The Golden Knights could bring Lehner back with a flat cap but it would cost them
Jesse Granger of The Athletic: The Vegas Golden Knights have about $74.2 million committed for 17 players next season. That includes 10 forwards, six defensemen, and one goaltender.
That should be enough room to re-sign pending restricted free agents in Chandler Stephenson and Nick Cousins. Both could be in the $2 million per season range. That would leave about $4 million for three skaters and a backup goalie.
Pending unrestricted free agent goaltender Robin Lehner is looking for a long-term deal and could be somewhere between $5 and $7 million per season. Not easy, but not impossible. Re-signing Lehner could cost them Cousins, and the majority of their UFAs.
Other Golden Knights pending UFAs include Ryan Reaves, Tomas Nosek, Jon Merrill and Deryk Engelland.
The Golden Knights don’t really have any great candidates for buyouts (compliance or regular).
If the salary cap drops next season, the NHL has to give teams some relief (compliance buyouts or a soft cap with a luxury tax). A lower cap to say $77.5 million (a 5 percent drop), would cost the Golden Knights a significant player or not bringing Lehner back.
Teams looking for a goalie and some goalies that could be available
Jonathan Willis: Looking at teams that could be in the market for a starting or backup goalie this offseason.
- Starting jobs: Chicago, San Jose, Vancouver
- Tandem job, with starting potential: Detroit, Ottawa
- Tandem job, probably as a backup: Calgary, Dallas, Edmonton, Montreal, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Vegas
Pending free agent goaltenders who will be looking for a starting position: Robin Lehner, Jacob Markstrom and Braden Holtby.
Other pending UFAs include Corey Crawford, Anton Khudobin, Thomas Greiss, Cam Talbot, Laurent Brossoit, Brian Elliott, Jimmy Howard, Mike Smith and Aaron Dell.
Goaltenders who could find themselves on the trade block this offseason include Antti Raanta, Jake Allen, Alexandar Georgiev, and Matt Murray.