The Vegas Golden Knights are pushing for another Stanley Cup, as they have at nearly every trade deadline in their existence. They already traded a first-round pick to the Calgary Flames for Rasmus Andersson, and more could be coming. The Golden Knights have three goalies, none of whom are playing up to snuff, and a change should be made at the NHL trade deadline.
The Golden Knights have Adin Hill on a long-term contract, a reward for his role in the 2023 Stanley Cup title. But he has only played 15 games this year due to injury, with a dreadful .860 save percentage in those starts. Hill is back now, picking up the win on Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings. But Carter Hart is hurt, and Akira Schmid has not proven much in the NHL.
If the Golden Knights want to win a second Stanley Cup, they need better goaltending. And to fit in another goalie, one has to move out. Hill has a 10-team no-trade list and is due $6.25 million through 2031. That would be nearly impossible to trade, especially given his poor performance. Hill will be on the Golden Knights moving forward, which may be the right move.
The Golden Knights took a lot of flak for signing Carter Hart after the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial ended. He was out of the league for years, defending himself in court. In his 12 games this year, Hart has a .871 save percentage. He has a tradeable contract, but other teams are unlikely to want Hart, given the PR disaster of Vegas signing him.
That leaves Schmid, who has an .895 save percentage in 31 games this year. They need to clear some salary and a roster spot to bring in a goalie, so trading Schmid is a necessity for Vegas to fix its biggest need.
Which goalie should the Golden Knights pick up?
For trading Schmid to make any sense, the Golden Knights have to bring in a goaltender at the NHL trade deadline. The Edmonton Oilers are also in the goalie market, and there are two premium options available. There are differing reports on whether the St Louis Blues will trade Jordan Binnington. But if they do, he is a prime goaltending candidate. And the Florida Panthers should be shopping Sergei Bobrovsky, who has won consecutive Stanley Cups.
The Anaheim Ducks are putting their stamp on the Pacific Division race, which could leave the Oilers and Golden Knights facing each other in the first round. Both teams have the same need and could be bidding against each other before Friday afternoon. If Vegas wants a new goaltender, they should be running to the phone to get the player they prefer.
The Golden Knights should prefer Bobrovsky, especially because of his success against the Oilers in the last two Stanley Cup Finals. If the Panthers retain half of his salary and the Knights send Schmid the other way, they would be salary-cap compliant. And then, they would have to focus on value. A 2028 first-round pick and prospect Mathieu Cataford would be a solid return.
But it is possible that the Panthers want a better package than what the Golden Knights can provide them. Considering all of the trades they have made in recent years, Vegas does not have a lot of top prospects to trade. Cataford is a former third-round pick with just ten points in 46 AHL games this year. But he is their number-two prospect because of all the trades.
The St Louis Blues are driving a hard bargain for Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. That means they may require Trevor Connelly, the Golden Knights' top prospect, may have to be involved in a Binnington trade. But Vegas needs a new goalie; they should trade Schmid to get him, and they have proven they won't stop short of going all-in.
