Max Pacioretty

Injury Notes: Pacioretty, Merzlikins, Ferland, Carlson

August 10, 2020 at 4:05 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The Vegas Golden Knights will have a familiar face in the lineup tomorrow night when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks, as GM Kelly McCrimmon told reporters including Mike Morreale of NHL.com that Max Pacioretty would make his postseason debut. The top-line winger missed the entire round-robin but won’t be held back when things get going in the first round:

I think Max’s workload will be identical to what it was. I don’t think that will change in any way shape or form. He’s completely ready to go. We’re not worried about that at all.

“Patches” as he is called by his teammates, was feeling right at home this season with the Golden Knights after a rocky first year with the team. Following a trade from the Montreal Canadiens, the only NHL team he had ever known, Pacioretty scored just 22 goals and 40 points in 2018-19. That was low for him, but things were right back to normal this season when he broke the 30-goal mark for the sixth time in his career and led the Golden Knights with 66 points in 71 games.

It was Joonas Korpisalo back in net for the Columbus Blue Jackets when they faced off against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a winner-take-all game five last night. Korpisalo would end up getting a shutout in the deciding game and he’ll have every chance to roll with the Blue Jackets for some time. Tandem partner Elvis Merzlikins, who came in for Korpisalo partway through the series, is out indefinitely with an injury according to head coach John Tortorella. Tortorella told team reporter Jeff Svoboda “he’s out. I’m not sure how long.” Merzlikins was outstanding in his first taste of NHL action this year, posting a .923 save percentage as a rookie. He also stopped 70 of 74 shots against the Maple Leafs, who had trouble scoring no matter who was in the net for Columbus.
Micheal Ferland remains “unfit to play” according to Vancouver Canucks head coach Travis Green. Ferland actually left the bubble in Edmonton last week and returned home to Manitoba after leaving a game against the Minnesota Wild. While the team cannot comment on the exact injury due to the COVID-19 reporting protocols, Darren Dreger of TSN was told at the time that Ferland was dealing with similar post-concussion issues that kept him out for most of the year. Though the team had said he would be re-evaluated after the Minnesota series ended, it’s clear that a return is not in the cards just yet.
The New York Islanders and Washington Capitals could potentially both be getting some reinforcements for their first-round series. Brian Compton of NHL.com reports that Johnny Boychuk is “highly probable” for game one, while Samantha Pell of the Washington Post was told by Capitals coach Todd Reirden that John Carlson took part in their optional skate today and is “taking steps in the right direction.” Carlson, a Norris Trophy finalist as one of the league’s top defensemen, didn’t play in the round-robin after taking an awkward fall in the Capitals exhibition game.

Snapshots: Hedman, Pacioretty, Merzlikins, Suter, Schmaltz, Boychuk

August 9, 2020 at 3:55 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 2 Comments

With Tampa Bay Lightning fans waiting for word on the status of top defenseman Victor Hedman after the blueliner looked to twist his ankle Saturday during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers, the injury report may have to wait until Monday. The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that the team is off today and will practice Monday before likely starting the playoffs on Tuesday.

There is plenty of fear that the defenseman could miss significant time after Hedman frustratingly slammed his stick four times against the boards on his way into the dressing room. Smith (subscription required) writes that of all Tampa Bay players, including the injured Steven Stamkos, Hedman could be the one player the Lightning cannot do without. Hedman, a finalist for the Norris Trophy, for four years straight and the winner in 2017-18 and will be badly missed.

Incidentally, the Lightning’s depth is likely going to be tested on defense as the team only brought nine defensemen with them into the bubble. With Jan Rutta unfit to play so far in the playoffs, that leaves the team with just seven defenseman, which could be an issue if more injuries arise.

