Lehner underwent hip surgery in August of 2022 and was declared still unfit to play on Thursday as Vegas looks at their next steps with the injured goaltender. Leher failed to attend training camp for a mandatory pre-season medical exam which confirms that the 33-year-old is ineligible to play. He is entering the final year of a five-year, $25 million contract and has $4.5 million owed in 2024-25 if Vegas does decide to terminate his contract.
Schmid's rights were acquired by Vegas in a trade including Alexander Holtz on June 29th and the goaltender has signed a two-year, $1.75 million ($875,000 AAV) contract with the Golden Knights. The 24-year-old netminder looked like the goaltender of the future for New Jersey but struggled mightily in 2023-24 posting an ugly 5-9-1 record with a 3.15 GAA and .895 SV% across 19 games played.
Burke has been with the Avalanche organization since turning pro in 2021 but has appeared in just three NHL games since then. Burke spent most of the 2024 season in the AHL, where he had 16 goals and 23 assists (39 points) in 57 games with the Colorado Eagles. Look for him to start the 2024-25 season in the AHL.
After scoring a career-best 28 goals in 2023, Olofsson fell out of favour in Buffalo in 2024, playing just 51 games. Olofsson's two-way game needs refining, but he is a solid middle-6 scoring winger who can also help out on the power play. After Vegas lost Marchessault, Stephenson, Amadio, Mantha, and Carrier, they needed some cheap upside on the wing.
After three seasons in Vegas, Kaedan Korczak will remain a Golden Knight after signing a two-year contract extension worth $1.65 million ($825K AAV). The 23-year-old took a step forward in 2023-24, picking up a goal, nine points and a +12 plus/minus while only appearing in 26 games (career-high).
After a breakout season in 2023-24 which saw Pavel Dorofeyev achieve career highs in games played (47), goals (13), and assists (11), the 23-year-old has earned himself a two-year contract worth $3.67 million ($1.835M AAV). Drafted in the 3rd round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (79th overall), Dorofeyev has appeared in 67 games for Vegas in three seasons, amassing 20 goals and 33 points.
Samsonov's much-documented run in Toronto is officially over after the Russian goaltender signed a one-year deal worth $1,800,000 with Vegas on Monday. The 27-year-old had an incredibly up-and-down 2023-24 after passing through waivers earlier in the season and bouncing back by year's end to finish with a 23-7-8 record, 3.13 GAA and .890 SV%.
Vegas' bottom six is slowly coming together after they signed Tanner Laczynski to a two-year contract worth $1.55 million ($775K AAV) on Monday. The 27-year-old played 32 of his 38 career games in 2023-24 and had two goals, four points and a -5 plus/minus.
Vegas built on their overall depth on Monday as they signed 29-year-old Zach Aston-Reese to a one-year, two-way contract. The travelling forward will join his fifth team in eight NHL seasons after only appearing in three games for Detroit in 2023-24.
Hill was perfect when Vegas needed him most, stopping all 23 of 23 shots for his third career playoff shutout as he evened up the Golden Knights' opening series and will be the starter for Game 7 on Sunday. The 27-year-old led Vegas to thier first Stanley Cup Victory last season but only took over the starters crease in Game 5 this year. He holds a 1-1-0 record, 1.52 GAA and .938 SV% through his two starts and will be looking to knock off Dallas on Sunday on the road.
Hill was perfect when Vegas needed him most, stopping all 23 of 23 shots for his third career playoff shutout as he evened up the Golden Knights' opening series and will be the starter for Game 7 on Sunday. The 27-year-old led Vegas to thier first Stanley Cup Victory last season but only took over the starters crease in Game 5 this year. He holds a 1-1-0 record, 1.52 GAA and .938 SV% through his two starts and will be looking to knock off Dallas on Sunday.
Hutton made his series debut in Game 5 but will come out of the lineup for Game 6. Zach Whitecloud will draw back in and replace him on the Golden Knights' blueline.
Whitecloud was a healthy scratch in Game 5 but will replace Ben Hutton in the lineup for Game 6. Whitecloud has no points, a minus-1 rating, two shots on goal, three blocked shots and six hits in four games this series.
Dorofeyev drew into the lineup for Game 5 but will immediately come out for Game 6. Keegan Kolesar will replace him in the Golden Knights' bottom-6.
Kolesar was a healthy scratch for Game 5 but will replace Pavel Dorofeyev for Game 6. Kolesar has not registered a point and has four shots and 18 hits in four games in the series.
Hill allowed three goals on 25 shots in his series debut in Game 5. Despite strong play from Logan Thompson early in the series, the Golden Knights will turn to Hill's experience again in Game 6. Hill was 10-7-1 with a 2.54 GAA, .913 SV% and two shutouts on home-ice this season.
In a surprise move, Adin Hill was the first goaltender off the ice at Vegas' morning skate and will get his first start of the playoffs in Game 5 as he replaces Logan Thompson. Hill led the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup victory in 2022-23, and had a solid 19-12-2 record, 2.71 GAA and .909 SV% in his second year with Vegas. During last year's historical playoff run, he was 11-4-0 with a 2.17 GAA and .932 SV%.