Another Golden Knights offseason where anything can happen and nothing should be ruled out is upon us.
Six free agents walked out the door last summer, leaving the Knights with uncertainties across the board.
Not bringing back Jonathan Marchessault or others paid off in the regular season, with the Knights winning 50 games and clinching a fourth Pacific Division title.
Not so much in the playoffs.
Back-to-back shutouts against the Edmonton Oilers, ending their season in five games in the second round, raise questions as to how aggressive the Knights will be this summer.
“I like our team. I have no problem with any player in that room. I think everyone of them is a great teammate, care about one another,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “(Are) there areas of our game that in the group we can complement better? Probably. We’ll evaluate that.”
General manager Kelly McCrimmon said the lack of timely goals, and being shut out for 127 minutes by Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner, isn’t a reflection of how the team was throughout the season. Scoring dries up in the postseason, and McCrimmon thought the Knights defended well.
But how much does that matter if goals are needed to win games?
“I think the playoffs are extremely important in evaluating your players and your team,” McCrimmon said. “There’s a lot more to it than just taking the stat sheet at the end of the night and looking at it.”
Salary cap space and a near-full roster didn’t give the Knights much room to make a splash last summer.
Is that the case again after another early postseason exit?
Here’s everything you need to know about the Knights heading into the offseason:
Salary cap situation
The NHL’s upper limit, which was at $88 million this season, will see a significant bump to $95.5 million for the 2025-26 season.
It will jump to $104 million in 2026-27 and $113.5 million in 2027-28.
That $104 million will be important with center Jack Eichel eligible for an eight-year extension he can sign on July 1.
The Knights will have $9.615 million in cap space heading into the start of free agency on July 1, according to PuckPedia.
The Knights took care of most of their free agency business throughout the season, signing defenseman Shea Theodore (seven years), goaltender Adin Hill (six years) and center Brett Howden (five years) to long-term extensions.
They also secured three-year extensions for right wing Keegan Kolesar and defenseman Brayden McNabb.
That leaves the Knights with five unrestricted free agents and four restricted free agents in need of new deals, and not a lot of space in terms of money and roster.
Unrestricted free agents
Reilly Smith, RW: 11 points in 21 games
The Original Misfit, 34, who was reacquired by the Knights in a deadline deal with the New York Rangers, has made it clear he would like to stay with the team he’s had the most success with in his career.
Brandon Saad, LW: 14 points in 29 games
The 32-year-old became a factor with his speed and skating ability. Saad looked comfortable the moment he signed a one-year deal with the Knights in January after having his contract terminated by the St. Louis Blues
Tanner Pearson, LW: 27 points in 78 games
Pearson, who turns 33 in August, earned a roster spot after signing a tryout deal before training camp. The 78 games were the most Pearson has played since the 2019 season.
Victor Olofsson, RW: 29 points in 56 games
The 29-year-old, who signed a one-year deal with the Knights on July 2, scored 15 goals, with six coming on the league’s second-best power play. He missed 20 games with a lower-body injury at the start of the year that threw off a potential 20-goal campaign.
Ilya Samsonov, G: 16-9-4, 2.82 GAA, .891 SV%
On his third team in four seasons, Samsonov had two shutouts in 29 starts as Adin Hill’s backup. An upper-body injury, mixed with inconsistent play down the stretch, pushed Samsonov to the No. 3 spot behind Hill and Akira Schmid.
Restricted free agents
Nic Hague, D: 12 points in 68 games
Hague, 26, has played 364 games with the franchise that took him 34th overall in 2017. This season was the last of a three-year, $6.882 million extension he signed in October 2022. Do the Knights keep Hague on a crowded blue line?
Jonas Rondbjerg, LW: Zero points in 13 games
The 26-year-old has been an AHL mainstay with some stints with the Knights. A third-round pick by the Knights in 2017, Rondbjerg has played 76 NHL games in sporadic call-up duty.
Cole Schwindt, C: Eight points in 42 games
The 24-year-old was a waiver claim from the Calgary Flames before the season. He made most of his opportunity in his first extended NHL action, including scoring his first NHL goal in the season finale April 16.
Alexander Holtz, RW: 12 points in 53 games
The seventh overall pick from the 2020 draft, acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils, did not flourish in his new start. He had 13 points in 16 games with the Silver Knights, including a four-goal game March 2.
Draft picks
The Knights aren’t expected to be active on the first day of the NHL draft, set for June 27-28 in Los Angeles. They traded their first-round pick to the San Jose Sharks in the deal for center Tomas Hertl last March.
They also moved their 2026 first-round pick to the Calgary Flames to acquire defenseman Noah Hanifin.
Instead, the Knights will operate with six draft picks: a second-, third-, fourth-, fifth- and two sixth-round selections.
If the Knights are to make a big splash, it likely won’t come in a trade, with the prospect pool thin and the draft cabinet bare.
Any upgrades will have to come on the market if they choose to move away from their own free agents.
Top free agents available
Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs: The top prize in the free agent class, Marner is coming off a career-high 102 points and helped lead the Maple Leafs to an Atlantic Division title.
The question with Marner is his playoff production. He was held without a point in three of the final four games of Toronto’s seven-game loss to the Florida Panthers in the second round.
The Knights, with a championship locker room, could bring that out of Marner. But is that cost too steep? They can never be counted out.
Brad Marchand, RW, Florida Panthers: The former Boston Bruins captain has found a resurgence with the defending Stanley Cup champions, scoring 12 points in 14 playoff games.
Would a reunion with Cassidy be feasible? Marchand played for Cassidy in Boston for six seasons, and Cassidy has always spoken highly of the five-time 30-goal scorer.
Marchand would check some boxes the Knights need, including playoff scoring and the ability to get under an opponent’s skin.
Brock Boeser, RW, Vancouver Canucks: A 40-goal scorer two years ago, Boeser is reportedly looking for a long-term deal, possibly with another team. He turned down a reported five-year, $40 million extension with the Canucks.
That price tag might not be worth it for the Knights, but Boeser could benefit from a fresh start.
Nikolaj Ehlers, LW, Winnipeg Jets: Ehlers is a four-time 60-point scorer who is sure to have a number of suitors this summer. He’s more of a playmaker, but Ehlers has been a consistent 20-goal scorer throughout his career.
His teammates want him back, and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff wants to make him a “Jet for life.”
Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