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer said that forward Max Pacioretty has arrived “in the bubble,” and is expected to be ready to play for Game 1 of their playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. Pacioretty missed the round-robin series due to an undisclosed injury, but completed his quarantine with four negative tests and is expected to practice with the team on Monday. He is the team’s leader in scoring after tallying 32 goals and 66 points in 71 games this season.
There was some debate on who should start in goal for the Columbus Blue Jackets for their Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. While Joonas Korpisalo has been given the nod, it turns out that another reason for that is because Elvis Merzlikins is injured and will not dress later today as Matiss Kivlenieks will step in as the backup, according to NHL.com’s Jeff Svoboda. Head coach John Tortorella said the goaltender, who was in net during the team’s late collapse in Game 4, is injured and “unfit to play,” according to The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline.
With the Minnesota Wild having been eliminated, defenseman Ryan Suter was allowed to reveal to The Athletic’s Michael Russo that he injured his right foot during Game 3 of the team’s playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks. Yes, that’s the same foot he had operated on back in 2018 when he broke his ankle. His MRI in Edmonton was incomplete due to the irritation to the injury. The team sat him to make sure he doesn’t injure it any further. Suter said he should be fine and is going to the doctor tomorrow to get it checked further.
NHL.com’s Mike Morreale reports that the Arizona Coyotes could be getting back a key forward for the next round of the playoffs. Forward Nick Schmaltz, who missed the entire series with the Nashville Predators, participated in a full practice with the team Sunday and could be ready to return. The 24-year-old had 11 goals and 45 points for Arizona this season.
After missing the last three games with an undisclosed injury, Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports that New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk practiced Sunday and is expected to be ready to play for the team’s upcoming series against the Washington Capitals. Boychuk only played in 5:17 of Game 1 before leaving due to injury against the Florida Panthers.

Pacific Notes: Coyotes, Patera, Pacioretty

August 8, 2020 at 12:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 1 Comment

Back in February, word came out that the Coyotes were believed to be guilty of at least 20 workout violations of draft-eligible prospects with the NHL beginning a full investigation. Six months have since passed and there still hasn’t been a punishment handed down by the league. However, that could soon change. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports (Twitter link) that there is some progress in that investigation and that if necessary, the ruling could come down by Monday’s second lottery phase. With Arizona moving on though, their first-round pick won’t be a part of that lottery. Having said that, if it was possible that a ruling could be ready if needed by Monday, it suggests that a final decision should be rendered sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere around the Pacific Division:

Golden Knights prospect Jiri Patera has been skating with Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic and the Extraliga team indicated on their website that they are hoping to secure a loan agreement with Vegas to allow the goaltender to start the 2020-21 season with them. The 21-year-old recently wrapped up his junior career with Brandon of the WHL and posted a strong .921 SV% in 41 games. Considering that Vegas already has three other goaltenders that will likely be heading for the minors next season, simply allowing Patera to play overseas for all of next year is a scenario that might be worth considering as well.
Still with Vegas, winger Max Pacioretty is getting close to being cleared to play. He is not yet in the bubble due to a minor injury but head coach Peter DeBoer told reporters, including David Schoen of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, that Pacioretty is now really close to suiting up. Pacioretty won’t have to quarantine upon arrival in Edmonton if he comes in on a chartered flight so assuming that happens, he’ll be available to play right away. He’ll be a big addition to their attack as he led the Golden Knights in scoring this season with 32 goals and 34 assists in 71 games.

Vancouver’s Chris Tanev, Vegas’ Max Pacioretty Out “Week-To-Week”

March 11, 2020 at 8:43 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

The Pacific Division playoff race received a significant shake-up on Wednesday night when two contenders announced the injury absences of key players. The Vancouver Canucks, fighting hard to stay in the playoff race, will be without defenseman Chris Tanev “week-to-week” with a lower-body injury. The same generalized injury and timeline was later announced by the Vegas Golden Knights in regards to veteran forward Max Pacioretty as well.

Tanev is no stranger to injury, having missed considerable time in each of the past three seasons. In fact, Tanev was on pace for the first full season of his career and could still top his career high of 70 games played if he returns for only two more contests. When healthy, Tanev is arguably the Canucks’ best two-way defenseman. Fortunately, he is not as much of a lynchpin player this season following the additions of rookie sensation Quinn Hughes and major free agent add Tyler Myers. Still, with the Canucks currently sitting in the final wild card spot out west and already missing starting goalie Jacob Markstrom, the team surely hopes that “week-to-week” might just mean a week or two tops without Tanev.

Meanwhile, the Pacific-leading Golden Knights are dealing with an even bigger loss. Pacioretty is the team’s leading scorer and has been healthy for every game up until this point. His injury comes much around the same time as last season and under similar circumstances. Vegas was hindered by a rash of injuries late last season as well and find themselves in the same place this year, with Pacioretty, Mark Stone, and Alex Tuch all sidelined. With only a three-point lead on the Edmonton Oilers, who hold a game in hand, the Knights’ division lead is at risk if Pacioretty’s “week-to-week” prognosis ends up extending into April.

