Defenseman Nick Holden placed on waivers by Golden Knights
The Golden Knights found a temporary solution for their salary cap problem.
Defenseman Nick Holden was placed on waivers Monday along with nine other players as the Knights look to finalize their roster.
Holden, who signed a two-year, $3.4 million extension in February, can be claimed by any of the other 30 teams before 9 a.m. Pacific time Tuesday. If he clears waivers, Holden is expected to be placed on the Knights’ taxi squad for the upcoming season.
Teams have until 2 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday to submit their opening night roster.
The Knights were projected to be approximately $975,000 over the $81.5 million salary cap before Monday’s moves, according to CapFriendly.com. If Holden is not claimed and placed on the Knights’ taxi squad or sent to the American Hockey League, $1.075 million of his $1.7 million salary cap hit would come off the books and make the Knights cap compliant by Tuesday’s deadline.
Defenseman Carl Dahlstrom ($850,000 salary cap hit), who was acquired from Winnipeg in the trade for center Paul Stastny, also was placed on waivers Monday to address the Knights’ salary cap situation.
The moves indicate defenseman Nic Hague will be on the opening roster when the Knights face Anaheim on Thursday at T-Mobile Arena.
Hague, 22, has skated with Zach Whitecloud throughout training camp on the third pair. They were defense partners in the AHL during the 2018-19 season and developed chemistry as the Chicago Wolves reached the Calder Cup final.
“We have a lot of depth there,” coach Pete DeBoer said Sunday. “We’re going to use as much time as we can to separate those guys and who can help us the most. And regardless of where we start, I’m sure with the way this season’s going to go we’re going to need all those guys.”
Forward Keegan Kolesar was not placed on waivers and could be kept around as insurance if winger Alex Tuch is forced to go on injured reserve to start the season. Tuch is day to day with an undisclosed injury, DeBoer said.
Gage Quinney skated in Tuch’s spot on the third line during practice Sunday and could also be called upon. He does not need to clear waivers to be placed on the taxi squad or the AHL, according to CapFriendly.com.
Forwards Patrick Brown, Reid Duke, Tyrell Goulbourne, Tomas Jurco, Daniel O’Regan and Dylan Sikura were waived along with defenseman Jake Bischoff and goaltender Oscar Dansk.
Brown, Jurco, O’Regan and Sikura are candidates for the taxi squad if they clear waivers. Otherwise, they will be reassigned to the Silver Knights and start in the AHL, which is targeting a Feb. 5 start.
Bischoff was buried on the depth chart in training camp and most likely will start with the Silver Knights if he is not claimed.
One goaltender must be on the taxi squad if a team has two goalies on the NHL roster, and Dansk is expected to fill that role.
The Knights also announced that defensemen Jimmy Schuldt, Brayden Pachal, Connor Corcoran and Kaedan Korczak, goalies Logan Thompson and Dylan Ferguson, and forwards Jake Leschyshyn, Lucas Elvenes, Jack Dugan, Ben Jones and Peyton Krebs have been assigned to the Henderson Silver Knights.
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
