3 key questions for the Knights heading into the offseason
The Golden Knights closed their Stanley Cup celebration Saturday in front of T-Mobile Arena dancing to some of their locker room staples — like “Never Going Home” by Kungs, “Dancing Queen” by ABBA and “Hold the Line” by Toto.”
It was one last opportunity for a group that demonstrated its chemistry all season to put its tight bond on display. It was also likely the final time those players will all be seen in public together.
The NHL’s offseason business waits for no one, not even the champions. The draft begins June 28. Free agency opens July 1. It won’t be long before parts of the Knights’ title team start to split.
Luckily for them, the majority of the group will remain intact. The Knights have 11 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders under contract at a cost of about $79.25 million, $4.25 million below the salary cap’s upper limit.
“We’ll have work to do. We’ll have some things that we need to manage, but we’re going to have a real significant core of this team return,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said.
The Knights will still have to navigate some departures as they attempt to chart a course for back-to-back Cups. Here are three questions they’re facing this offseason:
1. What shakes out in net?
The Knights’ carousel in the crease was the story of the second half of their season. It will likely define their summer as well.
The Knights won the Stanley Cup despite starting a franchise record five goaltenders. Adin Hill emerged in the playoffs to win the team’s final 11 games. The 27-year-old is now an unrestricted free agent after leading all starters with a .932 save percentage in the postseason.
The Knights will have to decide what a fair contract for Hill looks like and whether they can afford it. It should be a fascinating negotiation, given he finished third in the Conn Smythe voting for playoff MVP but also hasn’t started more than 25 games in a season.
“I don’t think there’s a guy in this room that’s surprised at his success,” defenseman Alec Martinez said before the Knights’ final game against Florida. “The guy, he puts his work in both on and off the ice. He’s a great team guy, great guy in the locker room.”
The Knights will have to decide what the rest of the goaltending group looks like as well. Logan Thompson, a 2023 All-Star as a rookie, is still under contract at a bargain $766,667 cap hit.
Goaltender Robin Lehner also has two years remaining on his deal but his status is uncertain. He spent last season on long-term injured reserve — opening up $5 million in salary-cap flexibility for the Knights — after one shoulder and two hip surgeries. Goaltenders Laurent Brossoit and Jonathan Quick are free agents.
2. Which other free agents return?
The rest of the Knights’ free agent list is not a long one.
Only two skaters that played in the Stanley Cup Final are out of contract. Left wing Brett Howden is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights after scoring 10 points in 22 playoff games. That means there is a clear path to him returning with a slight raise to his $1.5 million cap hit if the Knights decide to take it.
Retaining left wing Ivan Barbashev, an unrestricted free agent who can entertain offers from the other 31 clubs, will be trickier. He likely sparked a lot of interest by scoring 18 points in 22 postseason games next to center Jack Eichel and right wing Jonathan Marchessault. The Knights will have to see if they can pay him given their other needs.
“His value is obvious,” McCrimmon said. “There’s a process we’ll go through and see what that looks like.”
The Knights other unrestricted free agents include right wing Phil Kessel and center Teddy Blueger. Both may need to search elsewhere for opportunities given they didn’t play against the Panthers.
3. What young players take steps forward?
One thing that could make the Knights comfortable letting some free agents walk is the prospects that popped up throughout the season.
Left wing Paul Cotter, 23, made the team out of training camp and scored 13 goals in 55 games as a rookie. Right wing Pavel Dorofeyev, 22, had seven goals in 18 games down the stretch that proved crucial in clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the Knights.
Neither played in the playoffs, but they could take on larger roles next season. As could other players that got their feet wet throughout the season like 23-year-old defenseman Brayden Pachal and 22-year-old defenseman Kaedan Korczak. Touted prospects right wing Brendan Brisson and defenseman Lukas Cormier may also compete for time.
“Those guys have opportunities to push through, right?” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “And that’s usually how your organization grows and gets better when you have internal competition, so that’ll be good.”
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.
