The Vegas Golden Knights wasted no time showing what kind of summer they’re planning.
By the time free agency officially opened on July 1, the club had already seen two bottom-six forwards walk out the door. Colton Sissons was first, leaving for the Toronto Maple Leafs on a two-year deal worth $4.25 million annually. Soon after, Cole Smith followed, turning Vegas’ Stanley Cup Finals run into a three-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks carrying a $3 million annual cap hit.
Then came another hit to the depth chart. The Golden Knights traded fourth-line fixture Keegan Kolesar to the Detroit Red Wings and received a third-round pick in 2029 and a seventh-round pick in 2027.
That sequence left Vegas with about $2.5 million in extra cap space and a bottom of the lineup that suddenly looks unfinished. The early read is clear: this is not just a few isolated exits. The Golden Knights are reshaping their depth.
There was at least one piece of good news in the churn. TSN’s Darren Dreger first reported that Victor Olofsson is expected to return to Vegas, though the contract details have not been reported.
Olofsson split last season between the Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames, finishing with 13 goals and 31 points in 79 games. Before that, he scored 15 goals in 56 games for the Golden Knights in the 2024-25 season.
Beyond that, the picture gets much less certain. Tanner Laczynski is back on a three-year extension worth $900,000 per year, giving Vegas another depth option alongside recently re-signed Jonas Rondbjerg. The roster also opens a door for prospects Trevor Connelly and Braedan Bowman, both of whom are expected to compete for spots this offseason.
The cap room Vegas created could also point to more movement. The team already made a trade Tuesday that sent defenseman Kaedan Korczak to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Parker Wotherspoon, and more deals could still be coming. Tomas Hertl and Adin Hill are both still in trade rumors, while the extra flexibility could also set Vegas up to chase a bigger name, including forward Dylan Larkin or goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
Whatever comes next, the message from the last week is hard to miss. The Golden Knights have been busy, and the roster churn doesn’t look done yet.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Reunion Could Finally Answer Their Wing Scoring Problem
The Golden Knights have been searching for more help on the wing, and a familiar face may be part of the answer. According to TSN's Darren Dreger, Vegas is expected to sign a winger who already spent time with the club and could help deepen a forward group that has been looking for another scorer on the outside.
Last season, he bounced between Colorado and Calgary and finished with 13 goals and 18 assists, a reminder that he can still chip in offensively. What makes the fit intriguing for Vegas is the mix of touch and shooting threat he has shown before, especially on the power play, and the reunion would give the Golden Knights another option without forcing them to wait long for reinforcements. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Just Made Two Depth Moves Fans Cant Ignore
The Golden Knights kept busy on the depth front, adding another layer to a roster that has already seen a flurry of movement with recent trades and Rasmus Anderssons extension. This time, the focus was on the forward group, where Vegas turned to two familiar names who can help stabilize the system and keep the organization stocked with experienced options.
Tanner Laczynski comes in on a three-year one-way contract, while Jonas Rondbjerg is back on a one-year two-way deal. Both are positioned to bolster the Silver Knights and provide the kind of call-up insurance every contender leans on during the season, especially when injuries start to test the edges of the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Could Be Eyeing A Major Free Agency Shakeup
Mike Rupp spent part of a recent NHL Network discussion sketching out what the next Vegas offseason could look like, and it centered less on tinkering and more on a possible shakeup. The Golden Knights have a long history of staying active in trade conversations, and with the blue line still feeling the absence of Alex Pietrangelo, the teams roster questions are landing at a familiar time for a franchise that rarely sits still.
Rupps point was that the conversation around Vegas may not be limited to one area, even if the defensive side looks like the most obvious place to attack. A stronger back end would fit the way the Golden Knights have tried to build, but the challenge is finding the right move in a market where their name always seems to come up. For now, the bigger takeaway is that Vegas is once again being framed as a team that could be aggressive rather than cautious. [Read more 🡒]