The Vegas Golden Knights entered the first day of NHL free agency with a clear mission: re-sign their own, clear cap space, and solidify their blue line. By the end of the day, they had accomplished all three, signing 13 players — eight of them their own free agents — and making a series of trades to free up $5.25 million in cap space.
The most significant move was the re-signing of defenseman Rasmus Andersson to a seven-year, $59.5 million contract. Hours earlier, the team announced a six-year, $24 million extension for bruising defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. The Knights also acquired Parker Wotherspoon from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Kaedan Korczak, a move that cleared $2.75 million in cap space after the Penguins retained 50% of Wotherspoon’s $1 million cap hit.
Dylan Coghlan returns on a two-year deal and will compete for a third-pairing role, replacing Ben Hutton as the seventh defenseman. The revamped blue line is left-shot heavy, with only Andersson and Coghlan shooting right. General manager Kelly McCrimmon said he has discussed the imbalance with coach Ryan Craig and assistant John Stevens, and they believe the group’s versatility will allow players to shift to the right side if needed.
“It’s a really important part of our hockey team,” McCrimmon said. “I like the mix. I like the balance of the guys that returned.”
To clear cap space, the Knights made difficult personnel decisions. Korczak, a 2019 second-round pick, was shipped to Pittsburgh. The team also traded longtime fourth-line forward Keegan Kolesar to the Detroit Red Wings for a seventh-round pick in 2027 and a 2029 third-round pick. Kolesar had two years remaining on his three-year, $7.5 million extension. “It was a hard phone call for both of us,” McCrimmon said. “No bitterness. He understands how it works. I think we’ll have a friendship forever. I hope he does great.”
With the roster now standing at nine forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders, McCrimmon emphasized that this offseason presents opportunities for younger players. The Knights signed forward Marc Gatcomb from the New York Islanders to a two-year deal; the 26-year-old played 49 games last season. McCrimmon believes Gatcomb can fill Kolesar’s role. He also praised Braeden Bowman, who recorded 26 points in 54 games as a rookie, saying, “He proved he belongs. He’ll be an everyday player with us.”
Victor Olofsson returns on a one-year contract after spending last season with Calgary and Colorado. Olofsson, who scored 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games with the Knights in 2024-25, could replace Pavel Dorofeyev on the first power-play unit. “We wanted to add someone that has a history of being able to score goals, which Victor does,” McCrimmon said. “We liked more about his game then and now than just the fact he’s a shooter, but he brings that skillset to our team.”
One roster spot remains open, with candidates including Kai Uchacz, Tanner Laczynski (who signed a three-year extension at a $900,000 cap hit), and possibly 2024 first-round pick Trevor Connelly. McCrimmon noted the team did not expect to be a big spender due to cap constraints, but the four trades since Friday netted six draft picks and created $5.25 million in space — “much-needed assets,” as he called them.
The Knights are reportedly one of three teams Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin would accept a trade to. Larkin carries an $8.7 million cap hit for four more seasons, and Detroit GM Steve Yzerman is not looking for a futures package. Further cap maneuvering would be required if Vegas pursues that deal. “Over the course of the offseason, we’re going to stay plugged in with what’s going on in the league,” McCrimmon said.
