When the Vegas Golden Knights signed Adin Hill to a six-year, $6.25 million contract extension on Friday, the reaction was positive. Fans lauded the Calgary native's work ethic and ability to keep his team in numerous games. Take Saturday's game against the Buffalo Sabres as a perfect example.
He stopped 34 of 37 shots, helping the Golden Knights earn a point. Granted, that contest was marred by mental mistakes such as Tomas Hertl not scoring on an empty net. However, he's stolen enough games to put his team in the division lead.
You can't say the same for Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers, who has a GAA of 2.88 and a save percentage of .896. A stat comparison shows why a goaltender like Hill earns a six-year deal compared to Skinner (all stats are entering Sunday).
Stats | GAA | Save percentage | Shutouts | Goals saved above expected | Save percentage above expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adin Hill | 2.53 | .907 | 4 | 13.3 | 0.0056 |
Stuart Skinner | 2.88 | .896 | 2 | -5.2 | -0.0017 |
Long story short, there's a reason why it's the Golden Knights, not the Oilers, that are in first place in the Pacific Division. But enough about teams from Alberta. This is about the resident goaltender in Sin City and his shiny new deal.
Looking at Hill's new deal, it might seem like a slight overpay and longer commitment. Getting paid an annual salary of $6.25 million seems like a lot to pay someone who's started in the past two years. However, there are some reasons behind this.
For one, he's having a solid 2024-25 season. Getting four shutouts is an incredible feat in itself. That's good enough to be tied for second in the NHL entering Sunday. But two additional factors make this deal a win-win for both sides.
The rising salary cap will make Adin Hill's deal look smaller
Fans might've forgotten about this little salary cap tidbit. But it's worth repeating. The NHL's salary cap is expected to take a significant jump in the next three seasons. It's key to getting players like Jack Eichel on board with the Golden Knights beyond the 2025-26 season. Let's look at the numbers and see how that'll help Kelly McCrimmon retain key players.
Season | Salary cap hit |
|---|---|
2025-26 | $95.5 million |
2026-27 | $104 million |
2027-28 | $113.5 million |
Comparing next season to 2027-28, the jump in the salary cap limit is massive. That's an $18 million jump in extra space for McCrimmon to do whatever he pleases. Player salaries are expected to increase during that time, too. One example is Leon Draisaitl of the Oilers and his new deal.
His new eight-year, $112 million deal he signed in September will be cushioned by the upcoming cap increases. That will give Edmonton enough flexibility to look into additional pieces, whether it's a backchecking defenseman who's quick or a netminder.
In contrast, Adin Hill will have a team-friendly deal that provides more flexibility. The Golden Knights can fix other problem areas with that additional cash, whether it's signing role players or making significant trades. Overall, that $6.25 million cap hit will look insignificant (along with the contracts of Brett Howden, Brayden McNabb, and Keegan Kolesar).
Kelly McCrimmon gave the Vegas Golden Knights flexibility with the modified trade clause
There's an interesting clause in Hill's contract that Vegas Golden Knights fans might not think about. It's insignificant since the netminder is playing great hockey. However, it plays a vital role in whether the team moves on from him in the future. What is it?
It concerns the no-trade clause. It's modified in a unique way, where the 28-year-old has 10 teams on his no-trade list for 2025-26 and 2026-27. That number decreases to eight in 2027-28 and 2028-29 and ultimately comes down to six for the final two years.
This is noteworthy for a couple of reasons. One, it gives Hill leverage in where his next destination is should the team be in a selling position. The salary might be a sticking point for some contenders. But that won't be as problematic in the later years. Second, it makes life easier from a Vegas perspective regarding a trade. Now, you can move your goaltender with less restrictions should you be sellers at some point. Again, it's a win-win.
Overall, the deal has more positives than what's on the surface. The goaltender gets paid and can pick where he goes should his team sell. McCrimmon can work a deal that helps the team's future should they get in that position. Couple that with a growing salary cap and it's the ultimate win-win situation for both sides.