Kelly McCrimmon’s next swing should be a big one, and the name worth circling is Jason Robertson.
The Dallas Stars winger just signed a one-year, $12 million deal to stay put, but that only sharpens the question of what his next contract will look like. It will go north of $12 million, and that kind of number is exactly why he belongs in the conversation for Las Vegas. The idea is simple: if the Golden Knights are going to make a major move, they should chase a player who justifies the price tag.
Robertson is not Pavel Dorofeyev, and that matters here. Dorofeyev’s new seven-year, $77 million deal was enough to make McCrimmon pass on a potential move and send him to the New York Rangers. Robertson presents a different level of player entirely, and the numbers back that up.
Using point shares from 2025-26, Robertson comes out well ahead of Dorofeyev in both the offensive and overall categories. Robertson posted 9.0 offensive point shares, 2.8 defensive point shares and 11.9 total point shares. Dorofeyev finished with 5.8 offensive point shares, 1.8 defensive point shares and 7.6 total point shares.
The gap shows up in the traditional stats, too. Robertson scored 45 goals and added 51 assists, while Dorofeyev had 37 goals and 27 assists. Robertson also brought 15 power play goals last season, which only reinforces the case that he is more than just a one-dimensional scorer.
That’s the key difference. If you’re going to spend big, the argument here is that the money should go to a player with Robertson’s full package, not simply a power-play specialist.
There is also a cap angle that makes the idea more interesting. In 2027-28, the Golden Knights are projected to have roughly $35 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia.
That would leave room for a major addition and for Mark Stone to return. William Karlsson could also fit if he accepts a team-friendly deal.
With the defense group expected to stay mostly intact for another season, the roster picture becomes easier to manage. A goaltender could still be part of the discussion since Carter Hart is an unrestricted free agent by then, at least for the short term. Even so, the upcoming prospects should help lighten the load for the future.
In Other News...
Golden Knights Favorite Ryan Reaves May Be Entering A Surprising New Chapter
Ryan Reaves, a familiar name to Golden Knights fans from his time in Vegas, may be lining up a post-playing path that would keep him close to the game. The 39-year-old forward, who spent last season with the San Jose Sharks, is reportedly exploring a career in broadcasting after a 16-year NHL run that has taken him through plenty of different stops.
According to ESPNs Greg Wyshynski, Reaves attended a broadcast camp as he looks into that next chapter. For a player who has built a long career on the ice and remains an unrestricted free agent, the move hints at a transition that could come sooner rather than later, even if the next step is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Adin Hill Has Become Vegas Fans Biggest Lightning Rod
Adin Hills place in the conversation around Vegas has changed quickly since his six-year extension, and not in the way the Golden Knights expected. The goaltenders numbers slipped badly in the 2025-26 season, and with that came a wave of frustration from a fanbase that has grown used to demanding standards in net.
The bigger question now is whether the organization sees this as a temporary dip or the start of a more serious reset. There has already been plenty of speculation about where Hill fits in the long-term picture, but the teams front office has continued to show belief in him, keeping the situation open-ended as Vegas tries to sort out its crease. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Prospect Reality Is Starting To Look Uncomfortably Thin
The latest prospect rankings offered a familiar snapshot of where the Golden Knights stand in the pipeline conversation: not especially deep, and still leaning on a very small handful of names. Trevor Connelly, the 19th overall pick in 2024, was the lone Vegas skater to crack The Athletics Top 100 drafted prospects list at No. 45 after spending the season with the Henderson Silver Knights, while Carl Lindbom earned a spot among the outlets Top 20 drafted goalies after a strong AHL season.
Lindboms rise is encouraging for a team that has often had to build through the present more than the future, especially after he also got into eight NHL games. But the broader picture is harder to ignore: Vegas had only those two prospects represented in the rankings, which is a reminder of how much of the organizations draft capital has already been moved elsewhere. For a club that has spent years chasing contention, the next wave still looks awfully narrow. [Read more 🡒]