Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill (33) prepares for the start of the second period in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena Monday, June 5, 2023, in Las Vegas.
Published Friday, June 30, 2023 | 2:28 p.m.
Updated Friday, June 30, 2023 | 3:24 p.m.
After playing a key role helping the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, goalie Adin Hill has signed a two-year extension to remain in Vegas, the team announced today.
Hill’s new deal, which carries an average annual value of $4.9 million, was first reported by Sportsnet on Sunday.
The contract carries an eight-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia. That list shrinks to five teams in the second year.
The 27-year-old goalie from Comox, British Columbia, was acquired by the Golden Knights in a trade with the San Jose Sharks last August for a 2024 fourth-round draft pick. Hill’s addition was one of insurance at the time, with goalies Robin Lehner and Laurent Brossoit undergoing offseason surgeries.
But Hill’s true value was felt in the playoffs. He replaced Brossoit in Game 3 of the second round against Edmonton after suffering a non-contact injury in the first period.
Having never played a playoff game in his career, Hill went 11-4 in the postseason, finished with a .932 save percentage and 2.17 goals allowed. From Jan. 1, Hill went 19-8 between the playoffs and regular season with a .930 save percentage.
Hill had the best season of his NHL career, going 16-7-1 with a .915 save percentage as one of five goalies the Golden Knights used during the regular season.
Health withstanding, the Golden Knights are committed to the goalie tandem of Hill and Logan Thompson for their title defense. Lehner is expected to be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) once again as he continues to rehab from surgery on both hips and his shoulder.
Lehner has two years remaining on his contract at $5 million per year.
Once Lehner goes to LTIR, the Golden Knights will have approximately $4.3 million in cap space dedicated to 11 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies.
General manager Kelly McCrimmon said Friday he expected to have all free agency business wrapped up when the league’s new year opens at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
McCrimmon said during the NHL Draft this week that all attention would be dedicated to the Golden Knights’ own free agents, rather than addressing needs elsewhere.
With Hill’s deal and re-signing forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year extension on Wednesday, the attention now turns to the restricted free agents.
The Golden Knights extended qualifying offers to restricted free agent forwards Brett Howden and Pavel Dorofeyev and goalie Jiri Patera. The qualifying offer allows Vegas to maintain negotiating rights and offer a one-year deal based on the players’ salaries from last season.
Howden signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal last season as an RFA and is expected to re-sign. Dorofeyev ($925,000) and Patera ($800,000) will garner contracts at less than $1 million.
Danny Webster can be reached at 702-259-8814 or [email protected]. Follow Danny on Twitter at twitter.com/DannyWebster21.
