The Vegas Golden Knights are in a precarious situation. After drafting 30 players in this summer’s NHL expansion draft, the team is left with two goalies, thirteen forwards—and ten defensemen. They are clearly overloaded on the blue line, and common wisdom suggests that the team will part with at least two or three before the season starts. Who that may be, however, is unclear as the current defense corps does not contain a clear cut trade candidate.
The Golden Knights have a plethora of defensemen on the final year of their contracts, making them attractive at the deadline, but not necessarily attractive before the season starts. Below is a quick synopsis on the Golden Knights blue line and who may stay and who may go.
Jason Garrison: Age 32, $4.6MM, pending UFA
The highest-paid defenseman on the Golden Knights, Garrison represents the prototypical “stay-at-home” veteran defenseman old-school GMs like. Garrison scored 1G and 8A in 70 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning while averaging over 18 minutes a night on Tampa Bay’s second defensive pairing. His contract may prove unmovable though, especially to a team looking to make a playoff push.
Luca Sbisa: Age 27, $3.6MM, pending UFA
The Italian-born Sbisa scored 2G and 11A in 82 games for the Vancouver Canucks last season, while averaging just under 19 minutes a night. Sbisa entered the NHL with much fanfare in 2008-09, but has not fully met the scouts’ expectations. It is possible that Sbisa contributes more in an expanded role, as he was stuck on the Canucks third-pairing for most of the season.
Clayton Stoner: Age 32, $3.25MM, pending UFA
Stoner is looking for a bounce-back season after spending most of 2016-17 on IR. Stoner underwent abdominal surgery in late December 2016, and only managed to play 14 games last season. In those 14 games to start the season, Stoner put up 1G and 2A. Stoner has never been a prolific point-producer—his career high is 10 points—so the Golden Knights may find it hard to move his contract.
Brayden McNabb: Age 26, $1.7MM, pending UFA
McNabb has split time between the Buffalo Sabres and the Los Angeles Kings in his NHL career. His best season saw him put up 2G and 22A in 71 games in 2014-15. The Golden Knights hope that McNabb bounces back from last season’s diluted production, with McNabb scoring only 2G and 2A in 29 games wile averaging just over 15 minutes a night.
Jon Merrill: Age 25, $1.1375MM, pending RFA
Merrill scored 1G and 5A in 5 games for the New Jersey Devils last season, and averaging over 18 minutes a game. What separates Merrill from the above defensemen is his controlled contract situation and his youth. He might be a movable piece on those aspects alone.
Colin Miller: Age 24, $1MM, pending RFA
The former Boston Bruins defenseman has the most to prove on the Golden Knights. Only 24, Miller still has time to live up to his potential. He’ll have to improve on last year’s numbers, though. Miller scored 6G and 7A in 61 games while averaging just under 16 minutes a night. More opportunity for Miller should ramp up his production.
Deryk Engelland: Age 35, $1MM, pending UFA
The Golden Knights signed Engelland to a one-year deal after the expansion draft, so it is unlikely that he is traded before the season starts. He will most likely be the veteran presence in the locker room.
Shea Theodore: Age 21, $863K, pending RFA
Shea Theodore has big shoes to fill. The Golden Knights ostensibly thought enough of Theodore to be okay with making deals with the Anaheim Ducks to forego a defenseman like Sami Vatanen. Theodore scored 2G and 7A in 34 NHL games last season, but at age 21, he has time to develop into a more-integral player. The Golden Knights are unlikely to move Theodore.
Griffin Reinhart: Age 23, $800K, RFA in 2019-20
Reinhart may be moved by the Golden Knights, but that move might be down to the AHL. In 37 career NHL games since 2014-15, Reinhart has zero goals and only 2 assists. The former 4th pick overall in 2012 has yet to prove scouts right, but the Golden Knights saw enough in Reinhart to sign him to a two-year deal worth $800K a year.
Brad Hunt: Age 28, $650K, UFA in 2019-20
Hunt signed with the Golden Knights on July 1st, so it’s unlikely that he is traded before the season starts. Last season Hunt split time between the St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, and the AHL Chicago Wolves. Hunt put up 1G and 5A in 12 NHL games, and an additional 9G and 20A in 23 AHL games. The main knock against Hunt is his size—5’9″ and 175 lbs—but with the NHL evolving into a faster, more skill-based league, Hunt may find a permanent place on the Golden Knights blue line.
Nate Schmidt: Age 26, $TBD, current RFA
Schmidt remains the Golden Knights most interesting defensive asset, and thus could garner the most value on the trade market. Underused on the Washington Capitals blue line last season after the Capitals acquired Kevin Shattenkirk, Schmidt still put up 3G and 14A in 60 games while averaging just under 16 minutes a night. Schmidt received a bigger role in the playoffs, showcasing his potential for the upcoming season. But before all that, the Golden Knights have to sign Schmidt. Both parties have an arbitration date on August 3rd, but it is likely they come to a deal before then.
The Golden Knights need to move at least one defensemen before the season starts, unless they plan on moving some of their players to the AHL. No one player stands out as an obvious trade candidate, so GM George McPhee has his work cut out for his as the season approaches.