The Vegas Golden Knights spent the summer trimming fat, not chasing headlines. They moved on from bloated contracts and let several players walk, including names that would have commanded bigger paydays, such as Pavel Dorofeyev. Reilly Smith was out too, along with Brandon Saad, Colton Sissons and Cole Smith, all part of the reshuffling that made room for the next wave of players in the push for a Stanley Cup run.
That kind of turnover only works if there’s a plan behind it. And according to Kelly McCrimmon’s thinking, there is. The Golden Knights have a few names worth keeping in the fold beyond next summer, and in some cases, the case for holding on gets even stronger if the team wants stability in key spots.
Mark Stone sits at the top of that list. Last season, he reminded Vegas exactly what he brings on offense, finishing tied for 11th in points per game at 1.22, alongside Jack Eichel and Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander.
Injuries limited him during the 2025-26 season, but the value was still obvious. Stone reads the ice, slips into dangerous spots and has a knack for carving up opposing defenses.
For the Golden Knights, keeping the captain around longer makes plenty of sense.
William Karlsson belongs in that same conversation, even if the scoring numbers are not what they once were. At 33, he is not going to repeat the 43-goal season he posted in 2016-17, but his impact goes well beyond the box score.
Karlsson remains one of the smartest defensive centers in the league, with strong awareness of spacing and a real feel for shutting down the inside lane. He also brings one of the most active sticks on the roster, which makes him a major part of the penalty kill.
He still looks like a player worth keeping for another season or two.
Nic Dowd is the surprise name, but the fit is easy to see. He has won 50.7% of his face-offs over his career and posted a 51% face-off win rate in 20 regular-season games with Vegas.
That kind of reliability matters, especially when paired with his penalty-killing work. Winning draws and helping burn clock gives the Golden Knights a chance to keep momentum where they want it.
A smaller deal for a year would make sense if the goal is to keep that part of the roster steady.
Braeden Bowman may be the youngest name here, but he may also be the one with the clearest long-term value. The undrafted forward put together a strong rookie season in 2025-26, finishing with eight goals and 18 assists in 54 games.
He has also drawn comparisons to Stone because of the way he positions himself on the attack and carries the puck. Since he is set to be a restricted free agent next summer, keeping him in the organization could give Vegas a future replacement already in place.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Look Smarter As Another Cap Trap Closes In
Anaheims decision to match Philadelphias five-year, $18 million offer sheet for Leo Carlsson only sharpened the contrast around the leagues cap-strapped teams, especially for clubs trying to keep a young core intact without painting themselves into a corner. The Ducks now have to sort through the ripple effects of that move, and it serves as another reminder of how quickly a promising roster can become a salary-cap puzzle when the next contract comes due.
For Vegas, the situation reads a little differently. The Golden Knights have already shown a willingness to walk away from a young players price when it gets too rich, and they have been just as firm about moving on from Akira Schmid rather than forcing a fit. Those kinds of decisions can look conservative in the moment, but they also help explain why Vegas has stayed cleaner than some of the teams now staring at a cap trap, with room to keep maneuvering while others are forced into harder choices. [Read more 🡒]