The hockey world got a bit of a surprise on Friday when the Vegas Golden Knights signed Brandon Saad to a one-year, $1.5 million deal. The winger (seven goals, nine assists) came off having his contract terminated with the St. Louis Blues, saving roughly $3.9 million for Kelly McCrimmon. One can imagine how some of those fans (particularly from a specific province) felt about the news.
The Golden Knights don't spend an exorbitant amount of money on bringing in a big name (sorry, J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson) and don't sacrifice any draft picks or prospects. What looks like a low-risk move has the potential to be a massive win. That's especially true for a team faced with re-signing their biggest star next season.
The news has also shined light on the potential moves Kelly McCrimmon might make until the trade deadline, or rather--the moves he won't make. Does that mean Alex Tuch is out of the picture? Once again, it proposes the question of if the Golden Knights truly need anything for their Stanley Cup run.
What the Vegas Golden Knights need (if possible)
If Kelly McCrimmon wanted to go bold, he could acquire another goaltender to pair alongside Adin Hill. One name that comes to mind is John Gibson, who's having a solid season with the Anaheim Ducks. The netminder has a GAA of 2.78 and a save percentage of .913 (10th in the NHL). However, advanced statistics tell a broader story of Gibson's successes.
His goals saved above expected (13.1, sixth in the NHL, minimum of 15 games) and wins above replacement (2.18, sixth in the NHL) make him a solid netminder for the Ducks. However, there's one small problem with a potential trade: Cap space. The Pittsburgh native has a cap hit of $6.4 million, complicating things for Vegas. A prior post highlighted his efficiencies and how he'd form a solid goaltending tandem with Hill. But can that still happen with Saad's contract on board?
Sure, you can use LTIR to your advantage and rile the other fans up again (hey, it's not like YOUR TEAM does it, too). However, how likely is that to happen aside from William Karlsson being week-to-week? The team has maintained a relatively solid bill of health this season. While that could change instantly, there isn't much incentive to add more. Cap space is minimal as well, with $391,431 ($708,303 deadline space) to work with as of Saturday, according to PuckPedia.
Plus, Samsonov hasn't been bad from an analytical standpoint. His goals saved above expected (4.1) and (0.69) make him a reasonable goaltender at his current cap hit ($1.8 million). Kelly McCrimmon is more keen on players who can prove themselves through such deals, where names like Saad, Samsonov, and Victor Olofsson thrive.
Other positions don't need filling, either
A previous post talked about how the Golden Knights didn't need a defenseman, either. Sure, Noah Hanifin (six goals, 15 assists) hasn't taken off considering he's under a sizable contract. Alex Pietrangelo (35 years old) might be getting older, adding insult to injury. But it might take some balancing out and Hanifin getting comfortable in the Vegas Golden Knights system for things to work.
As for the forwards? Well... When your team is scoring 3.35 goals per game (tied for fourth in the NHL entering Saturday), there isn't much issue with putting the puck in the net. The Golden Knights are set down the middle and have plenty of scoring options with Brandon Saad on board. Currently, there isn't a need for a player like Alex Tuch on the team unless something drastic changes.
Once again, we're at an impasse regarding potential moves for Kelly McCrimmon. The team is structurally sound, with only some fundamentals and tweaks to make. Of course, there's also the 4 Nations Face-Off break coming up that'll rest their weary souls. Once February 22 rolls around, they can go back to angering the 31 other fanbases with their organizational shenanigans.