PHWA Announce 2019-20 Midseason Awards

January 23, 2020 at 9:43 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 13 Comments

Though they have no bearing on the eventual winners, each season the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote for the Midseason Awards to give fans an idea of who is leading the charge around the NHL at the halfway point. Today those ballots have been tallied and the midseason trophies were given out:

Hart Trophy – Most valuable player

1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
2. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
3. David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

Norris Trophy – Best defenseman

1. John Carlson, Washington Capitals
2. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators
3. Dougie Hamilton, Carolina Hurricanes

Selke Trophy – Best defensive forward

1. Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
2. Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Calder Trophy – Best rookie

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
2. Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
3. Victor Olofsson, Buffalo Sabres

Lady Byng Trophy – Sportsmanship & gentlemanly conduct

1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
2. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
3. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis Blues

Vezina Trophy – Best goaltender

1. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
2. Ben Bishop, Dallas Stars
3. Darcy Kuemper, Arizona Coyotes

Jack Adams Award – Best coach

1. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets
3. Craig Berube, St. Louis Blues

Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award

1. Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
2. John Chayka, Arizona Coyotes
3. Doug Armstrong, St. Louis Blues

Rod Langway Award – Best defensive defenseman

1. Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
2. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
3. Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

Comeback Player of the Year Award

1. William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Anthony Duclair, Ottawa Senators
3. Max Pacioretty, Vegas Golden Knights

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Vegas Golden Knights

January 11, 2020 at 7:28 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 2 Comments

We’re in the home stretch in our thankful series where PHR will continue its look at what teams are thankful for as the second half of the season gets underway. We’ll examine what has gone well in the first half and what each team may be looking for at the trade deadline. Next up is the Vegas Golden Knights.

What are the Golden Knights most thankful for?

Considering the team’s inability to show any consistency throughout the year, Vegas should be thankful they remain at the top of a stacked Pacific Division. The team remains tied with the Arizona Coyotes with 54 points, and while that might make a competitive division on its own, there are several teams breathing right down their necks. Both the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames each are one point away from the divisional lead with 53 points, while the Vancouver Canucks round out the top five with 52 points, which should make for a exciting finish at the end of the season. However, that small lead in the standings now could be exactly what they need down the road.

Who are the Golden Knights most thankful for?

Max Pacioretty.

Many thought that the Golden Knights might have made a mistake when they traded Tomas Tatar, Nick Suzuki and a second-round pick for Pacioretty last summer. However, the one forward that the Golden Knights have been able to count on this year is Pacioretty, who made the all-star team and is on pace to return to his 30-goal form from his Montreal days. The 31-year-old has 20 goals and 45 points in 47 games and has been one of the few consistent players on the squad.

What would the Golden Knights be even more thankful for?

Some wins at home.

One thing that Vegas could count on in the past is they were dominant at T-Mobile Arena. They had a 29-10-2 record in their inaugural season and a 24-12-5 record last season. That’s just 22 losses in two seasons. This year, the team has already accumulated nine losses through the first half of the season and have lost two straight at T-Mobile. The team needs to get that home mojo going once again if they want to stay at the top of the Pacific Division, something that the team has never really had a problem with.

What should be on the Golden Knights’ Wish List?

As reported earlier, the Golden Knights are on the lookout for defensive help. While the team is loaded on offense, it hasn’t gotten the same consistent defensive effort from their blueline as players like Nate Schmidt, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore have been a little more inconsistent. Throw in a rookie in Nicolas Hague and an aging Deryk Engelland, the team could use a top-four caliber blueliner who can step in and help the team out. The problem, of course, is that the team has little cap room to work with and very few moveable pieces that it could move out, leaving the team budget hunting to fix the defense at the upcoming trade deadline.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Max Pacioretty, Tomas Hertl Added To All-Star Squad

January 10, 2020 at 3:17 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 5 Comments

You don’t have to vote for Max Pacioretty anymore as the last man in for the All-Star Game. Both Pacioretty and Tomas Hertl have been added to the team, now that Jakob Silfverberg and Logan Couture will not be able to attend. The former has withdrawn due to the imminent birth of his child, while the latter suffered a broken ankle and will be out several weeks. Neither player will be suspended for failing to attend.

