The Vegas Golden Knights have dominated headlines lately and for good reasons. They acquired superstar winger Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs and placed two-time Stanley Cup champion Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). They also re-signed fan favorite Reilly Smith and brought back multiple pieces from last season’s roster.
Related: Golden Knights’ Alex Pietrangelo Playing Career May Be Over but Not Forgotten
With the draft and the opening wave of free agency in the rearview mirror, the offseason is beginning to settle. Most teams are close to being finalized, and significant trades appear unlikely in the next handful of months until the puck drops in October.
Here are 10 thoughts as the Golden Knights settle into the quieter stretch of the offseason.
10 Golden Knights Thoughts Recapping the Draft, Free Agency and More
1. Trade Rumor Nonsense
There were plenty of reports suggesting that the Golden Knights would try clearing cap space by trading one of Tomáš Hertl, Ivan Barbashev, or William Karlsson. Presumably to create room for a Marner sign-and-trade.
During general manager Kelly McCrimmon’s press conference on Tuesday, July 1, he shot those down quickly, saying they were never up for trade.
“It just wasn’t true,” McCrimmon said. “It’s shameful, to be honest, that I’ve got to phone William Karlsson and say, ‘Karly, I’m sorry you’ve got to go through this. You’re not for trade.’ Tomáš, relax, you’re not for trade.’ That’s ridiculous.”
In the end, it was Pietrangelo’s $8.8 million cap hit that went off the books as he hit the LTIR, and is unlikely to play again in his professional hockey career.
2. Alex Pietrangelo’s Career Likely Over
On Pietrangelo: With all signs pointing to his final NHL game now behind him, it appears his career has come to a close. What a career it’s been.
“I’ve never met a person like him,” McCrimmon said. “I never have. I truly haven’t, just the leadership and care compassion for teammates. An unbelievable NHL career that he’s had, a two-time Stanley Cup champion. We’re not a Stanley Cup champion without Petro (Pietrangelo) having been part of our organization.”
Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas Golden Knights (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
It’ll be impossible to fully replace a player—and person—like Pietrangelo. But the Golden Knights will have to. The blue line now shifts to Shea Theodore, who will be tasked with stepping into the No. 1 role, a responsibility the 29-year-old has yet to carry on a full-time basis.
How that transition unfolds is a big question mark and will be a big storyline to follow heading into next season.
3. New Faces on Golden Knights Blue Line
Speaking of the blue line, it’s going to look quite different next season. Pietrangelo is out of the fold as well as Nicolas Hague, who was traded to the Nashville Predators, then immediately signed a four-year, $5.5 million extension.
With Marner in mind, that was a number Vegas simply couldn’t pay Hague. In return, they acquired Colton Sissons and Jérémy Lauzon. Sissons replaces Nicolas Roy who was traded to Toronto as part of the sign-and-trade deal for Marner, and Lauzon takes Hague’s spot in the lineup.
Whether it’s a downgrade or not, it really depends on whether Marner can perform to the level that fans across the league saw him at for the past five-plus seasons.
Left DefenseRight DefenseBrayden McNabbShea TheodoreNoah HanifinZach WhitecloudJérémy LauzonKaedan Korczack
Lots could change heading into opening night in October, but this could be the new look blue line heading into the 2025-26 season for the Golden Knights. We’ll see.
4. Golden Knights Interested in Rasmus Andersson
Why that blue line could look different is with the potential acquisition of Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who GM Craig Conroy is actively shopping. The Golden Knights have been linked to the 28-year-old, among other teams.
“This explains why Vegas and Calgary have had numerous discussions over the past week, but still no trade has been made, as the Flames haven’t yet been excited about what the Golden Knights have put on the table.
It makes sense that the Flames believe they should get more in a trade if Andersson is signed to an extension as part of it (he’s got one more year on his deal),” Pierre LeBrun said. “However, Andersson appears to be a little picky about where he would sign, which is his right, as he would be forgoing a chance at unrestricted free agency 12 months from now” (from ‘NHL rumblings: Knights talking Andersson trade and latest on Marner, Marchand, Kyrou,’ The Athletic, 6/30/25).
Without a first-round pick until 2027, the Golden Knights don’t have a ton of assets to put on the table. They could consider top prospect Trevor Connelly, too, but it would be a big blow to their thin prospect pool.
5. Will Dorofeyev’s 2024-25 Success Carry Over?
One of the fascinating storylines of the 2024-25 season for the Golden Knights was Pavel Dorofeyev. The 24-year-old blossomed into a 35-goal scorer overnight and led Vegas in goals last season.
With Marner in the fold, you have to wonder what his production will look like. He’ll still see power-play time, there’s no doubt about that, but with the top-six looking solidified, you wonder where he fits in.
6. Saad Returns on One-Year Deal
Brandon Saad officially signed a one-year, $2 million extension with the Golden Knights on July 1. The former St. Louis Blue registered six goals and 14 points in 26 games for Vegas last season.
“And in the case of Brandon Saad, we acquired him coming off a contract termination with St. Louis, that he was involved in the decision,” McCrimmon said. “And if you remember when we brought him in last year, he had other opportunities to go different places, and wanted to go where he thought he could win, and that was exactly why he wanted to stay in Vegas.”
Re-signing Saad seemed unlikely for the majority of the offseason, but the $2 million contract works out well for both sides.
7. Eichel Extension Expected Soon
Jack Eichel is now eligible to sign an extension with the Golden Knights, and according to 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman suggests the number could match Marner’s new deal—an eight-year contract worth $12 million or more annually.
Friedman also said that this is Eichel’s team, and that Vegas has planned for an extension even with Marner in the fold. The Marner signing doesn’t prevent them from locking up Eichel long-term.
The 28-year-old has repeatedly expressed his desire to remain in Vegas, making it likely that a deal gets done sooner rather than later.
8. Vegas Puts Lots of Trust in Korczak
Kaedan Korczak signed a four-year, $3.25 million contract with the Golden Knights, who are taking a big gamble on the 24-year-old defenseman. As mentioned earlier, the blue line is destined to look different, but this signing indicates they have high hopes for Korczak.
Kaedan Korczak, Vegas Golden Knights (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Korczak saw limited time last season, only playing 40 games and registering 10 assists during that span. With the cap set to rise starting in the 2026-27 season, it’s a low-risk, high-reward signing that could pay dividends for McCrimmon and company.
9. Time For Akira Schmid to Step Up?
Adin Hill will return as the Golden Knights’ starter, but with last season’s backup Ilya Samsonov no longer in the mix, the team will turn to Akira Schmid to fill the role.
Schmid, acquired from the New Jersey Devils during the 2024 NHL Draft, appeared in five games last season, posting a 2-0-1 record with a 1.26 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage. With his role expected to expand, Schmid will need to rise to the occasion, otherwise, goaltending depth could quickly become a concern for Vegas.
10. Stone Questions Loom
What kind of season does Mark Stone have in 2025–26? Over the past two seasons, the Golden Knights’ captain has tallied 110 points in 122 games, but he still hasn’t played a full 82-game season in Vegas.
Perhaps his workload lightens with Marner now in the mix, but that only adds to the intrigue. He remains a critical piece of the Golden Knights’ identity, and how much he has left in the tank could shape the trajectory of the 2025-26 season.
Golden Knights Ready to Roll in 2025-26
With their roster mostly set, barring a potential Andersson trade, the Golden Knights head into 2025-26 with high expectations and no shortage of storylines. The pieces are in place. Now, it’s time to see how far they can go against the likes of the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, and many other Western Conference foes.
