The Vegas Golden Knights have been in a reunion-friendly mood in recent years. It started with bringing Reilly Smith back from the New York Rangers and giving him a team-friendly one-year deal. Then, Dylan Coghlan and his legendary hat trick game against the Minnesota Wild came back.
Suddenly, the mood has shifted in the room. No longer are the Golden Knights disposing of guys and never seeing them again. Now, they're adding lower-line guys at reasonable prices, rekindling the magic in the process.
Just look at what happened with Smith this season. Sure, he had his moments where he was ice cold. But he scored 16 goals in 2025-26, adding scoring depth for Vegas. That could work for the following ex-Golden Knights.
So let's see who could return to the Golden Knights and who won't. Keep in mind that potential extensions for Pavel Dorofeyev and Rasmus Andersson loom large, so some players will have astronomical price tags that won't be met by McCrimmon.
Not likely: Anthony Mantha
The Pittsburgh Penguins wanted to bring Mantha back on a one-year deal. However, Mantha's agent, Olivier Fortier, wants more for his client and prefers to let him test the market. Perhaps a reunion could go for the right price. But for a 31-year-old winger for the long term? Probably not.
Possible: Erik Haula
A low-cost, short-term deal can definitely work with Haula here. The Golden Knights can always use extra penalty killing depth, especially with players like Jeremy Lauzon and Colton Sissons testing the free agency market.
Not likely: Alex Tuch
Rumor has it that the Original Misfit wants a deal worth $10.5 million and is connected to the Seattle Kraken, per Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet. As much as fans love a good Misfit reunion (see Reilly Smith), the price tag makes it tough sledding, especially with two extension candidates looming large.
Possible: Teddy Blueger
Like Haula, Blueger is a proficient penalty-killing machine. But he's also younger (31 years old compared to Haula being 35) and can be had for a lower price. Don't discount the Stanley Cup winner, especially if one of the expansion candidates falls through the cracks.
Not likely: David Perron
You can make the argument that Perron could be had on a lower deal. However, the former single-season assists leader is also 38 years old. Is it worth trying to turn the clock back further, especially after seeing what happened to veterans like Brandon Saad?
Possible: Nick Cousins
Cousins is 32 years old and can be had for a low-cost price. Granted, he's likely to be a depth piece that won't have too much impact on the lineup. However, his experience and scoring touch are necessary for keeping Vegas afloat.
Hmm: Victor Olofsson
Personally, I like Victor Olofsson. He was a terrific addition to the power play during his Golden Knights days and can add goals in even-strength facets. But what will his price be and will it be enough to bring him back if there's room? Stay tuned.
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