain players.
Yes, the outlier looks to be Andersson (more on that in a bit). However, Golden Knights fans know what happened when Olofsson had his first Vegas residency. He was productive in 2024-25, scoring 15 goals and 14 assists. On top of that, six goals came on the power play.
As for Coghlan, he's shown that he can take on seventh-defenseman duties just fine. He stepped in during the Western Conference Final and helped Vegas get to the Stanley Cup Final.
What I didn't like about the Golden Knights' first day
I'm particularly concerned about Andersson's contract. Yes, an extension seemed inevitable with the rumors flying around about handshake deals. But is it worth keeping him around for $8.5 million AAV after he produced just six assists during the Stanley Cup playoffs?
On top of that, fans can point to his fatal Game 2 error against the Carolina Hurricanes that swung the momentum in Carolina's favor. Can Andersson be serviceable in the playoffs, or will he falter?
It's part of why Tomas Hertl's name has been floated around in trade rumors. His past playoff failures with the Golden Knights, combined with his age, have led to people questioning whether he should stick around. While Andersson's protected by his no-trade clause, that still leaves room for him to be waived.
Grading the Golden Knights first day of free agency
The Golden Knights were about adding and filling positional needs at a value, ranging from defensemen to forwards. Vegas did exactly that with names like Victor Olofsson and Dylan Coghlan, bolstering the team's overall depth.
Yes, I have questions about whether Andersson can rebound for a stronger season. While there were some issues with the Swedish Olympian coming over (think visa problems), there's added pressure for the defenseman to step up with the new deal. Add an intriguing deal and things get fascinating.
Still, there were bright spots, such as bringing Dylan Coghlan back as the seventh defenseman and reuniting with Victor Olofsson. Those moves should bolster the team's overall structure and add more bite.
If this were the overall offseason grade, that would be bumped up to a B+. McCrimmon has done exceptional work in clearing cap space and accumulating draft capital. But the free agency grade is a tad more harsh due to lingering questions.
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