This will actually be the first appearance for Pacioretty, despite being a five-time 30+ goal scorer and former captain. The Vegas Golden Knights forward is well on his way to another season of 30, with 20 goals and 45 points through the first 47 games. That’s the best on the Golden Knights and a nice value for his $7MM cap hit.

Hertl meanwhile was the obvious choice to be the Sharks representative once Couture was ruled out, given he is neck-and-neck with him in almost every offensive category. The 26-year old forward has 15 goals and 34 points in 42 games, not quite the pace that he set last season but still a strong performance.

Both players were part of the fan vote to select the final player for the Pacific Division, meaning those left on the ballot will get a little bit higher chance of getting into the festivities. Voting ends today.

Marc-Andre Fleury To Skip NHL All-Star Game, Replaced By Jacob Markstrom

January 3, 2020 at 7:36 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 2 Comments

Alex Ovechkin will not be the only player taking a pass on NHL All-Star festivities this season. Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will also skip the upcoming event, the team announced. Vegas states that while the selection is an honor, both the team and the player felt that this was the correct decision. As a result, Fleury will also be suspended for one game per league rules, to be served on either side of All-Star weekend.

While Fleury has attended four previous All-Star games, including in each of the past two years as a representative of the Golden Knights, this decision does not come as any great surprise. The 35-year-old keeper is one of the biggest linchpin players in the league and Vegas cannot afford to see him injured in an exhibition event. Not only that, the aging netminder has missed time already this season and simply needs the rest. This has not been confirmed as the reason for Fleury’s decision to skip, but is the most logical explanation. While his absence at the All-Star Game and Skills Competition will be a shame, especially as such a well-liked player, this is a smart decision by the player and team.

The NHL has already announced that Fleury’s replacement for the Pacific Division team will be Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom. The impending free agent can now add All-Star to a resume that already boasts a career-high .917 save percentage thus far this season, as well as 14 wins for the upstart Canucks. He will join young forward Elias Pettersson as Vancouver’s representatives for the All-Star festivities from January 24-26.

The one wrinkle yet to be addressed – if it is at all – is that Fleury was Vegas’ lone All-Star selection this season. As a goalie, it was not so simple to swap him out for a teammate, currently leaving the Knights without a representative. Veteran forward Max Pacioretty is a candidate to join the Pacific squad as a Last Men In fan vote option, but he has not been guaranteed a spot (yet).

Snapshots: Three Stars, Hall, Kucherov

December 16, 2019 at 1:31 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

The NHL has released their Three Stars for last week, handing out the top spot to Vegas Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty. In four games the former Montreal Canadiens’ captain had five goals and eight points last week and leads the Golden Knights in both categories on the season.

While Jack Eichel’s continued MVP-level performance has landed him the third star, a new face finds himself in the second spot. Anthony Duclair has risen from the ashes to become a star with the Ottawa Senators and now has 18 goals on the season. The 24-year old has scored 26 goals in 54 games since arriving in Ottawa and now looks ready to land a long-term deal as a restricted free agent this summer.

There is still no concrete news on New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall and where he’ll end up after the inevitable trade, but Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription required) is ruling out one team (for the time being). The Florida Panthers have pulled back their pursuit of the scoring winger according to LeBrun—though he notes that things can obviously change at any moment—because the winger doesn’t seem ready to sign an extension with whatever team acquires him. Hall hasn’t played in the Devils’ last two games as the team tries to protect their asset.
Nikita Kucherov has been listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury after blocking a John Carlson slapshot over the weekend. Kucherov was forced from the game but seems to have avoided major injury. Head coach Jon Cooper told reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic that Kucherov will likely be back before Christmas.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Vegas Golden Knights

August 17, 2019 at 6:32 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 7 Comments

Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Vegas Golden Knights

Current Cap Hit: $80,474,999 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Zach Whitecloud (one year, $925K)
F Cody Glass (three years, $863K)
D Nicolas Hague (three years, $791K)

Potential Bonuses:

Whitecloud: $850K
Glass: $850K
Hague: $133K

While there is no guarantee that any of these three will be on the roster when the season begins, all three are expected to see time with the Golden Knights this season and could find themselves with significant roles depending on how things shake out. Glass, the team’s biggest prospect, is finally turning pro and while the organization has said in the past that Glass needs a full year of AHL work, he may have proved himself after his junior season ended last year. The sixth-overall pick from the 2017 draft, tallied five points in six AHL regualar season games, but was also one of the team’s top players throughout the AHL playoffs as he helped lead the team to the Calder Cup Finals. He tallied seven goals and 15 points in 22 playoff games. That play suggests that he might be ready and will compete for an immediate chance on the team’s third line.

