Zach Aston-Reese was one of the quieter signings for the Vegas Golden Knights. What can he do for the team in 2024-25?

For all the splashy moves the Vegas Golden Knights made during last season’s trade deadline, they were surprisingly quiet in this year’s free agency period. Granted, there’s a good reason for that: The team doesn’t have much salary cap space. In fact, they sit at $3,639,983 over the current salary cap, leaving them unable to do anything.

However, the Golden Knights made some moves on a lesser scale. One of those was Victor Olofsson, a forgotten fourth-line player looking to rebound. He was signed to a one-year, $1,075,000 deal. Essentially, it’s his chance to “prove it,” acting as a low-value signing for Kelly McCrimmon.

Then there’s Zach Aston-Reese, a former Detroit Red Wings winger who’s also on a one-year deal. It’s a two-way contract where Aston-Reese will provide the Golden Knights with depth on the wing, specifically on the bottom six. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, for they’ve dealt with numerous injuries in the past three seasons.

So what will Aston-Reese’s role be with the team in 2024-25? What can fans expect him to do when he’s in Las Vegas? He won’t have much impact playing for Vegas. However, there are some ways he can serve the team on a grander scale. Here are those ways he can make the Golden Knights formidable for the upcoming season.

How Zach Aston-Reese helps the Vegas Golden Knights

Zach Aston-Reese can help the Vegas Golden Knights by providing depth for the team. The Golden Knights have dealt with countless injuries and health issues over the past three seasons. That has left names like Mark Stone and Jack Eichel out of commission, leaving the team to scramble for forward depth. That’s where the former Red Wing comes in. He’ll act as an additional body, bringing valuable experience to the bottom six.

There’s also the physical element he brings to the Golden Knights. The Northeastern University alum has 821 career hits, making him a tough opponent. Standing at 6’1″ and weighing 205 lbs., he has enough size to disrupt the play and help the forecheck. He might not be a prolific scorer like Victor Olofsson was. There are also times when he can be careless with the puck. However, he can fill Paul Cotter’s role from years prior, throwing his body at opposing players.

Fans shouldn’t expect much from Aston-Reese besides him filling in for injured players. That’s not bad, especially since Cotter made it into a niche role for himself. Granted, he was bigger and younger than Aston-Reese. However, the former Maple Leafs star can still create a similar role with Vegas for the 2024-25 season.