The Vegas Golden Knights have added a former member of their team in an off-ice capacity. Defenseman Nick Holden, a veteran of 12 NHL seasons, has accepted a player development role in Vegas. The 36-year-old also announced his retirement as a player on Tuesday.

“Playing for Vegas was an amazing time in my career for both me and my family,” Holden said, via NHL.com. “To have the opportunity to rejoin this organization is unbelievable and I really appreciate the opportunity given to me by (president of hockey operations) George McPhee and (general manager) Kelly McCrimmon.”

As a player, Holden joined Vegas in the summer of 2018. He left the Boston Bruins through free agency, signing a two-year contract to play for the Golden Knights. He received a two-year extension around the 2020 NHL trade deadline to remain in the Sin City.

In July 2021, the Golden Knights traded Holden to the Ottawa Senators. The veteran defenseman would play the last two years of his career with the Senators. In total, he scored 52 goals and 178 points in 654 games.

“Nick was widely respected by management, teammates, and coaches during his time with the Golden Knights as a player,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said of Holden, via NHL.com “He fills an important role with our player development and will work not only with our drafted prospects but also with our young pros with the Henderson Silver Knights (in the American Hockey League).”

The Golden Knights are coming off their first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Vegas begins their defense of hockey's holy grail on October 10 at home against the Seattle Kraken.