Hague and Whitecloud are expected to challenge for a spot on one of the open spots in Vegas’ defense. Both players had impressive seasons with the Chicago Wolves last season and might be ready to make an impact. The 20-year-old Hague scored 13 goals in his rookie campaign, while the defensive Whitecloud showed off some offensive potential in his first full season in the AHL.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F Cody Eakin ($3.85MM, UFA)
F Ryan Reaves ($2.78MM, UFA)
D Nick Holden ($2.2MM, UFA)
D Jonathon Merrill ($1.38MM, UFA)
F Tomas Nosek ($1MM, UFA)
G Malcolm Subban ($850K, RFA)
G Garret Sparks ($750K, RFA)
F Curtis McKenzie ($750K, UFA)
F William Carrier ($725K, RFA)
D Deryk Engelland ($700K, UFA)
F Valentin Zykov ($675K, RFA)

With their cap room extremely tight, there remains a legitimate possibility that the team may still make a trade and if that does happen, the player is likely to come from this list of players. Eakin, Reaves and Holden are not likely to return in a year and could be trade bait. Eakin is coming off a career-best season with 22 goals and 41 points, but assuming the team is healthier this year, will likely settle into a third-line center role this year unless Glass beats him out. However, with Eakin’s value at its highest, the team might be able to get the best return if they move him and his $3.85MM contract.

Reaves has become a fan favorite in Vegas, giving the team highlight reel hits and become a popular locker room presence. He also posted 305 hits for the Golden Knights. However, Reaves makes quite a bit of money for a player who produced nine goals and 20 points last season. With some young fourth-line players closing in on potentially replacing him, the team could find a taker in Reaves and his $2.78MM deal.

The team has been impressed with the development with Merrill, who was initially only looked at as an emergency defenseman, but really took that next step last season and has earned himself a full-time role with the possibility of even earning top-four minutes next season. Holden would be another option for the team free up cap room as the team signed him last summer to a two-year deal, but the veteran struggled to get consistent playing time and is on the outside looking in. The team might hope it can send Holden to a defense-needy team, but may be forced to bury him in the AHL if he can’t prove he belongs on the Golden Knights roster and with Engelland likely taking a lesser role at the bottom of the defense next season, it might be hard to win a spot.

The Golden Knights also have an interesting battle in net for the backup goalie spot after acquiring Sparks during the offseason from Toronto. While Subban is the likely candidate to keep the position, Sparks could provide some much needed depth in goal for the future if the Golden Knights managed to hold onto him. Sparks was a top prospect goaltender just a season ago, but struggled in his first full season in Toronto. However, the Golden Knights hope he can bounce back quickly.

Two Years Remaining

F Paul Stastny ($6.5MM, UFA)
F Brandon Pirri ($775K, UFA)

The team has been set up to provide a number of short-term deals at higher cost and Stastny is one of those who signed a three-year deal at a high AAV. Injuries limited the veteran to just 50 games last season, but when he played, he provided excellent playmaking on the team’s second line, scoring 13 goals and 42 points. If the 33-year-old can stay healthy this season, he could center one of the strongest lines in the league as he is one of the best playmakers who historically makes his line mates even better.

Pirri is an interesting addition. The 28-year-old showed off his scoring touch after being called up midway through the season. In just 31 games, he tallied 12 goals and 18 points, including a string of goals. Most expected the UFA to find a team that could offer him more playing time this summer. Instead he opted to remain and may get that playing time after the team decided to move KHL star Nikita Gusev to New Jersey this summer. Gusev had been penciled into the third line which now could fall to Pirri, who the team hopes can continue his scoring ways.

