There’s one position the Vegas Golden Knights should be concerned about heading into 2024-25. Here’s why they should’ve made this trade to remedy it.
Let’s imagine a scenario for the 2024-25 season. We’ll pick a game on… November 21 at the Ottawa Senators. The Vegas Golden Knights are doing well during the regular season, cruising with Adin Hill. The team chose Hill as the starting goaltender, after all. That’s partly why they traded Logan Thompson to the Washington Capitals. Everything’s running smoothly until the British Columbia native gets hurt… again. Now, the Golden Knights are stuck with… Ilya Samsonov in the net.
While Vegas doesn’t have a star goaltender like Linus Ullmark or Connor Hellebuyck, the Stanley Cup hero has been a steady player. He’s posted a GAA of 2.60 and a save percentage of .912 in two seasons with the team. He also has a GA%- of 92 in those two years with Vegas. Keep in mind that the latter stat does better when lowered, especially when compared to a GA%- of 101 with the Arizona Coyotes (four seasons).
That’s part of what makes him valuable to the team. Suddenly, a position that thrived on its balance has inexperience and uncertainty if the starter is injured. Akira Schmid will be in the net for the Henderson Silver Knights heading into the new hockey year. Therefore, he’ll be raw if he enters the NHL. As for Samsonov? Last season, he had a GAA of 3.13 and a save percentage of .890 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
That begs the question of the one trade the Golden Knights should’ve made in the 2024 offseason. No, it’s not Mitch Marner, for that deal might happen, albeit it has a small chance before the season starts. It involves a goaltender who won the Vezina Trophy not long ago. Who’s the mysterious name that Vegas should’ve acquired during the summer?
The Vegas Golden Knights should have acquired Linus Ullmark instead of the Ottawa Senators
Now, you might think that the Vegas Golden Knights need help on the wing. That’s a fair point, especially after losing numerous forwards during the offseason. However, the team does have young talent with plenty of upside. That includes Pavel Dorofeyev and Alexander Holtz, young players who can score 30+ goals in a season with their potential.
That’s what made Linus Ullmark appealing. He came off a Vezina Trophy-winning season in 2022-23, posting a GAA of 1.89 and a save percentage of .938. The Swedish netminder also posted a GA%- of 65, which led the NHL and fortified him as the best in his position. Remember, the lower the better for this stat.
It’s no wonder Vegas was in touch with the Boston Bruins about his availability. That is until the Ottawa Senators scooped him up. Then, he was off the market and Kelly McCrimmon’s offseason was left with a whimper. Instead, they settled for Samsonov to back up Adin Hill during the 2024-25 season, adding uncertainty in the net.
Imagine the Swedish superstar in Bruce Cassidy’s forecheck-heavy system. He would benefit greatly from having clogged passing and shooting lanes, closed gaps, and blocked shots. It would garner a second Vezina Trophy winner, giving them another goaltending legend like Marc-Andre Fleury. Vegas would’ve been one of the toughest teams to score on, breaking the modern NHL game.
Could a deal still happen? How would it affect Adin Hill?
There are some caveats to getting Linus Ullmark from the Ottawa Senators. One, he has a 15-team no-trade list, complicating matters. He would also be a one-year rental unless he got a contract extension, for he’s in the last year of his current deal. That could be tough considering the Vegas Golden Knights have other priorities, including preparing for a potential Jack Eichel extension.
However, Ottawa hasn’t fielded a playoff team since 2017, where they had guys such as… Mark Stone. There’s a possibility that won’t change with the Atlantic Division being tougher than last season. With the defending Stanley Cup champions, a Jake Guentzel-led Tampa Bay Lightning, and those same Bruins, getting a playoff spot will become impossible.
There’s also Ullmark’s current deal, which has a cap hit of $5 million. Kelly McCrimmon isn’t afraid of having other teams retain salary, lessening the blow for the Golden Knights. As for Adin Hill? That would mean being relegated to the backup position. He was originally signed for that purpose entering the 2022-23 season. However, the move would give Vegas one of the best goaltending tandems in hockey, making them a Stanley Cup contender.
Will this move happen at the trade deadline? Only time will tell, although the Golden Knights will have other priorities to address. That could be a big name like Patrik Laine, who could catapult Vegas to new heights. However, the 2024 offseason was the best opportunity to address their underlying goaltending issues. That could haunt them during the regular season, even with Bruce Cassidy’s system in place.