Three Years Remaining

G Marc-Andre Fleury ($7MM, UFA)
F Reilly Smith ($5MM, UFA)
D Brayden McNabb ($2.5MM, UFA)

While Fleury has been a stud since arriving from Pittsburgh in the expansion draft, the veteran goaltender is now 34 years old and has three years remaining on his deal. The Golden Knights have to hope that Fleury can continue playing at a high level for that time as they do not have a suitable replacement in the system at all yet and could find themselves in trouble in a few years if they can’t find a suitable player to step in and help take the burden from the netminder. With little faith early in the season in Subban, Fleury played in 61 regular-season games last season, his highest total since 2014-15. Subban did improve somewhat and played better in the second half, but it’s likely that Fleury will take on another significant load this season as well.

While 53 points may not be the type of numbers the team was hoping for from Smith, the Golden Knights know that Smith has proven to be a valuable commodity who is a key on the team’s penalty kill and is an excellent playmaker, especially when playing with the top line. McNabb has also been a key player under a cap-friendly deal who is playing solid minutes in the top-four, while providing excellent defense along with 200 hits last year.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Mark Stone ($9.5MM through 2026-27)
F Max Pacioretty ($7MM through 2022-23)
D Nate Schmidt ($5.95MM through 2025-26)
F William Karlsson ($5.9MM through 2026-27)
D Shea Theodore ($5.2MM through 2025-26)
F Jon Marchessault ($5MM through 2023-24)
F Alex Tuch ($4.75MM through 2025-26)

It’s hard to believe, but after just two years, the team has its core in tact and locked up for a long time and should be Stanley Cup contenders for the next few years. Stone’s value has only increased in the last year as he completed the team’s quest to have two dominant lines. While the Golden Knights could alter their lines this season, Stone is expected to be a big piece and eventually the face of the franchise in Vegas after being acquired from Ottawa at the trade deadline and then signing a eight-year extension immediately after the trade and at $9.5MM, he may prove a bargain as the 28-year-old posted 33 goals and 73 points during the regular season, but really took off in the playoffs, putting up six goals and 12 points in seven playoff games.

While all the long-term deals look solid, if there is one to scrutinize even closer, it’s the four-year extension that Vegas signed Pacioretty to a year ago. That extension is kicking in this year, but the 30-year-old didn’t bounce back to his 30-goal ways that he had in Montreal in previous seasons. Pacioretty, who scored 30 goals five times in six straight years in Montreal, scored just 22 goals and 40 points in his first year in Vegas, but the team hopes they can get more out of him this year. He did show off more offense in the playoffs as well as he tallied five goals and 11 points in seven games.

The Golden Knights finally locked up Karlsson to a long-term deal, something both sides were hoping for and getting the forward to sign for under $6MM is impressive for the franchise. While the 24-year-old Karlsson saw his goal totals drop from 43 to 24 last season, a drop off was expected and the team believes that with two impressive lines, Karlsson should get more chances to score with less pressure from just top-line defenders.

Schmidt and Theodore should continue to develop and provide top-four defense for many years to come. Theodore in particular is only 24 years old and could break out and develop into a dominant defenseman in the next few years. Tuch took a solid step in his development, scoring 20 goals and 52 points in his second year and if the 23-year-old keeps improving, could be quite the bargain under $5MM in the future.

Buyouts

None

Retained Salary Transactions

F Tomas Tatar ($500K through 2020-21)

Salary Cap Recapture

None

Still To Sign

D Jimmy Schuldt (RFA)

The team might have to free up just a little extra to finally get Schuldt locked up for a number of years, but the top collegiate free-agent this offseason opted to sign with Vegas and could begin his career immediately. With attention from 29 of the 31 teams, many believe that Schuldt will get every opportunity to win a spot on the Golden Knights’ defense and could make his impact right away. After four years at St. Cloud State, he still will have to prove that he can beat out Whitecloud and Hague, but once the RFA signs, he could end up being a big piece to the team’s defensive outlook.

Best Value: Karlsson
Worst Value: Pacioretty

Looking Ahead

The Golden Knights general manager combo of George McPhee and Brad McCrimmon have done an amazing job of putting a team together quickly that is ready to compete immediately and have a chance to compete for many years. At the moment, the team has done a good job of locking up its core and while the team is right up against the cap, it does have a number of players making quite a bit of money while on short-term deals, which could allow the team to continue to upgrade to the team after those deals expire. Throw in a number of younger players who are getting closer and closer to being able to contribute, the team should be in solid shape for quite a while.